§ March 29th, 2010
Making a racket on Shop Street
Headed to Galway for the weekend to take in a photowalk on Saturday, which also coincided with the Irish Blog awards. (Congrats to redmum on the win). Galway is fairly bustling with all sorts of street entertainment, from buskers to mime artists, from graffiti artists to balloon sellers. In the midst of them all was this lot pounding away on their bongos. Now the streets are fairly narrow so the racket from them could be heard form one end to the other and it was some racket! I’m half deaf as it is from my other hobby but these lot would go through you. It was incessant, with the same beat over and over again. I think they must hypnotise themselves, and how that poor baby managed to sleep through it all beats me.
§ March 29th, 2010
This photo was not strictly part of Saturday's photowalk, but I spotted the potential while we were walking and I returned later when it turned out that I had time to kill. I liked the advertisement inside the window looking out, I just needed something interesting/amusing to tie the shot together. There were plenty people dressed in pink on Shop Street collecting for charity and, as the shops were starting to close, I hoped it would only be a matter of time before they made their way home along this street.
And so began the waiting game. Luckily I met some photographers who spotted my camera and stopped for a chat. And a lovely old lady, who swore that if she was 18 years younger she would follow me and my brown eyes to the ends of the earth! About an hour later, just as I was starting to run out of time, along came the charity collectors. Snap.
§ March 29th, 2010
Back from the blog awards in Galway on Saturday. Well, actually got back yesterday afternoon but ended up sleeping for the rest of the day. Once again an epic session organised superbly well by Damien and his regular band of helpers, assistants and whatever you're having yourself. Roll on IBA2011 I guess?
§ March 29th, 2010
So back from Galway after having a great weekend at the Irish Blog Awards for 2010. My camera did not get much use at all unlike previous years, this year I decided to talk to people rather then intimidate them with a camera.
Many thanks as always to Damien Mulley and his team of volunteers for putting the event together and hope to see you all again next year and finally congratulations to all the winners.
§ March 29th, 2010
That’s another Irish Blog Awards weekend over and in keeping with years past its Monday and I am yearning for my bed, which alludes to the fun we had.
While I would have loved to have spent the whole weekend in Galway finances dictated it would be a one-night stay so on Saturday morning the Young Wan and I took the train on Saturday morning arriving in Galway at 2.30ish and getting our priorities right, we headed for the market and for some food.
Getting in so late meant that I missed the photowalk and as we were meeting a pal who was also coming down from Dublin on a later train, I ended up missing the Ladies Tea too. But by all accounts both events went off well. And in fairness it was really lovely dandering around with my honey, taking our time and not being rushed or pressured into getting somewhere by particular times, never mind rushing back to meet my pal.
At one stage pre-awards it was carnage in our hotel room, three people getting ready in a small room is hectic, but glasses of wine sustained us and we were about to head out the door, not having checked the time in a while when Elly texted to say ‘where are you its about to start’. So we booted round to the Radisson and just in the nick of time too, as we were one category away from Best Photo Blog. To say I was absolutely delighted to win would be an understatement, I really was/am thrilled.
Taken by the Young Wan 
who is to photography what I was to hairdressing (Nanny is a hairdresser)
And seeing as how I managed to not thank anyone at all, what a brat I am, in my thanks speech, unlike Eolai who put most of us to shame with his thank you speech, I hope I can rectify that now.
I’d like firstly to thank Damien for all his hard work, seriously well done Damien on another great and well organised fun evening and weekend. Thanks as well to everyone else who helped out too. A big shout out for the judges who ploughed through numerous blogs, thank you for your votes. A big thanks as well to those who nominated me and I also have to thank all those people who drop by this site, and those who comment, all of these things I deeply appreciate.
On the evening I also never thanked Marcus and Pixie for sponsoring the category which is very bad of me. My only excuse is the joy of winning the award made me forget all rhyme and reason which isn’t fair as Marcus is incredibly supportive of the photographic community in Ireland and beyond and I deeply appreciate his help and support over the years, so thank you Marcus. And as for you, if you haven’t joined Pixie already why not?
I would also like to draw your attention once again to all the finalists in Best Photo Blog (as well as the other finalists). Best Photo Blog was a tough category and one where I would not have liked to put a bet on the outcome. Of course there were sites that I thought would have made it through but didn’t; that’s the way of it and no more so than with something subjective like photography.
I was delighted to see and meet two of the other photo blog finalists such as the lovely Nathalie at the awards looking simply FAB in her red dress and it was wonderful to meet John, discussions about a photomeet in the Aran Islands have been mooted for the summer and it is something I will definitely chase up with him in the future.
The other two finalists weren’t able to make the awards as both of them are in far-flung places, Oisin is doing a pic a day of his travels in Colombia while Ronan is in Australia working. All these sites are a must bookmark so please do.
There were once again loads of people I wanted to meet but didn’t get the chance too I personally blame it on the boogie and eh wine; so definitely another/next time.
Once again there was also the now-annual nonsense mutterings about what a photo blog is and isn’t. All of the nominees are inspiring and wonderful spaces, whatever about their template. I personally do not want a template that shows only one pic a day (that’s my choice), does that make it less of a photoblog? obviously not and I thank you all for that endorsement. Horses for courses, I’m about the pics not the template (hence the ridiculously long time it took me to move to wordpress).
At the end of the day I do this because I love it; I love photography and have done since I was a child. Blogging allows me to completely indulge that love and for that I love blogging too J
I also thought after the fact that I should’ve snapped a pic of the blog award relaxing having breakfast in bed on Sunday morning, but we were too hot (God our room in the Meyrick was hot) and too hungover to even think about it. We just about packed up the room never mind doing anything else.
I’d like to finish off this post by pointing you to all the winners, big hearty congrats to everyone, well done. Do check them out and if you want to find even more blogs on every subject possible, check back on the long lists, you are bound to find loads that you will love. And thank you, I am more than chuffed
§ March 29th, 2010
Boats at the shipyard on Lake Windermere, Lake District, Summer 09.
§ March 29th, 2010
On Saturday I attended the Irish Blog Awards 2010 in the Radisson Blu in Galway, before the event there was a photowalk around Galway arranged by the helpful chaps over at photowalk.ie then it was off to the awards for a night full of good craic, drink and even abit of food.I'd like to say congrats to everyone who won on the night, while I didn't make the finalist list I did make the two nomination lists which to be honest I was happy withYou can see the the winners over at awards.ie and my selection of photos from the night over at pix.ie.
§ March 29th, 2010
Love AttackFirst the feeling, then the idea, then the action, then the experience, then the shared feeling.
That must be true love between Greg and Juni ( ;
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