Blogorah says I'm the king of Letterkenny, man bring me my tributes. Word up.

Back at Earth here's what's happening...

Back to the Cell!

It’s a fun packed week first up let me just say again that the wonderful Belfast based Superstar Dj Phil Kieran will be in the fubar with me this Saturday. Why’s he playing a place about a tenth of the size he’s used to? Cos he’s my mate is why.. that and he remembers the fun times we had when he was a fledgling dj and used to rock the cell, as it was then known, sure its a bit like one of those reunion night things- Back to the Cell! Anyway hope to see plenty of you up there, get in early and party the night away. I’m away this Friday night so it’s the only gig I’ll be playing and if you want to hear me you better be up early other than that join me on the dance floor!

Riverdance

Yes the whole town has gone Riverdance crazy, and from further afield too it seems as all the hotels are booked up to the gills with revellers in search of high kicking jinks. Got to be good for the town, big respect to Pat Nora Gallagher for that gig.

Des Bishop to Andrew Maxwell

Comedian Des Bishop played the Balor theatre on Monday. Next up is the wonderful Andrew Maxwell on Monday 11th June. See him, he really is good.

Derry Comedy

Flick, a comedy by Irene Melaugh, who gave us the Derry Divorcee and Me Da’s Suit, is on at An Grianan Theatre from thurs 31st for three nights. Sure to be light hearted and good craic, just what we like around this time of year!

New Seats and Stairs

An Grianan will close for the month of June as we put in 45 new seats and a new stairwell. This will bring the capacity up near to 400 which should help us attract a few more artists. Add to this the new entrance, platform lift and acoustic panels and it’s nearly a whole new theatre!

Regional Cultural Centre

The new Regional Cultural Centre, behind An Grianan, is nearly finished and will most likely open its first shows during this year’s Earagail Arts Festival which runs for two weeks from 9th July. It’s a spectacular building, Sure with the new Regional Sports Centre opening Letterkenny may be going somewhere! Although I shed more than one tear for the old leisure Centre, its a pity that such a resource in the heartland of Letterkenny is closing for one on the periphary. Strange decision.

I’m famous

Well I’ve made it onto Blogorrah anyway! check out Derek O’ Connor’s Irish media round up at www.blogorrah.com, it’s good craic.

Johnny Boyle Exhibition in Ramelton

Johnny Boyle has an exhibition of new work opening at the Ross Fine Art Gallery, which is situated just before the bridge in Ramelton, this Friday, 25th May.

10 Years on in the Twin Towns

An interesting gig coming up in Ballybofey celebrates the golden summer of 1997, with Rat Republik, boiled Onion and Deep Down and Dirty sharpening up the guitars and djs John 'Universal' Brennan and Daniel Thompson keeping the tunes flowing. It's only a tenner in and it starts at 9.30pm, it’s on June 1st.

HEART sculpture trail

HEART Sculpture Trail is the working title given to a new sculpture trail that is being developed between Donegal County Council and Strabane District Council. The overall budget for the Sculpture Trail is in the region of €600,000. Artists should give Terre Duffy, Donegal Public Art Officer a ring if interested.


Young People's Summer Art Weeks at An Grianan,

There's the Ballet week, the Drama Week, the Musical Theatre Week and the Singing week. Call the box office at An Grianan on 074 91 20777 for more information, prices and dates.

Checkin out magooo.org the NOE track just triggered of memories off this old fubar favourite in my head.. Hit it

listen to Phil's Brilliant Essential Mix here

Bjork and Antony

Nicola just came in and told me to check out this duet between Bjork and Antony as it's beautiful and indeed it is. So check it out yourself, Dull Flame of Desire

By the way Nicola has just done a full redesign of An Grianan's website and a brilliant job she has done so check it out too.

STREET ART IN ATHENS

Back from athens, photos and info tomorrow....

was idly google-ing and came across this story which took my fancy...

i am a cunt club

A club to which new or stupid pupils were told it was desirable to belong to. Membership was obtained by standing on one of the wooden benches which marked the boundary between boys and girls recreation areas and shouting 'I am a cunt!'

Your status within the club was determined by the number of shouts achieved. For instance a 25-cunter obviously outranked a 12-cunter. The shouts had to be audible to a panel of judges who stood at a safe distance.

Iain Grant's claim to be a hundred-cunter was dismissed as it was achieved outside school hours. If a teacher was on playground duty each shout counted as a shout and a half for scoring purposes.

The highest verified status was Mark Jeffries' 43-cunter and the lowest was for a shout of 'I am' followed by a punch in the stomach.

Rival clubs, such as 'I am a Bastard' and the boundary-stretching 'I am a fucking cunt' never really caught on.

Photos from the Amsterdam trip


The Canal on Queen's Day, dig that orange!

Me & Tone on Queen's Day in Amsterdam after partaking in a local custom


Me & Keili a couple of days after Queen's Day, Kev took the photo and I was trying to see if I could zoom in to my glasses and catch a reflection of him, but alas no....

Back from the 'Dam. What a beautiful city. Big thanks to Kev and Tony for looking after me. Big Love. And also to Phil Kieran, of Alloy Mental, for putting us on the guest list for the Milkweg on Sat night. Cheers big fella.

Here's the Arts News:

Music news:

A new 9 piece band, from Strabane, Barba Papa will play in the Casbah, Letterkenny on May 18th and admission is free! Playing a mixture of covers and original material by singer David Oliver they call it World Music which I guess means there should be something for everyone no matter where you are from.. unless of course E.T. walks in....
Rebellious Jukebox, those people with Punk attitude, have announced another couple of gigs for Sister Sara’s: on friday 6 July it’s The Lobotomies, Mad Pookas and Blah vs Blah? And on 2 August its Heroic Doses and Bastion. Don’t say I don’t let you know in advance!
May 26th brings dj legend Phil Kieran to the fubar to play a special eclectic set in demand all over the world and on BBC Radio 1 this will be a special set where Phil gets to play all his favourite tunes from all styles of music, sounds like fun to me, you can download his essential mix for BBC Radio 1 at http://www.newmixes.com. It’s another of those ‘boutique’ nights dedicated to fun and good atmosphere, so get the party started... There’s also a Burlesque night in the Orchard on July 21st with Dublin’s Pony Girls performing after the album launch by Letterkenny’s own hip hop duo Dano & B Koz. The line up will be completed by me djing. And it’ll all be part of the Earagail aRts Festival, which is nice, check it out all out at www.eaf.ie

Theatre

At An Grianan theatre this week it’s Des Keogh and Rosaline Linehan with their ever popular fun and satire,Packed full of "golden oldies", topical sketches and up-dates on their last hit show, "Des and Rosie on the Luas"(seen recently at the Gaiety Theatre Dublin), the show coincides with the run-up to the general election so expect some irreverent fireworks to explode, Politicians, property developers, spin doctors, underage drinkers and others will all get a touch...
Barren Rock Productions present a play by Richard Lynch, ‘From the Shoulders Down’ in the Abbey Centre, Ballyshannon on Friday 18th May.
The Balor CEP presents Love Rides The Rails Monday 14th, Tuesday 15th & Wednesday 16th of May 8.30pm. ‘Love Rides The Rails’ is a comedy melodrama set in the wild west. Contact the Balor on 074 91 31840 for more info.
Tuesday 15 May at 8pm it’s Welsh and Irish language show Branwen at An Grianan. A modern day myth about love across the Irish Sea. This is story of two writers, one Irish and one Welsh, who are thrust together to create a script for an animated film of the Branwen myth from the Mabinogion (The Welsh equivalent of An Tain).

Film

The 2nd Guth Gafa Documentary Film Festival is on in Gort A Choirce from the 10th to 13th May, check out www.guthgafa.com.

Workshops

Franck Saucian is running Outdoor Summer Art Workshops in the grounds of the Glebe Gallery contact him on 0860554357 or at cianart@yahoo.ie.

Exhibition

Colin Montgomery’s exhibition Big Shots & Little Tots is still on in Cafe Blend.