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

(Pictures from Malahide Estuary set by catb on flickr)

This is a 20 metre bridge section of the viaduct across Malahide estuary – part of the rail line between Malahide and Donabate which is on the Dublin-Belfast line. It collapsed yesterday evening at around 6.20pm, meaning that we are now left without a train service here in Donabate.

Went to Soundcheck’s Battle of the Bloggers last night. It kicked ass, but I was driving and so drinking Bavaria 0.0% (a “beer” which I can’t recommend … in the slightest). Might have kicked ass all the more if I was drinking and not driving… dunno.

Anyway, it’s gonna be a hectic weekend… I still have to rewrite some scripts for college, still have to pack clothes, etc. – am working at 5pm (in 15 mins time), will get home at about 2am, am flying to Cork at 11.35am (although why Jason, who I’m sharing a flight & hotel room with, decided to go that early I don’t know). Sorry, Rapture Ponies, I’ll miss your pre-flight drinks.

I’ll be staying in a business class room in the Cork International Airport Hotel – which looks the absolute business! That’s extra handy, ‘cos it’s the hotel where the Irish Blog Awards, hosted by the incomparable Rick O’Shea are taking place and it’s only a 5 minute walk from the airport. And I’ll have a few pints, of course. Win, all round

On the downside… I won’t get much sleep tonight.

Best of luck to all the finalists in the awards – I have my ideas of my favourites and those I expect to win, but I won’t mention them yet! I’m thinking I might be live-tweeting/twitpiccing the results as they happen. Oh, and I’ll be bringing my recorder, just in case. (Have to record an interview and vox-pop for a college assignment…)

Anyone who’s going, see you there! Should be a crackin’ night.

Here’s some photos I took with my phone in London the weekend before last… Click any thumbnail to see the full picture…

Okay, I’ve been away for a few days (went to visit my brother and his housemates in London) and now I’m having problems with my laptop (which I’m slowly sorting out) so I’ve been away from blogging for a short while and will be for a LITTLE bit longer. Took some nice photos in London,- I’ll probably post them.

In the meantime, here’s a video a friend’s sister showed me recently that made me laugh out loud… Achmed, the dead terrorist.

SILENCE! … I KILL YOU!