All posts by midnightmurphy

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About midnightmurphy

Limerick to Dublin to Amsterdam to Dublin to Limerick

Chernobyl

Travel, Uncategorized, , ,

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The flight to Kyiv from Dublin lasted 3.5 hours, and was a typical Ryanair experience. When you are trapped in the air for that length of time, they can try the hard sell at their leisure.

We were greeted at the airport by Vladimir – the representative of the letting agent, whose apartment in city centre Kyiv we were residing for the weekend. He drove us to our abode. It was 11pm. We needed a cocktail, and headed to N::B Cocktail Bar  which has to be the loveliest bar I have ever visited. It is just off the Maidan Nezalezhjnosti (Independence Square) and is a cosy yet luxurious place with the best signature cocktails on the planet. Continue reading Chernobyl →

‘In the end’ with Noel Hogan

Limerick, Music, Uncategorized, ,

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The town of Dun Laoghaire was the host this weekend, to the Dun Laoghaire Vinyl Festival. While I remember my first ever vinyl record – the 7″ single of ‘The Riddle’ by Nik Kershaw as a child way back in the 1980s, I wouldn’t be a collector of vinyl. I was aware of the festival because I follow an old sociology lecturer of mine from my University of Limerick days – Eoin Devereux – on social media. He announced that he would be interviewing Noel Hogan from the Cranberries, about the recording and release of the Cranberries final album ‘In the end’, after Dolores’ untimely passing. Continue reading ‘In the end’ with Noel Hogan →

Theatrical: ‘Pale sister’ by Colm Toibin

Theatre, Uncategorized, ,

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In the interest of full disclosure, before I begin this review I acknowledge that Colm Toibin is one of my favourite writers. I’ve read all his fiction – in novel and short story form; as well as most of his non-fiction and travel writing. His fiction tends to be sparse in style, but written in such a manner that there are orchestras playing between the lines. When I heard that he was writing a play for the Gate Theatre, I immediately booked a ticket. Continue reading Theatrical: ‘Pale sister’ by Colm Toibin →

Sinead O’Connor at Vicar Street – utterly brilliant

Music, Uncategorized, ,

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Sinead O’Connor performed in Vicar Street on Sunday night – the fifth night of her 2019 Irish tour, and her first in her hometown of Dublin. I was in attendance, having hauled my old bones from bed early on the morning the day the tickets went on sale, to ensure I got one. Some people had said there was no need to be so keen, as surely it would be easy to access tickets. I knew otherwise. Having seen her on three previous occasions (twice in Paradiso Amsterdam and once in Melkweg Amsterdam) I knew that these tickets would be like gold dust. Anyone who has witnessed Sinead live previously would be back for a repeat performance. Of this I was sure. Continue reading Sinead O’Connor at Vicar Street – utterly brilliant →

Theatrical: ‘Faultline’

Dublin, Gay, Ireland, Theatre, Uncategorized, ,

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‘Faultline’ is a new site-specific, immersive co-production between ANU and the Gate Theatre. Set in a Georgian building at number 11 Parnell Square East, the audience of twelve is divided into two groups and placed among the performers in a re-imagined gay bar; in the headquarters of the Irish Gay Rights movement in the early 1980s – which was in reality located in a few rooms in a similar building on the other side of the square; and in a cottage (a men’s public lavatory which was how many gay men hooked up with each other in those criminal days.) Continue reading Theatrical: ‘Faultline’ →

‘Hustlers’ and J-Lo: The tale of the 50 year old stripper

Film, Uncategorized, ,

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‘Hustlers’ is a new, based-on-a-true-story, comedy-crime film directed by Lorene Scaforia which follows a group of New York strippers who drug Wall Street bankers and max out their credit cards at the strip club. It is set during the years following the economic crash of 2008 and stars Jennifer Lopez and Constance Wu. It is absolute thrash. I loved it. Continue reading ‘Hustlers’ and J-Lo: The tale of the 50 year old stripper →

Theatrical: ‘The Beacon’

Theatre, Uncategorized, , ,

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Another evening, another play. This time the Gate Theatre (notorious for its uncomfortable seating) to see ‘The Beacon’ by Nancy Harris. My ticket was not free – I paid for the honour of a front row seat – the cheapest row in the house. I can’t understand why this is. I always make a beeline for the front row. I like to be close enough to the stage to see the spittle from the actors’ mouths. Continue reading Theatrical: ‘The Beacon’ →

Theatrical: ‘Redemption Falls’

Music, Musical Theatre, Theatre, Uncategorized, , , ,

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When I read ‘Star of the sea’ by Joseph O’Connor earlier this century, I was astonished. That brilliant book concerned a murder committed on a coffin ship sailing from Famine-stricken Ireland to the New World. A semi-sequel ‘Redemption Falls’ was published some years later in 2007. I was in the American Book Center in Amsterdam on the day of release such was my anticipation. To my horror I loathed it – finding it turgid, incomprehensible and very, very dull. It was a huge disappointment – thankfully it was only a blip on O’Connor’s illustrious output and I loved his subsequent books ‘Ghost light’ and ‘The thrill of it all’. Continue reading Theatrical: ‘Redemption Falls’ →

Compensation culture – my story

Uncategorized,

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Earlier this year I received a series of uninvited text messages from Paddy Power bookmakers saying things such as ‘Paddy’s giving MONEY BACK as a free bet on all losers if your player loses in the fifth set. T&C’s. Opt out: Txt PADDYSTOP to 50100’ (I imagine this was related to Wimbledon). Or ‘Paddy’s giving MONEY BACK as a free bet on all losers in the 14.30 Ascot if Lope Y Fernandez wins! Max Free Bet €20! T&C’s. Opt out: Txt PADDYSTOP to 50100’. Continue reading Compensation culture – my story →