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

A POST on the Irish Blog Awards is coming soon. Too. tired. Now. To. Do. Anything. ZZzzzzzz. But here are a few taster pics, I have a post in progress which I’ll upload post when I feel more human again and am sure I haven’t written complete and utter rubbish.

I really enjoyed meeting up with everyone, new and not-so-new faces and the heartiest congrats to all the winners and well done Mr Mulley for another crackingly good evening. But as I said more later…

Ladies tea 

Photo meet group

WOW I am only bleedin delighted with my nominations in round one of the Irish Blog Awards. I have found myself in amazing company in five categories, six if you count Dublin Blog’s group blog nomination! I think the rules will see me out of some of them but it is still heartening, not to mention flattering, to have been nominated in the various categories in the first place, so thanks a million. I am almost apprehensive about listing the categories here in case I have gotten it wrong. There are so many blogs on the lists I could have jumped the gun But it appears to be Best Blog, Best Blog Post, Best Personal Blog, Best Photoblog and Best Blog from a journalist.

The hugely increased number of entries on last year is fantastic and should make for another great night. So over the next while I will be using the lists scattered around the blogosphere to check out new places and I would urge you to do the same.

I JUST did a guest photoblog post for Damien. He’s been asking different photobloggers to pick two favourite images and write about them. It’s been a great series with Treasa, North Atlantic Skyline, Gingerpixel, Rymus, Lili and McAWilliams.

I kinda stretched my post a little and didn’t pick my favourites or indeed two. But you can read it here. Thanks Damien

WELL that was a great weekend. Mymsie, a pal on Flickr who is based in LA, was in Ireland and we had arranged a Flickr meet up in Belfast on Saturday.

Having headed up on the train on Friday evening, dog and all, we went in on Saturday afternoon and met with the others at Custom House Square. When we arrived Anna was there with StepBar with Nicky and over time we were joined by Alan in Belfast, digitalEnvironmentalist, Dogtired and Jett.

Just some of the participants, sorry that my camera isn’t wide enough to capture the full row of people

With no real plan in place other than walking about to find interesting things we set off and wandered around all the little back streets until we came to St Anne’s Cathedral to inspect the new spike they have installed instead of a spire.

St Anne’s is a beautiful building with lots to photograph so off we ambled around until we all were drawn to the sectioned off part (eh the altar) underneath the spike/spire. Alan thought the first person who went shimmied under the guard rail was due a prize before promptly slipping under and pointing his camera up at the roof.

I’d say I was about the fifth person to do it and at that stage was feeling very brave and not at all worried about someone coming and shouting at me to get the hellskates out of there.

After the Cathedral we moved across the road where a gang of lads were freerunning, you know where they run around and throw themselves at walls, jumping, somersaulting and generally flinging themselves around the place.

Well they were excellent models and great fun, they ran at the wall when we asked them to. They posed and made for an interesting shoot and judging by the pics the others came up with, we all enjoyed ourselves.

From there we walked up towards the Crumlin Road where we stumbled upon the orange shoe…

As we walked on we could hear the beat from a marching band so the next stop was the Shankill.

At this stage coffee was definitely in order, although in poor Anna’s case, eh not in order and she wasn’t amused particularly seeing as how the rest of us were all served long before her. That aside the break allowed us a chance to chat more and check out some of the pics we had taken so far as well as some silly snapping.

From there we headed back slowly to Custom House Square where the day was wound up with a much-earned pint and more shots (from the chair) of kids playing about in the fountain.

The next day, Sunday, Mymsie and I headed off to shoot the Falls (he) just so she would have a more balanced view of it all and finished up with a pint in Kelly’s Cellars, the oldest bar in Belfast, before heading for the train back to Dublin.

You can see more of mine here and everyone’s pics at this link. Thanks to everyone for making it a great and productive day. Now I can’t wait till the next one.