red mum

That’s another Irish Blog Awards weekend over and in keeping with years past its Monday and I am yearning for my bed, which alludes to the fun we had.

While I would have loved to have spent the whole weekend in Galway finances dictated it would be a one-night stay so on Saturday morning the Young Wan and I took the train on Saturday morning arriving in Galway at 2.30ish and getting our priorities right, we headed for the market and for some food.

Getting in so late meant that I missed the photowalk and as we were meeting a pal who was also coming down from Dublin on a later train, I ended up missing the Ladies Tea too. But by all accounts both events went off well. And in fairness it was really lovely dandering around with my honey, taking our time and not being rushed or pressured into getting somewhere by particular times, never mind rushing back to meet my pal.

At one stage pre-awards  it was carnage in our hotel room, three people getting ready in a small room is hectic, but glasses of wine sustained us and we were about to head out the door, not having checked the time in a while when Elly texted to say ‘where are you its about to start’. So we booted round to the Radisson and just in the nick of time too, as we were one category away from Best Photo Blog. To say I was absolutely delighted to win would be an understatement, I really was/am thrilled.

Taken by the Young Wan who is to photography what I was to hairdressing (Nanny is a hairdresser)

And seeing as how I managed to not thank anyone at all, what a brat I am, in my thanks speech, unlike Eolai who put most of us to shame with his thank you speech, I hope I can rectify that now.

I’d like firstly to thank Damien for all his hard work, seriously well done Damien on another great and well organised fun evening and weekend. Thanks as well to everyone else who helped out too. A big shout out for the judges who ploughed through numerous blogs, thank you for your votes. A big thanks as well to those who nominated me and I also have to thank all those people who drop by this site, and those who comment, all of these things I deeply appreciate.

On the evening I also never thanked Marcus and Pixie for sponsoring the category which is very bad of me. My only excuse is the joy of winning the award made me forget all rhyme and reason which isn’t fair as Marcus is incredibly supportive of the photographic community in Ireland and beyond and I deeply appreciate his help and support over the years, so thank you Marcus. And as for you, if you haven’t joined Pixie already why not?

I would also like to draw your attention once again to all the finalists in Best Photo Blog (as well as the other finalists). Best Photo Blog was a tough category and one where I would not have liked to put a bet on the outcome. Of course there were sites that I thought would have made it through but didn’t; that’s the way of it and no more so than with something subjective like photography.

I was delighted to see and meet two of the other photo blog finalists such as the lovely Nathalie at the awards looking simply FAB in her red dress and it was wonderful to meet John, discussions about a photomeet in the Aran Islands have been mooted for the summer and it is something I will definitely chase up with him in the future.

The other two finalists weren’t able to make the awards as both of them are in far-flung places, Oisin is doing a pic a day of his travels in Colombia while Ronan is in Australia working. All these sites are a must bookmark so please do.

There were once again loads of people I wanted to meet but didn’t get the chance too I personally blame it on the boogie and eh wine; so definitely another/next time.

Once again there was also the now-annual nonsense mutterings about what a photo blog is and isn’t.  All of the nominees are inspiring and wonderful spaces, whatever about their template. I personally do not want a template that shows only one pic a day (that’s my choice), does that make it less of a photoblog? obviously not and I thank you all for that endorsement. Horses for courses, I’m about the pics not the template (hence the ridiculously long time it took me to move to wordpress).

At the end of the day I do this because I love it; I love photography and have done since I was a child. Blogging allows me to completely indulge that love and for that I love blogging too J

I also thought after the fact that I should’ve snapped a pic of the blog award relaxing having breakfast in bed on Sunday morning, but we were too hot (God our room in the Meyrick was hot) and too hungover to even think about it. We just about packed up the room never mind doing anything else.

I’d like to finish off this post by pointing you to all the winners, big hearty congrats to everyone, well done. Do check them out and if you want to find even more blogs on every subject possible, check back on the long lists, you are bound to find loads that you will love.  And thank you, I am more than chuffed

THIS LOT are only the tip of the iceberg but here are just some of the pics that I have managed to go through. There will be lots more coming soon.

My first real attempt at shooting in RAW. I’ll definitely be making the switch when I get more memory cards.

I’m just blogging this after a wonderful and long weekend in Spiddal. As I write we are coming into Athlone, there’s no air-conditioning on the train so to say it is hot would be an understatement.

But I suppose seeing as how I wanted good weather for the weekend, I am not complaining not after the crazy rain we had on Saturday, but Friday, Sunday, Monday and today were all absolutely gorgeous.

I love going down to visit my pal, her husband and their two babies, it is just bliss and this time was no different.

When I arrived my mobile was bleeping away with all the twitterers and my pal was just amazed at this.

And even more amazed when I explained it all.

‘Eh you are saying that people are texting this site saying what they are doing?

I replied sortof, there’s more to it than that, but that kinda sums it up for laypeople, particularly as they don’t get my blogging either and are only coming to terms with how handy mobile phones are AND recently got a laptop and barely use it.

So all things twitter was one of the jokes of the last couple of days. Everytime my phoned beeped, they would go ‘oh that’ll be a commercial break then’, or ‘just getting my dinner’, ‘should I have a beer or a glass of wine’. You can imagine.

They didn’t get it at all not even from my recollections of the fantastic reportage from twitter during the election. No they think I’m sad and all you other twitterers too.

My reply was at least someone texted me, sortof, unlike them who didn’t get one the whole weekend

I did get a cool t-shirt from my pal’s husband, but I’ll post that on its own, it deserves it.

Anyway as usual, here’s some pics from the weekend, Spideal Abú.

An tra mor