Some weeks ago I attended the Hepburn Season at the Lighthouse Cinema in Smithfield, and spent a sophisticated evening of film watching Katharine Hepburn, Montgomery Clift and Elizabeth Taylor in the camp classic ‘Suddenly Last Summer’ by Tennessee Williams. (Read about it HERE… Liz Taylor gave an impressively melodramatic performance in that movie – ‘We PROCURED for him Violet. We were BAIT… They DEVOURED him’. Continue reading Murphy’s Classic Movies: ‘Roman Holiday’ (1953)
Tales of the weekend
The weekend is over. Long live the weekend.
It may come as a bit of a shock to some, but when I was young, I was a fan of the Eurovision Song Contest. I have been emotionally invested in this show since 1984, when an exotic, piranha-like bird of paradise named Linda Martin, swept in like a velociraptor, and captured the nation’s heart.
The following year, Ireland was represented by a singer called Maria Christian who came in sixth position in the contest with the drippy ballad ‘Wait until the weekend comes’. This is a feeling I can strongly relate to – particularly between the time period of Sunday at bedtime and Friday afternoon.
How was my weekend anyway? Continue reading Tales of the weekend
Checkmate, Angela
Germany voted to legalise same sex marriage last night.
Congratulations to the LGBT community in Germany. I hope this is another step on the road to full acceptance in society.
No gratitude to Angela Merkel though. She truly has shown her icy brutality as a human being in this whole saga. Cunning to the point of awe. Inspirational in her calculating deviousness. Continue reading Checkmate, Angela
UPDATED: Boojum Burritos: TOTES adequate
***24 June 2018: It has been revealed – by the Rubberbandits no less – that Boojum Burritos is allegedly stealing from its staff. Apparently at the end of a shift, any discrepancies in the cash register total, is either deducted from staff wages, or taken from the tips bucket. To my mind this is theft. Boojum are not paying their staff well for starters – not sure of the exact amount, but at, or slightly above minimum wage, I would wager. With the cost of living in Ireland, any reduction in pay will be felt sharply. Boojum are punishing their financially vulnerable staff by doing this. Errors get made. Boojum apparently is successful, so this is truly scummy behaviour. Don’t eat at Boojum – unless you are a Donald Trump supporter. Imagine being a Mexican restaurant that Donald Trump himself would support…?***
Every Wednesday evening there is a drama workshop in the city centre. I’ve been known to attend.
The problem is that it starts at 7pm. When one works in the grim, industrial wastelands of County Dublin, and only finishes toiling at the coalface of administration at 5.30pm, there is no time to rush home for a quick bite to eat before heading out again.
This necessitates some compromise. As a diabetic I can’t skip a meal. If at all possible I try to avoid eating at McDonalds or Burger King. Continue reading UPDATED: Boojum Burritos: TOTES adequate
‘Mother’s little holiday’ – the sequel
On extremely rare occasions film sequels are better than their predecessor. The only three that immediately spring to mind are ‘Terminator 2: Judgement Day’ ; ‘Addams’ Family Value’ (thanks to Joan Cusack playing the insane nanny Debbie) and ‘The Godfather Part 2’. While some people claim that ‘Aliens’ is better than ‘Alien’ I don’t agree. ‘Alien’ is a vampire movie on a spaceship and is all the more tense and nailbiting as a result. ‘Aliens’ is an action film in space. Continue reading ‘Mother’s little holiday’ – the sequel
I predict a riot.
Over the weekend Dublin held its annual Gay Pride Parade (also known as the LGBTQ Pride Parade). ). Held every summer on the last Saturday in June, it commemorates the Stonewall Riots in New York City in June 1969.
Continue reading I predict a riot.
A most unfortunate coincidence.
Yesterday evening saw my attendance at a fundraising table quiz, upstairs in Nealon’s Bar on Capel Street. It was to raise money for the brother of a friend’s colleague who is being treated for oesophageal cancer in Germany. I was a member of a team of four. Continue reading A most unfortunate coincidence.
Breakfast of champions
What a strange and unpleasant breakfast. The contents were the same as usual – a slice of toasted batch bread, a boiled egg, a banana and a cup of coffee – I am a creature of habit. Continue reading Breakfast of champions
Bookworm: ‘Days without end’ by Sebastian Barry
‘Days without end’ by Sebastian Barry is his latest tale in a series of books about the McNulty family of Sligo. Set over various centuries on different continents these books examine various people in different generations of one family, and how they fare in the world. ‘The Temporary Gentleman’ was about Jack McNulty – working for the UN in Ghana in 1957, as he remembers his ruinous marriage to his fellow alcoholic Mai Kirwan (you can read my take on that book HERE… ) Continue reading Bookworm: ‘Days without end’ by Sebastian Barry
Blooming marvelous
Bloomsday may not be a major event on the holiday or event calendars for most people, but it’s an absolutely genius and deeply Irish day. I can’t think of a better idea than to take a date – in this case June 16th – and to turn it into a day long celebration, for a character from a work of fiction. Continue reading Blooming marvelous
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