Galway Play

Tired after a late ward call and very fucking early ward round, depressed as our research project looks like loosing it's legs, no maggie, total lack of sleep (and friends) I write this with regurgitator in the back (old friend).



Winter, Europe went into hibernation and as a result we did too, doing a lot of work, alot of nights and 2 segments where I worked 6 weeks in a row without break. Until this time we had friends but hadn't really 'craic'ed onto the scene yet, but a fateful party would change all that. In fact by this time, we were getting a bit depressed, after the fun of traveling we were greeted by 53 days straight of rain. So much that the banks overflowed causing disease that became known as the great galway crypto crisis (more later).




But first, before I forget, lets look at Galway itself. After our prague trip, it really started to come of age. The sun finally shone and I could actually take a photo of where we lived. Its a great vibrant, bohemic, university town. And when the sun is out, it's GLORIOUS!

This is our place, 13 Forster Pl. Nice little courtyard in front, which we never used. There was always a fat cat that I kept feeding. We never really did meet our neighbours properly (towards the end we found out that one of our friends Kym (another doc) lived there), but randomly one night drunk they decided to invite themselves over and 'overstay their welcome' but we agreed because one of them was hot, and we were drunk too. We hardly saw them again. Kate (graz's sis) came over once and locked herself out and got them to drive her to Shenton Park to get the keys off me (gosh!!). We were walking distance to the pubs, clubs & shopping centre. I loved our house and was very sad when we finally left it

This was our 'security gate' which was always open. We had a parking space, however had to pay to use it. We didn't know this, even the cable man wasn't allowed to park there. Eventually we got parking permits, lent one to Tammy who lent it to a random ('frikkin idiot!') whilst we were in Valencia, subsequently got fined and hence lost our permit. It was complicated, Graz was angry

The sun so rarely come out that when it does so does everybody else! Initally we thought the Irish gals were ugos, but when the sun came out, so did the uber hots. Speaking of girls (my femine side coming out) they CANNOT dress when they go out at night, sparkles, hot pants, mini skirts (when they really should not be wearing them) clashing everything in a bad way. So wrong that we were going to introduce a red card system.

Our favourite bar when the sun is out called 'Bazaar', enjoying our favourite irish drink. Always packed, when the sun is out, so basically 3-4 days per year.

The man on the right is a legend, I love him, But more on yobs later.

The lovely flowing corrib, wonderful to walk by on the way to work when it's not raining. Often see fly fisherman in it.

Shop street by day, yes they are original with their street names.

Shop street at night, packed with party people, pubs fill up and spill out onto the street, who needs clubs. On big nights it can take half an hour to get from one end to the other.

The 2 poor guys kept getting accosted by Graz & I (well mainly I) They are the famous oscar wildes, who never actually met. I was later to find out that these were copies and that the original was in Estonia.

Before I go on you must meet 2 men that would change the course of my life (seriously), they are my lucky charms. Everything started falling into place after I met these guys. Everyone, please meet Justin (yobby - don't ask) and Baz (Baz Lee Sanchez - what a name!). These guys basically stayed at our house before we even met them as Yobby was mates with Toff. For an absolute bargain they stayed at our place, loved Galway so much that they decided to rent a tiny room between them (which was located ontop of Lidl). They had grand plans of working for a bit, but decided to check that. They were the extra spark we needed, the never fail drinking buddies, the finder of ten beef patties for 1 euro (or OO-ro), the masters of the george foreman grill & inventer of 'vodka in a water bottle'. I met them after just arriving home from the prague trip, had to work the next next, was 'too' tired to go out.. but went anyway for a few which turned into lots which turned into a nasty next day at work.

Meet Yobby (left) Baz (right, sporting his own brand label)

Now on to easily the best party that I went to whilst in Ireland. We weren't even formally invited, we didn't even know the guys at that point. But this party was historical. By this stage we were pretty much getting invited to every single party that occured, between us, we had worked on so many teams that if there ever was anything that happened (at all), we were there.

It all started off with a harmless bbq... seriously what's wrong with this picture? Notice how cold everybody is? HOw small the BBQ? And the fact that we are on a tiny balcony what appears to be winter, but is infact their summer.

Then comes the glorious beer, the host knew the guy who made this beers, it's called the Galway Hooker (yes that right), but unfortunately named after a boat not a girls on a corner who does tricks. Tastes like a poor mans little creatures.. so awesome!!!

The boys gearing up for the night and me with my johnny depp shirt

Further proof that Baz is black, if you wear really dark shades, he blends in. Baz manages to provide clean water to poor galway, here is his promo shot for UNICEF, or is it world vision? Either way, best photo ever.

Me and my Reg, Eavan. I love this pic.

Life of the party. I had my eyes set in, apparently it was impossible to talk to me the whole night!

So after hooking up, we got locked on the balcony, so we ended up going into the neighbours house and watch half a movie with them

Despite Marcello looking the worst, it was Toff who suprised us all by being the dodgy one and pissing his own pants after waking up. Tam had the courtesy to take photos and show us all. Just brilliant.

Oh I forgot the bootle came too for the fun! Things all sort of rounded up at about 4am, I took the girl home (her home) and finally made it to bed at about 6:30am. I had to be in hospital at 8am... for a 56 hour shift!!! Oh my god was that aweful, I actually passed my pager to another guy by the name of gareth (not 3G) who, much to my gratitude, held it for 7 hours!!! ANd got paid to sleep.

Self explanatory.

The next part is dedicated to the great great night life that is Galway. It's a university town so really it's young people aplenty. The places we hit hard were the front door, the living room (they have some funny obsession with house parts) Bazaar, my favourite - the Roisin Dove (black rose), busker browns. And for the meat market, its Halo & CP's (Marcello's hunting ground). And countless other pubs.

Bin Art

No idea where this is

Boys in Halo

The boys took some girls home, it was a great night. Bottle thought that Galway was the best city ever

My man John Morris in front of the Front Door

3G insists that putting your little finger will stop a beer bottle from spilling over if smacked. Yeah.. I see it really works graz...

We were known for our great dinners! That's Sandpad in the middle

Bringing Cider back into fashion. We discovered just how good it was on a hot summers day!

Best fresh ocean caught salmon, sushied by me!

The is the shop we bought it from, recommended by Toff. Just before we left, Galway's biggest scandle came about, when they found a dead body in their freezer. It had been there for 5 years! Some druggy that went missing from Dublin. We stopped buying fish from them.

Continuing the tradition of random people we dont know staying at our house. These lovely girls Bec & Han, crashed at our place, we didn't even know them from before. There is a hilarious video of Hannah pumping our inflatable bed. Apprently she wanted to marry me after seeing my cooking.. I think Baz was annoyed.

Swanning it

This is us trying to practice our square dancing

Incase you doubted our culinary skills

The number of Julie's, Julia's, Juliette's that we met overseas was out of control. My last count was over ten. We became friends with them all. Here is Juliet & Julia at a birthday lunch at Galway's most critically acclaimed resteraunt. I can't remember the name.

Here is Julie (Fad's) in her own backyard, hand printed and participating in the longest sing song ever. It all starts with Beattie for a song then goes crazy from there. The Irish have some beautiful songs, kudos goes to Elaine Walsh for her moving tribute. We were still belting them out at 3 in the morning. Neighbours (which they sang a lot on our behalf) must have loved it.

3g with random shit in his mouth. Loved it. I also dropped Julie's camera at ths party and ended up waking in D's house all confused and having to break back into Julies house because Donna had to climb moutains.

We even made nice with the rich & famous. One of them is this lady, who was our renal registrar but also part time millionare. She has a huge construction company, built from scratch with her husband. She owns 2 helicopters and has a diamond ring the size of an eye ball. Here we have been invited to the christening of her child at Galways most famous bar. Which again I can't remember the name of.

At the internation beer house, after a long trip and getting nostalgic about Aussie beer. So we got a coopers each!

Funniest game of indian poker! Drunk again, some random thursday night.

World cup cricket. We were set to win, and we did. Note Graz's wierd obsession with sticking his finger in someone else's ear. Also the guy on the very left is a tool. Name of Brad, introduced himself as GOD wouldn't you love to titty fuck that chick (who was an ugo anyway). He couldn't understand why women didn't want to sleep with him. Came over with the intention of working in England for a few years... eventually went home after 1 month. What a toss.