Keith Barry's Eight Deadly Sins - Review

WOW..where to start in reviewing Keith Barry’s sell-out show at the University Concert Hall in the University of Limerick on Wednesday, February 8.

To say that the show was unbelievable would even be an understatement. Some of the sections of the show were simply mind-blowing, with Barry drawing gasps of pure shock and disbelief from every member of the audience.

The show kicked off at 8pm, with Barry receiving a very warm response from the 950-strong capacity in UL. Participants during the show were chosen from the guest book which was available to sign before the show, and through catching the paper balls that were thrown out into the crowd by Barry at various points of the show.

Barry invited every audience member to think of what they thought was the eighth deadly sin, and one member of the audience was then invited up on stage. I won’t ruin the surprise, but take my word for it – it’s certainly worth the suspense! When Keith announced the surprise twist at the end of the show, audience members were in complete shock!

At the start of the show, Keith also announced to the audience that he purchased a ticket for the Monday Millions draw in the local Spar. He then proceeded to invite seven audience members up on stage, and six of the seven audience members shouted out a number between one and 39. Lo and behold, when Keith opened up his lottery ticket, his numbers on the ticket matched the numbers that the audience members predicted!

Another aspect of the show including Keith inviting four audience members up on the stage, and the only criteria necessary was that one of the invited members didn’t have to believe in psychosis. Barry then asked the three members who believed in psychosis to think of a person that had passed away, and to write their name down on a sheet of paper. Barry proceeded to ask the guests some questions whilst communicating with the person that had passed away. Does he guess the right name? Who knows!

There were various other tricks during the show, and it concluded with Barry inviting two male audience members up on stage, where they had to tie Keith up with a 100foot rope, and then wrap cling film around his head three times. The agreement was that if Keith could not open the rope before the time in which it took, both guests on stage would receive €250 each. Did he complete the task successfully? Who knows!!

Overall, it was a fantastic show, and I would most definitely recommend everyone to see this show if possible!

apologies!!

Oh Jaysus, I've just realised how much I was neglecting my poor blog!! I have been writing away though, so I'm going to post up some of the stuff I was kept busy with!! Enjoy it anyway :)

Munster v Scarlets - Fourth Round Heineken Cup Match Report

MUNSTER stood firm against a spirited Scarlets fightback to take the spoils in their fourth Heineken Cup pool game, and emerging with their fourth consecutive win in the competition.

It took a second half try from Munster’s James Coughlan to bring Thomond Park in an otherwise relatively lacklustre game, with the Scarlets providing stiff opposition for the men in red.

Ronan O’Gara was first on target for the Munster men, slotting over two penalties, with Stephen Jones replying with a well-taken penalty for the Scarlets. The Munster defence were kept busy, with surging runs from Gareth Davies and Matthew Rees keeping the defence on their toes.

The first forty minutes were dull, with only three scores registered. The atmosphere in Thomond Park was one of frustration, with Munster unable to push further ahead. At half time it read 6-3 in favour of Munster.

Thankfully, the game burst to life in the second half. Scarlets’ Johnathan Edwards was sent to the sin-bin early in the second half, and Munster duly took advantage of their numerical advantage, with Coughlan crashing over the try-line. O’Gara converted with aplomb, leaving Munster leading 16-3.

However, all was not lost for the Scarlets, and replacement Ken Owens replied with a try in the 66th minute, and Rhys Priestland, now operating at fly-half following Jones’s substitution at half time, had the Welsh side back in contention following his successful conversion – the score line now read 16-10, with Munster still edging ahead.

Priestland and O’Gara again swopped penalties, but Munster’s defence again stood firm, despite strong runs from again from Davies, who impressed overall for Scarlets. However, it wasn’t to be for the Welsh side, with Munster deservedly winning on a final score of 19-13.

Conor Murray was simply outstanding for Munster, and was duly awarded the Man of the Match accolade at the final whistle, much to the delight of the Munster faithful.

Munster: Hurley; Murphy, Earls, Mafi, Zebo; O’Gara, Murray (O’Leary, 63); Du Preez (Horan, 71), Varley, Botha, O’Callaghan, O’Connell (capt), Leamy (Ryan, 63), Ronan, Coughlan (O’Donnell, 77).

Try: Coughlan

Con: O’Gara

Pens: O’Gara 4

Scarlets: Priestland; L Williams (Maule, 63), S Williams, J Davies, Lamont; S Jones (Longi, halftime), G Davies (Knoyle, 67); R Jones (John, 67), Rees (Owens, 63), R Thomas, Reed, Welch (Timani, 67), McCusker, Edwards (Murphy, 71), Morgan.

Try: Owens

Con: Priestland

Pens: S Jones, Priestland

Referee: Dave Pearson (England)

Attendance: 26,500

What must female athletes do in Ireland and the UK to get more recognition?

SOMETHING very interesting struck me whilst I glanced at this year’s RTE Personality of the Year show that was broadcast earlier this month. Out of the ten nominees, only ONE female was represented on the list. Justifiable? I don’t think so.

What must female sports stars to do, in order to gain more recognition from their peers? To be fair, Katie Taylor was recognised for her fantastic results in boxing again this year, but what about her fellow females in their sports? One team that immediately springs to mind is the Cork Ladies Football team. They have now won six All Ireland titles in seven titles. This is simply remarkable. It got me thinking though...if this feat was won by a male team, then I could guarantee you that it would not just slip by, with the vast majority of people not even realising what an unbelievable feat that the girls had achieved.

Look at the response that the Dublin senior footballers received when they brought the Sam Maguire home for the first time in years. Their memorable, last-gasp win over Kerry in September saw them receive national media attention, as well as a slot on the Late Late Show. I’m not taking away from their success, but why couldn’t the Cork ladies have received similar attention? I honestly don’t know what female athletes have to do nowadays to be given the respect they deserve.

The lack of respect given to female sports stars isn’t just confined to Ireland though – the BBC Sports Personality of the Year was shown just last week on BBC One, and again the lack of female representation was the first thing I spotted. This time it was worse though. Not ONE female athlete was nominated onto the shortlist. In a country as big as the United Kingdom, to have no female representation was scandalous, in my opinion. However, the issue was noticed by more than I.

One of the hosts on the night, Jake Humphrey stated while speaking to BBC Breakfast that the absence of women shouldn’t overshadow the achievements of those on the list.
“We’ve got some amazing women, it’s disappointing but it is the way it is. It’s not a sexist competition.”

But how is it not sexist? It’s bad enough to have only one female representative on the Irish shortlist, but to have no female representative on the UK shortlist is just unbelievable, for all the wrong reasons.

It’s about time females were duly recognised for their achievements in their respective fields of sport. Here’s hoping the 2012 Olympics will pave the way for this.

We are young people graduating into an economy that was screwed by the people before us..

It’s extremely difficult for one to be anyway optimistic about job prospects in the aftermath of my four years of college. When I started college back in 2008, I guess I was somewhat naive about what lay ahead of me – I was of the belief of taking each day as it came, and that I’d have a job following my graduation. But how wrong was I.

Now I’m facing into the grim likelihood of unemployment after college, a thought that is constantly playing on my mind. It’s nothing short of disheartening. To know that you worked hard for four years in university and to be rewarded with unemployment is simply frustrating. And who do we have to blame? Our pathetic attempt of a government, that’s who. What have they done? In simplistic terms, they have screwed every Irish citizen over, in the space of a couple of years.

I stupidly tried to convince myself earlier this year that the financial situation would have improved somewhat when I graduate next August, but I was foolish to waste my time in doing so. It’s almost certain that our current economic climate will be close to the same as what it is now – in complete disarray. The hot topic at the moment is the fact that it is rumoured that the post-graduate grants will now be demolished, yet another disastrous decision from our shambolic government.

Throughout my college years, up to the last few months, the thought of applying for a post-graduate course was the last thing to enter my mind. Now, it’s becoming more and more likely, but if the grant is affected, then I’m afraid that it won’t be an option. How are the government not realising the financial stress that every family is suffering as a result of giving their children an opportunity of enhancing their futures by studying for a degree? But then again, when have our government showed any sign of compassion.

The prospect of forking out thousands of euro for a post-graduate course and to not be somewhat guaranteed a job is daunting, and indeed risky. Already, my parents have had to cope with the costs of putting myself and my twin brother through college, so how can I turn around and suggest the possibility of pursuing my studies even further? Don’t get me wrong, I know that my parents would be fully supportive of my decision, but I wouldn’t help but feel guilty, knowing how much further expense it would bring.

I’m a journalism student, and we’ve already been reminded on countless occasions that the employment prospects for us after college are slim to none – how kind of our government to let such a thing become a possibility. Some would say that it’s unfair to point the blame at the men in shiny suits that are usually to be found in the Dail, but who else can honestly be blamed for this? Look at how much they have ruined our country in the last few years...with the upcoming Budget next week, people are anxiously awaiting what’s to come. Being realistic, it’s not going to be pretty.

Speculation is rife that child benefit and dole allowances are to be reduced by €10 and €8 respectively, another shocking decision by the government. Why pick on those who are already suffering the consequences already? Yet again, this will become another unanswered question, primarily due to the government’s sheer inability to answer the most important questions.

Naturally enough, Fianna Fail seemed to suffer the brunt of Irish anger in recent times, and their party took a huge hit in the general elections last year. Somewhat justified, don’t you think? However, I don’t fully think that it was solely their fault that the country is now in huge financial difficulty. But something needs to be done, and it needs to be done rapidly; otherwise, this country will suffer even more. Look at how many young people are emigrating after college – if one was to speculate a few years ago, in the height of the boom that this would happen, a chorus of giggles and smart comments would ensue. Now fast forward to late 2011, and sadly it is quite realistic that I may have to take the same route.

So many friends from my hometown and indeed all over the country have emigrated in the last year or so, and are now enjoying full-time employment in countries like Australia and Canada, to name but a few. Let’s be realistic – how can that not be tempting to someone? The fact that if one was willing to emigrate, that employment would be so much easier to secure than in this country? It’s hugely upsetting that people now have to go to these lengths in order to secure employment. Sadly though, this is what our government has forced us to do, and the upcoming Budget is going to do us no favours, with the wrong groups of people again rumoured to suffer.

Emigration isn’t the most daunting thought for me, as I spent five months on Erasmus in Prague this year. Erasmus was probably one of the best things that I could have done, as it gave me the opportunity to “fend for my own”, so to speak, and almost gave me a taste of what life after college could really be like. For countries like the Czech Republic, it would be somewhat easy for a college graduate to gain employment, if they were willing to teach English as a foreign language, for example.

People in this profession in Prague were very positive about the whole situation – they choose their own hours, relax at the weekends, and the pay is good. It’s always something that has stayed in my mind since I studied in Prague, and I do think that it can indeed be an option. But how depressing is it that it’s almost inevitable that emigration will be my only way to secure full-time employment?

To sum it up, it’s so difficult to stay positive in terms of employment after college, and we all know who is to blame. Thanks to the Government for that, I really owe ye one.

Oh the mighty men of Munster!

I was one of the lucky ones to witness first-hand Munster’s unbelievable last-gasp finish in last weekend’s Heineken Cup first round encounter with Northampton Saints. It can only be described in one word...UNREAL! Honestly, it was probably one of the most nerve-wracking games that I have ever witnessed in the flesh. I have never gotten so excited and indeed scared in my life when the legend that is ROG moved back into position for that drop-kick. The reaction in the ground was nothing short of amazing, I’ve never seen anything like it! The stadium erupted into a chorus of cheers, screams and indeed tears were also shed.

For a first round game, the atmosphere was unforgettable. It was my first time at Thomond Park, and what a game to be at! Luckily my friend was able to get my friends and I tickets, so there was a nice group of us together. The buzz was certainly building when we found our spot in the North End terrace soon after 5.30pm (kick-off was 6pm). The stadium burst into song when Munster marched onto the pitch, and there was a sea of red everywhere, though there was a little sprinkling of the green of Northampton.

I have always been a rugby fan, but it was my first time being at a proper, competitive game, so I didn’t know what to expect. Needless to say, my echoing “COME ON MUNSTER” blended in perfectly throughout the game, sometimes deafening my friends! It was a fantastic evening though, and it was the perfect ending to a phenomenally exciting game!

The buzz around the city before and after the game was also brilliant to see. Limerick city, it has to be said, has really been struggling in recent times. Anyone who is a frequent visitor to the city has seen the clusters of dormant shops and houses all over the city. But whenever the Heineken Cup games are in town, the city comes to life. Pubs and restaurants are thronged with rugby fanatics, all eager to soak up either the pre- or post-match buzz. If only Limerick was as busy as that more often, it would be fantastic for everyone connected with the city.

Limerick isn’t the worst city in the world. I know it has a fairly dodgy reputation (Stab City will always be a tag related to the city) but it’s actually quite a nice place. It’s a real pity to see such a flurry of shops closed down though, especially with the run-up to Christmas. Hopefully in the near future, these businesses will get the kick-start they need, and bring some much-needed vitality and life back into the city.

I would highly recommend everyone studying in Limerick to get to Thomond Park before you finish your studies in the city. Whether it be a Heineken Cup game, or even a league game, get down to a game! Honestly, the atmosphere has to be seen and witnessed to be believed..simply unbelievable! If anyone is interested in getting tickets for games in future, visit the Munster rugby site on www.munsterrugby.ie, or alternatively you can visit www.munsterrugbysales.com. Don’t regret it, book your ticket!!

Spreading some Christmas cheer...not...

Am I the only person who isn’t looking forward to Christmas? Every person I have chatted to in the last few days has nicknamed me ‘Scrooge’ or ‘The Grinch’ due to my lack of enthusiasm for the festive season. But what’s the big fuss?

To me, Christmas is so superficial. Why go to the bother of being nice to everyone just for one day? Why can’t you be nice every day anyway? Christmas is all about the presents for a lot people, in my opinion. Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t exactly turn my nose up at being showered with gifts either, but it’s all relating to how much money people spend on gifts. Why not put extra effort in and make that someone special in your life a home-made gift, or even a little package of small, practical gifts? Instead of spending needless amounts of cash on overly-priced items, be sensible!

Obviously, I, as much as everyone else, love spending time with my family and extended family during the Christmas period. But as harsh as it sounds, the interest does wear off when you’ve visited your third cousin’s brother’s aunt’s sister (okay, slight exaggeration there, but you get what I mean). I love just throwing myself on the couch whilst slowly digesting the monstrous feed that my Mam cooks for Christmas, watching a cheesy festive film and doing sweet feck all! What’s wrong with that?

All this malarkey with putting up Christmas decorations and lights even before Halloween is over...are you actually serious like?! What the hell is the rush?! As I’m writing this, it’s the evening of Tuesday, November 8...That still leaves something like 47 days to Christmas..plenty of time for putting the decorations anyway, I think! People need to chillax about things like that!

Admittedly, this is already portraying me as a complete Scrooge..but I’m not, I swear! I don’t mind Christmas at all, but I just feel that it is just so fabricated! Why can’t it be like any other day? All this fuss about decorating the house, getting the best presents, preparing an absolute feast..Why can’t it be toned back?

What about the thousands of families that won’t be able to afford Christmas this year? How do you think they will feel when they have to tell their children that Santa isn’t able to bring the presents they want? Again, it comes down to money..However, this stupid country isn’t exactly flourishing en ce moment when it comes to our financial situation...obviously, this poses huge problems with many families countrywide. So maybe this year, why not think of these families when you’re shopping for your new iPhone 4 or whatever new gadget is popular at the time..Be sensible with your money!

I honestly can’t wait to just relax for a little bit this Christmas. College has been ridiculously busy and indeed stressful this semester, so I’m really looking forward to catching up on some well-needed sleep..for a few days at least! Then it’ll be back to the grindstone to tackle that dreaded three-letter word..FYP..the bane of most fourth year’s lives..

‘Til next time..over and out from Scrooge..I’m known as Sharon sometimes, too...