Road Trip to Cork

After an uneventful road trip down to Cork, the stay in the hotel itself was quite basic for what was meant to be a 4 star establishment. I was quite disappointed with the food I got for dinner and the lack of organisation over breakfast was outrageous. All in all, I'd be in no rush back, to stay at the Rochestown Park hotel. However on the upside, after the depressing weather on Saturday, luckily enough, we had some glorious sun shine for our trip down to Cobh. When we arrived into Cobh, first thing we saw was St. Coleman's Cathedral, which is one of Ireland's tallest buildings. After parking the car, we strolled along the seafront and we got a fabulous view of Spike Island, which was famously used previously as a prison and also we could see Haulbowline Island in the distance, the main naval base and headquarters of the Irish Naval service. At the other end of the seafront, there was a statue of Mary Moore and her brothers, who was the first person to be admitted to the States through the new immigration centre at Ellis Island in 1892. There is a duplicate of this statue on Ellis Island. We were gonna go to the Titanic Experience, both we felt it wasn't worth the 9.50 € entrance fee, instead decided to continue our road trip back through onto Blarney.

Despite the 12 euro entrance fee into Blarney Castle and Gardens, we decided sure to the heck with it, treat ourselves. I felt although that how expensive the fee was quite Irish. The gardens and Castle grounds themselves were very well maintained and landscaped, and you could see where the money was being pumped into. After passing the badger caves, and typical me bumping my head on the way out, which was quite nasty. We strolled into the fern garden, which has a grassy path lined with wild flowers and was very beautiful and tranquil. As we continued, our walk towards the Castle, we entered the poison garden hidden behind the Castle battlements. The plants in this garden are dangerous and toxic and we are warned to enter at our own risk. The garden contains a collection of poisonous plants from around the world including Cannabis, Opium, Mandrake,and Wolfsbane.  
                      
Then we commenced climbing the steps up the Castle to the top, the steps just kept going and going. When we finally got to the top of the Castle, it was very breezy and high although there was an amazing view of the Castle grounds. I was thinking how would +Niamh or even my mother cope with the height as I was even feeling a tad unsafe and weary up there. It was funny as only me would actually kiss the stone, the rest wouldn't and one was itching to get down as his fear of heights was getting to him. Ironically first thing I did myself was rush to the toilet and wash my hands and rinse out my mouth.

 After our trip to the Castle, we got back on the road and started our journey back to Dublin. Our road trip wasn't over, as we diverted to Newbridge and went into Newbridge Silverware to see KITT the car from Knight Rider and while in the vicinity we had a look around the showroom and the museum of Style Icons which hosts numerous collections and artefacts relating to various celebrities such as Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, Princesses Grace and Diana and the Beatles. Once on the final leg of the trip back, we hit a snag, and got stuck in a traffic jam, before Newlands Cross due to a burst water mains, and all the traffic was diverted to Kingswood Interchange. Finally we got at this junction and back on our way after an hour, which felt like an eternity and hell frozen over. Despite the hick up at the end, the weekend as a whole and the road trip to Cork and back, was fun and relaxing, exactly what I needed.  

From the Jeanie to Miranda Hart

After quite a long week, both myself and +Niamh couldn't wait for Saturday and +Miranda Hart. We managed to get tickets on Living Social for the +Jeanie Johnston Tall Ship and Famine Museum for 6.50€ instead of 18 euro. I was lucky enough to get my bus to almost at the ship where I meet Niamh. There was a few people gathered outside the office, including ourselves, the door was locked, which worried a few of us, but the tour guide it seems runs the office and tour simultaneously. Although the tour started 20 minutes late, we all set off and boarded the ship. Our guide Paul, was quite the character and was very entertaining, described the history of the ship and lives of some of the crew and its passengers. It was quite an interesting tour and then our guide let us explore the main deck which was kinda fun in a childish way.

  After disembarking from the ship, we went on the search for food, which proved harder than we would have likened and the place we decided to try, ended up being not the best. After this sub par food, we decided to make the journey to +The O2, we decided to try a different route to see if it would be quicker for again, despite almost getting lost on route, we finally managed to collect our tickets. Once inside the arena, we went straight to the priority lounge to get a beverage or two and relax before the show at 8. We were quite comfy when we got snapped by an O2 angel. The resulting pic even surprised me how well it turned out.

  When we finally got to our seats, although we have never been so high up in the arena before, we still had a pretty decent view. From the off, Miranda had absolutely everyone in the audience in stitches laughing right to the interval. Lucky enough we had the passes to the lounge, neither of us had to join the awful queues for the toilets and even had time to get another drink to bring back in with us. I almost wet myself laughing with her antics and jokes. As we exited, we began to walk into town and we were lucky enough to get on the luas at Mayors dock and decided to sure head out for a while and went to Panti bar for the show, before some how ending up in the Czech inn playing foosball, which I some how lost to Niamh. It was a long, interesting, funny kinda day but was well worth the tiredness that followed the night link home, which I swear I was nearly home in record time.

  During one of my weekly meet up with Niamh, we decided to buy last minute tickets to go see Potted Potter in the Gaiety that evening, a Tuesday. After lunch in Wagamama's where we managed to get 2 for 1 thanks to Priority Moments, I showed Niamh the House of Lords in Bank of Ireland building on College Green. The show itself, headed up been quite a fun night out. The idea behind the show is a parody on Harry Potter and condensing all seven Harry Potter books with game of Quidditch into seventy quite hilarious minutes.

                    
This was followed by the next night, the Wednesday, with a night of wine and canapes at KC Peaches on Nassau Street, which I won on twitter, with a competition they were running, where you tweeted a picture of the food you were eating. The deal Niamh and me had was, I had the free wine and she had the canapes, with all the free refills, not too sure how many of glasses of wine I ended up having. This reception was followed by the movie in Cineworld. The movie was a premiere of Love Punch which is not out till thefollowing Friday. The movie itself was very funny and worth seeing.

To enjoy the Easter weekend, I met Niamh in town after I finished work at Panti Bar to celebrate International Record Store Day with a line up of musicians and bands including our mate Mark's act, Slap & Tickle, who was hilarious as ever. We ended up staying for the Panti show, which was one of the best. Anthony Cotton the actor who plays Sean Tully in Coronation Street was there, and one of  the number was a tribute to him, which was brilliant and got the whole audience laughing. I ended staying the night at Niamh's. 

Easter morning, we got ready to go to Millennium of the Battle of Clontarf and the Death of Brian Boru, out in St. Anne's Park Raheny which was transformed into a Viking Village, containing interactive displays of Viking life and demonstrations of Viking skills and crafts. The highlight of our day and of the whole event was the 45 minute large scale re-enactment of the battle of Clontarf with armed and Viking clad warriors which was preceded with warriors on horseback. It was scary at times, as the battle looked so real, it was only at the very end, did people actually notice, one of the warriors was injured for real, and an ambulance had to bring him away. In a sign of respect, there was a Viking barrier so no pictures could be taken and the crowd where moved back by the event security. No word as yet the state of the 'warrior's', hopefully he will be alright. 

After sampling some food at the taste of Clontarf, we hopped onto the bus just as the rain started to belt down, back into town. We decided to get warm and relax so ended up for pizza and drinks, for a food deal in Front Lounge before the bingo and Easter Revelations show in the George. We both agreed that this week was one of the best and definitely possible the funniest for a long time. As the jackpot was not won, we will have to struggle and drag ourselves there again next week.