I sit here at just before 1am UK time listening to some inane item on Radio 5 about eating chocolate – have to say – late night on Radio 5 has gone right downhill over the past year – mainly thanks to the frankly rubbish contributions from one Anita Annand. At least I’ve got Up All Night to look forward to in a few minutes.
Anyway – a few things have changed – and a lot has remained constant over the intervening 3 months of updates on here.
First thing – the SVS gig was only for a few weeks it turned out – they let all of the agency staff go over a two week period as the work dried up. It was always a risk – but that’s the chance you take with that kind of arrangement.
Got reposted to another department within the same institution that was originally going to last for a maximum 6 weeks – leading up to mid to late April.
On the third day there – I get a phone call from another agency I was working for – seeing if I would like to go forward for a full-time permanent receptioning position at a local company 15 minutes drive from home. As I was facing being out of work again within the month I said “sod it – nothing to lose – go for it”.
Two days later – phone call number two. “The company don’t wish to interview you for the Reception position”. In the words of the esteemed Captain Slow, James May, “Oh cock!”
“However – the IT Department at the same place want to talk to you with regards to a position with them”.
So I go in for the interview – and end up being succesful – and have been working there for about a month now. A great little job and long may it last.
The situation at Dalymount has also turned pretty rosy since the last update. Not conceding many goals – 10 wins and 4 draws from the intervening 15 matches – culminating in beating Drogheda United 1-0 in the FAI Cup up at their place on the Friday just gone – we might just be seeing the start of something long needed and very special.
Was over in Dublin twice within a fortnight at the end of May and the start of June doing various things.
First engagement was to help celebrate the 30th birthday of one Stu Conroy – whom I count among my main circle of friends – a seriously top bloke – once again – Happy Birthday Stu and thanks for the couch!
Second trip – which was over the June Bank Holiday weekend involved a spot of refereeing for the Dublin Branch of the Nottingham Forest Supporters Club. It took the form of a Charity Tournament involving 5 Supporters Clubs teams from various clubs – Hibs, St Patrick’s Athletic, Bohemians (who got absolutely hockeyed in 3 of their 4 games – we had a few scorelines throughout the day of 26-0, 21-2, etc.), Nottingham Forest and the eventual winners, University College Dublin.
That evening saw myself, a good friend Shane Butler, and Jay – a refereeing colleague, joining the Forest lads at their end of season function in a pub just outside the main bus terminus in the centre of Dublin. There was a lot of food and many pints doing the rounds – and as an added bonus we had two former Forest legends attend the function – Steve Sutton, who played in goal during the 1980s for the club, and Tommy Gaynor (who also used to play for Bohs).
Anyway – when it came to drawing the raffle – my ticket got pulled out – and I was the lucky recipient of a squad shirt worn by one of the Irish players in the Forest squad last season. Plus I got a photo taken with Steve and Tommy:
I apologise for the out of focus photo
Posing for a group photo at the end with Shane (and his quite marvellously to the point t-shirt) and Jay (who also refereed at the charity tournament)
After this we headed into town to a downstairs bar in town for more beer and a bite to eat when we exited at just after 2:30am – into what I can only describe as a monsoon – which lasted the rest of the weekend…
As we left the bar – I spotted a statue to the great musician Phil Lynott – and Jay just demanded he have a photo taken…
Next up is the annual jaunt to Oslo and the Norway Cup at the end of July – nice to get away from it all for a week…
