Unexpected Thursday Night Out.

My good pal Paul (the Plumber) has not been well the past few weeks, and what with that and the fact that our local shut up shop well we haven't been out!
So, text this evening from him, 'Pint?'! Red rag tae a bull!
Different pub, 'twas grand, not the same though, don't think it'll ever be my local, but nice crowd, good barman (only the one, and we had to keep telling him what we wanted!) so we live in hope of someone taking over our old place!
I did meet some people there though that I haven't seen in a while, some I could do without seeing again for quite another while!
Anyhoo, Paul (the Plumber) and meself had a good night out and he has promised to take me to 'Paradise' soon! (Hey Jimmy!)
Watch out Glasgow!

Brother

Meself & the brother Noelie went for a few the neet.
And we realised, it's the first time, ever, that we've been out drinking, together, on our own, just the two of us!
We've been out with the brothers, the sisters, the Ma, friends, relations, at weddings, funerals, kids parties, debs, christenings, ........

But tonight, just me & him.

First time I've kissed my brother Noelie.
(Actually, he kissed me, but that's even better, he's such a macho rugby playin' type, but we love each other, whadddya gonna do?)

xxx

Say You Love Me - Dessie O Halloran (My Current Earworm!)

I Feckin Love This!

(And it was recorded in my favourite local venue Dolan's Warehouse.)

Helen.

I was just going to do a re-post, being the lazy bastard that I am, but I spent so much time reading my old posts, remembering too much (and NOT finding the one I wanted to post again!) that I decided it's gonna be much easier to write a new one!




(She OWNED this song!!)


It's 1:45am, the 23rd of June 2011, and exactly two years ago at this time I was sat in a room in a hospice with all of my family, some sitting, some standing, some crouched on the floor, all gathered around my dear sister Helen. It was probably the most surreal and real moment of my life. Almost 50 of the closest people in my life, all gathered together to witness, and share in the final moments of one we all loved so dearly.

Two years seems so long ago, and yet, seems like yesterday.

I still hear her laugh, see her smile, feel her love.

Jimmy (My Big Brother) Is 60

Had a great night out again tonight with Ma and my siblings.
My brother Jimmy is 60 today, and we had a grand night.
Ma is havin' a great few weeks celebrating the birthdays of her wee kids!
Hope I'm up to staying out 'til 2am when I'm almost 86!!
Gwan the Ma! :¬)

Mrs. Mac

Mrs. Mac and meself go back a long way.

I first met and instantly loved this woman sometime in 1975.
I was a young spotty teen, a friend of her equally spotty teen son Noelie, who had brought me home for tea one day. For some reason I suddenly became friends with a whole family. Mother, father, two sisters and his four brothers became lifelong friends of mine!

Over the years I lost touch with Noelie, my friend, but always kept in contact one way or another with most of his family. His youngest brother Donough, who suffered from Cystic Fybrosis, was one of my favourites. Many the hour I spent banging my fists on his back to release phlegm from his lungs, and we would often laugh about it when he was old enough to have a drink with us in the pub. He died before he was thirty, but not before falling in love and getting married. (Strangely, but nicely, I bumped into, and had coffee with his widow today!)

I went to visit Mrs. Mac two weeks ago to invite herself and her husband to my birthday party. It was early evening but she was in bed. She insisted I come upstairs to spend some time with her, and indeed we spent a good while yappin'! (Even though she has been suffering from chronic lung disease for a while now, and breathing can be quite taxing for her at times.)

I got a message from her daughter yesterday to say that she was in hospital and things weren't looking good. So I went to see her tonight. She is in and out of consciousness, but knew me immediately I walked in the room. We had a laugh again together, and she said she was "so sorrry love for misssing your big day"!

Two days ago her family were told that she is in the late stages of a very aggressive cancer. Though they have told her that she has yet another bout of pneumonia.

Her son, my friend who first introduced me to his family many years ago, has not spoken to his family for many years, for reasons I neither know nor care about. Tonight Mrs. Mac took my hand and whispered to me that yes, he has been to visit every day since she's been in hospital. She squeezed my hand tightly and gave me a sad wink as she told me this.

Good Night And Goodnight!

Saturday night was the best 50th birthday party ever in my local! All my family and best friends dressed up in the bestest costumes, my pal Noel playing the best music, great food by Eamonn, and some drink being served by Mags, Andrew, Mark & Nichola! A super fantastic night enjoyed by all, I couldn't have asked for more!

'Cept for the end of the night. Mags, the owner of my favourite bar/community center/therapy clinic for middle-aged men/refuge for the bewildered, told me that for 'many reasons' she was closing the bar tonight! So, even though we had no intention of going out tonight well we just couldn't miss the last hoolie. And what a night. Just all the regulars, drinking, remembering, singing, drinking, more singing and drinking. There were tears (sad to see big hairy men cry!) There were cheers, and MANY beers! Tomorrow is Monday (of the Monday Madness, when all pints are (were) 3.50 euros), but alas the lights will not be on, the stools will be upturned, and the doors will be closed on my favourite pub! A community (for that is what we are, us barfly's) has been left homeless.

End of an era. Sad.

Buddy

Meself and Jimmy N. (The Drummer) have been in bands together now for nigh on thirty years!
And remain best of friends.
Can we still be having fun in this business?






Oh aye! :¬)

Imelda May Was Fuckin' Brill!

'Nuff said!

Come On Over To My Place.

A certain baldy man is celebrating a certain significant milestone next weekend.
A party is being thrown to honour this milestone.
A lot of celebs are attending.
A certain BOY by the name of GEORGE, Sir FREDDIE of MERCURY, perhaps PHIL of the LYNOTT clan, a Little Red Riding Hood, Cleopatra, Darth Vader, Spiderman, Superman, the Man from Atlantis, a Man about a Dog, and just a man. Superwoman, Catwoman, Crazycatwomanfromthesimpsons, A woman in love (Barbara Streisand!) Snow White, Cilla Black, Lara Croft, Two of the Three Little Pigs, and a handfull of the 7 Dwarves! (Grumpy ain't invited!) A Miss Monroe, two Charlie Chaplins, one R2D2 and a Dr. Who! There may even be a certain Bastard!
OK, it's a Fancy Dress, or, as you peeps from yonder say, a Costume party!
If any of y'all are in the vinicity, drop me an email and I will give directions to the hoolie! You are ALL most welcome.
Stools are reserved at the Whiskey bar for anyone who has been to Paradise.
If you cannot make it please forward your credit card details to my bar!