More water pursuits!

Staying with the outdoor theme of recent posts - and the water in general, here are some photos sent in by Ned Denison of the recent Vibes & Scribes Lee Swim. Well done to all who took the plunge! Can't say I was there myself... alas, swimming is not one of my talents!

More from Cork Week

So, Cork Week drew to a close last Friday and while I made an appearance, I had to dash like Cinderella from the ball before the clock struck midnight (to get beauty sleep before the following morning's gruelling 5.30am start to present RedFM's breakfast show). Not before encountering the motley crew pictured above. Har Har me hearties, that's the Agave Avengers from the UK, with yours truly second from left and Adrienne Murphy, sailor from 'Aramis' in the centre. Look at those healthy tanned faces... I am certainly the palest of the lot. Actually I came to the conclusion that the sea-faring life is kind to the complexion (I would have thought it should be the opposite), as they made me play a guessing game as to what age they all were... I must admit I got it wrong every time - and without exception I was imagining that they were younger than they actually were! So ladies, ditch the expensive face creams and er... buy yourself an expensive yacht instead... Top tip of the week!

RedFM at Cork Week 2006!

Had a lovely time yesterday broadcasting live from Cork Week in Crosshaven. I was housed in the Press office and was well taken care of there - so a big thanks to all the crew - Janet, Jeremy, Tracy, Katie, Jean and Ivor. I had a very welcome fan to cool me down and a constant supply of mineral water. Was surrounded by many tasty food stalls should I get hungry as well! The view, I can tell you, was much better than that which greets me at my usual studio. Here, I had the sea, the blue sky, the impressive yachts and many beautiful tanned bods milling around too! My thanks to Richie for his technical assistance and to Risteard who managed everything so abley back at base.
The pics show me (in pink) with our hard-working RedFM Patrollers Nicola, Debbie and Claire, who drew many admiring glances from passing folk.
I had been down at Cork Week as well the evening before, for research purposes of course... ahem. Danced up a storm in the Fastnet tent who were pumping out 80's tunes. The Miller tent was even more rocking as I passed by later en route to the park n' ride. Another thing that struck me was the friendly atmosphere - everyone was chatting to and smiling at everyone else.
There's entertainment there every night so if you haven't taken the plunge yet - make sure you make a visit before it wraps up on Friday night.

My new man!!! Wishful thinking....

Oh Migod! How handsome is Jonathan Rhys-Meyers?!!! That's me cuddling up to him, by the way! I met the Cork actor when he opened Kinsale Arts Week on Saturday. The reception was held in the beautiful Municipal Gardens and the weather shone so brightly, we sipped wine, admired the view and were all genearally glad to be alive - it was that kind of day. Jonathan was the icing on the cake. I'd like to tell you I had him all to myself - but the truth is he was courteous to everyone and happily posed for photos (even if he does look a little bored in mine!)
Look at that sky - it could be the mediteranean! Why can't it be like this all year round?! Why can't I bump into Hollywood stars everyday? Ah, back to reality...

Actually I am finally feeling the pain as a result of the fab weather... I stupidly allowed myself to get sunburnt yesterday at a barbeque. So back and shoulders are a bit of an eye-sore today, not to mention actually being sore! I'm usually very careful. It was dumb, I admit it.

Congrats to Cork footballers who beat Kerry yesterday in the Munster final replay - and by such a decent margin too! No-one would have placed them as favourites against Kerry, so it makes victory all the more sweeter. Let's hope they keep up the momentum now throughout the championship. Good luck to Cork City FC out in Cyprus too - a word of advice lads - wear suncream!!!

Theatre darling!

Well, the Marquee has departed and the Midsummer Festival is a memory... but Cork still has loads going on! On Monday I was at 'Twelve Angry Men' at The Everyman Palace. As the actors fanned themselves onstage (part of their act), I too felt like passing out in the audience - it was just one of those stifling evenings. Still, a good excuse to go out and get an ice-cream during the interval!! Very interesting play and some excellent performances too. The 12 angry men, in case you are wondering, are the jurors deliberating in a murder trial. It will make you you wonder about real life jurors - are some of them just anxious to get home and see the ball game too or do they really care about justice?
Then last night it was 'Dandelions' at the Opera House - starring Deirdre O'Kane, Pauline McLynn, Keith Duffy and Dawn Bradfield and written by Fiona Looney. A mixture of serious drama and comedy with a very convincing, well designed set, it was almost like watching a sitcom. And this time I brought the icecream in straight away!
Caught some lovely rays of sunshine in West Cork on Sunday - didn't want to come back! The good news though is that the forecast is exceedingly good for the this weekend too... Oh yummy, more icecream!!! Any 'ol excuse!

Gigs, rants - the whole shebang.

Well, the music has been ringing out every night in Cork recently and it's been fantastic (mostly!) For Live at the Marquee, I got along to The Frames, who lived up to all their promises of being a great live act. I also got to the Monday night Kanye West gig which was... interesting. The atmosphere was incredible, the big hits were performed superbly and raised the roof as one would expect... but there were also some odd moments - like when he played us clips of tracks he worked on as a producer (a bit of a show off!) and his favourite songs (A-ha's 'Take On Me'? I didn't quite know where to look!!). He also went off stage a lot and left the orchestra, backing singers and DJ there to do stuff on their own. I thought he was undergoing an outfit change but he kept coming back in the same increasingly sweaty garb. Still, it was great to be there - and indeed great that a hip-hop giant like Kanye came to Cork in the first place.

I wasn't so enamoured with the Midsummer Festival's Spiegeltent events - well, I should clarify that the events were probably very enjoyable, the tent itself is magnificent - but the event's PR people were a nightmare. Despite requesting entry for last Saturday's Frank and Walters gig roughly a fortnight in advance (and being told that was fine) - I received a text message three hours befor the show informing me that the venue would be full - no room for me. I was covering the gig for The Evening Echo and so was distraught to receive that message. If everyone did that to me, there would be a lot of blank pages in the paper. I've never come across it before. It's highly unprofessional. It wasn't a one-off either - as they had done the same thing to me the week before at the Camille O'Sullivan gig - only on that occasion, I finally got in at the last minute through my own persistence.

Tonight it's Roxy Music Live at the Marquee with support from Jodavino, a Cork band we are playing at the moment on Cork's RedFM. It's them I want to see really - even if Roxy Music are the famous ones. Bryan Ferry supports what he calls "countryside traditions" - in other words: hunting. His idiot son broke ito UK's Parliament in protest and threatened to leave the UK for good when hunting was banned there (Big deal - let the jerk go... no brainer there). Anyway, Daddy Ferry thinks that's hilarious - which is why I will have my silent protest tonight and won't be clapping. I find hunting absolutely disgusting, as you might have guessed by now....

While I am ranting, let me vent at a certain shop on North Main Street. Selling sheets, duvets, curtains and that sort of thing, it is currently having a closing down sale. I went in the other day to get a duvet cover and sheets but picked up the wrong size. Realising my mistake, I went back to exchange it, package fully intact, an hour later. They didn't have it in the other size and refused to give a cash refund. I just find that sort of carry-on so mean spirited. When they can't operate like any normal shop, it's no wonder they are closing down - and I told them so too. I had to then go away with a manky duvet cover that I didn't want... so do me a favour and boycott. There are better people and places to which you can offload your money.

I was looking forward to a weekend away in Kerry and had booked two days off work, as well as a purchase of new clothes for the occasion - now sadly, the big plan is off. But you can't keep a good girl down... It's Des Bishop Live at the Marquee and a catch up with friends and family instead. Hopefully a lorra laughs ahead.....