Even though I claim to be an actor, and despite the fact that – pre-performance nerves aside – I am not hugely terrified about speaking in front of an audience, I still feel socially awkward when asked to speak to individual people when this is outside my daily routine or comfort zone. With the launch date of the play looming I knew the poster day was approaching. As this play is the fruit of my loins, it is rather more personal to me than getting cast in someone else’s play. Not that I take any role for granted but when a piece is self-written it removes one layer to hide behind. I cannot blame the terrible script if the performance is dreadful. Appearing in your own play ups the responsibility level. Therefore I had to swallow my nerves and volunteer for a role that I have studiously avoided for most of my life – promotional work. Continue reading Promo the play, boy →

I had plans for this Easter Saturday. Having arrived home on Good Friday I woke this morning feeling as fresh as a spring daisy. I had plans. I was going to be a tourist in my home town. My initial inclination was to do the river walk from the city centre to the university. But as the sky was in a spitty mood and because I didn’t have an umbrella, I decided that indoors was a safer bet. King John’s Castle on King’s Island – beside the Shannon River – would instead be my first port of call. Continue reading Limerick gets medieval on me →

I reached seat 18A. It was an aisle seat. I would be travelling with my back facing the direction in which the train was moving. This was not ideal – while travelling in this manner doesn’t make me nauseous,  neither is it my favoured mode of travel.  I couldn’t complain – it was Good Friday and a return train ticket to Limerick was a steal at a mere 20 euro – that’s the same price as the big green bus. Continue reading The heavy smoker on the train →

Yesterday evening I met a friend on a boat. This is not as glamourous (or as nautical) as it sounds. There is a boat called the ‘Cill Airne’ (Killarney) permanently moored on the North Wall Quay on the river Liffey. It is operated as a public bar, a restaurant and as a private bar. I don’t understand why, but every time I go to it – which is seldom, I feel suave and sophisticated and I get an urge to roar ‘Ahoy matey’. I have some dignity however so this impulse is always suppressed. Continue reading Sheriff Street →

Tuesday evening involved a rehearsal for the play. I am quite certain that by now, the world (and its mother) – well at least the regular readers of my blatherings – is aware of the fact that I have written a play – ‘An Unexpected Party’- which is taking part in the 14^th International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival from May 1^st to May 6^th (book your tickets HERE…) Continue reading Wind beneath my wings →

At 10.30 on Good Friday I have an interview for a job. A new job, not dissimilar to the one I am employed in right now. The same industry, similar kind of tasks. The main difference is the job location. The position would be based in a city that I know. A city under the sea. A city called Amsterdam. The capital of the Netherlands. I’m not travelling to the Netherlands for the interview – the head of the department is based in Dublin so I will be staying in this country for the inquisition. Friday is a compulsory day off in my current job – although it is not an official public holiday. So no suspicious half day from work. Continue reading Early midlife crisis…? →

I am bursting at the seams to write about the progress of the rehearsals for my play ‘An unexpected party’ which will be staged from May 1^st to May 6^th at 9pm in the Teacher’s Club on Parnell Square. (Get your tickets HERE….). However it seems sort of wrong to be sharing information about it so early. I’m slightly afraid of jinxing the whole thing before it’s even begun. Therefore – except for the no-doubt tiresome – promotion I have taken a vow of silence on the specifics of this topic. Rest assured there will be a gory post mortem of the play and the process once it’s been completed. For the moment however I’m keeping schtum.  Continue reading Fragments from a weekend →

With the best intentions in the world I took out my script last night. I was going to have an evening of line learning (I am sure it will come as a surprise to absolutely no-one when I tell you that I have written a play called ‘An unexpected party’ that is participating in the 14^th International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival from Monday May 1^st to Saturday May 6^th at 9pm in the Teacher’s Club on Parnell Square – buy your tickets HERE…). Continue reading Bookworm: ‘The girl who kicked the hornet’s nest’ →

Some weeks ago I covered myself in glory at the fundraising table quiz for the 14^th International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival (in which I have written and am starring in a play called ‘An expected party’ – running from May 1 to 6^th at 9pm in the Teacher’s Club on Parnell Square – buy your tickets HERE… ) Continue reading A free concert: Lindsey Stirling →

In secondary school I was friends in school with a boy who lived close to me. We became friends in our final year of school before we set flight into the great, scary world of adulthood. We’d spend time hanging out – occasionally going to the cinema; or hanging about in a field – dreaming and talking big about all that we were going to achieve once we were free from the shackles of living under our parent’s roofs, and their rules. About all the films and music we loved At the time I was a fake heterosexual; so I was aware of my dishonesty when it concerned the lies spewing from my mouth about the crushes I had on various young women in my class. I was also a bit reticent about declaring my move for Madonna the pop singer – that was sure fire proof of being a bender – even back then. Continue reading Random →