Been busy lately… going to be even busier over the next two weeks, as we launch Emerald Radio – our college’s 1 week long Internet-only radio station, which I’m manager of – and the reason why I recently created a 15 minute documentary programme on the Irish language (thanks, Orlagh!).

If you’re interested, the station broadcasts to the world for limited hours daily from March 8th to 12th. More info will be on the web site (which I’m responsible for).

On a slightly unrelated note, here’s Thin Lizzy with “Emerald”:

During my two weeks in i105-107 (I was there for a week of college work experience, but stayed longer out of choice), I was working on news – this involved writing copy, doing interviews (including Eddie Hobbes!) & editing down clips from them, doing vox-pops and putting packages together (including voicing them). They liked the packages well enough to actually air them during the main (12.45pm) iWitness news bulletin… which was nice

Here’s some of them:

“Brief History of Willie O’Dea” package for iWitness News by niallok

“Love is…” package for iWitness News by niallok

I spent the last week helping out down in i105-107 as part of my work experience for college. I didn’t really need to do it as I’ve had about 10 weeks experience working in radio stations since September (we’re only required to do 2 for the course) but I reckon the more I get – the better, and… well, I just plain like it there – t’is a great little station, so it is.

The highlights of the week for me included:

Singing and busking in the Big Busk-Off with the “iDrive with Nadia & Phil” team in the Bridge Centre, Tullamore. We were up against “Breakfast with Bernard & Keith”. I played the drums (a.k.a. the empty water cooler bottle). Highlights of our performance included Valerie, Fields of Athenry and Hit Me Baby One More Time. Yes. The crowd loved us. Got plenty of hugs and gave out “Hugs & Handshakes” vouchers while there. Bernard & Keith still won. Foul play was suspected. Great craic, all the same

I was in town yesterday for the Ireland vs Italy Six Nations rugby match in Croke Park. I was there with my cousin, a friend of hers and a couple of Italians she knew. It wasn’t a great match by any stretch of the imagination but we had good fun all the same.

Walking back from Croker to my car, I passed along Summerhill Parade where a samba band was playing. An Italian fan decided to help them out and provide us with even more entertainment by popping a horses head mask on and doing a little dance… This was the result:

I put my own voice on my new GPS… which is a bit weird. Strange having myself tell myself where to get off.. as such.. And I didn’t even do any impersonation or grand dramatic expression or anything… just used my own normal voice. Yawntastic, in fairness…

The voice I REALLY want on it though is Peter Dickson – aka Voiceover Man (he of X Factor, Britain’s Got Talent, etc. etc. fame) – his particular dramatic “ooomph!” would certainly make car journeys that bit more exciting and appealing! Here he is… just generally being awesome…