It was almost 4am by the time we got to Grand Parade on Saturday night and found ahead of us a huge crowd weekend revellers, as well as a number of Gardaí. I was drawn to the them. I let the others go on as I was sure my Hotel was this direction anyway.
After quickly scoffing the rest of my chips I pulled the camera out of my bag, got in amongst the crowd and started snapping. The first wasn’t brave enough to go to the very top of the fountain, and got down soon after. Then another one got up, cigarette in hand and proceeded to make his way to the top tier, kicking the water about his feet, while the Gardaí paced on the ground, keeping the crowd at bay when necessary. The fellow at the top was having a great time. Surely he knew what was to come?
I asked three of the guards what...
It was almost two weeks ago that I decided to take a walk around town with my camera, snapping things of interest - which usually isn’t very much - but a new attempt to find something different and take a new route must be done every so often.
As I left the city centre and took a walk through Botanic Gardens with camera around my neck, something I don’t normally do, I noticed a man on a bicycle with 2-3 orange Sainsbury’s bags on each handlebar coming my way.
“What part of the world are you from?” he said.
“Right here in Belfast as a matter of fact”, I replied.
“Agh right, I just assumed that with the big expensive camera you were a tourist.”
I had seen Cyril around the city plenty of times before over the years, though never had an...
It was a great weekend. Mostly spent chilling out, listening to music, watching Pushing Daisies, which I really don’t like and must stop watching immediately, watching terrible movies including this one along with a very moderate amount of alcohol.
Saturday afternoon though, was the Belfast Flickr Meetup at the Continental Market at the City Hall, with a total of 9 people, we wanted around getting photographs of all the same things and people from slightly different angles. I tried to get some portraits of some of the sellers. The first, Leo, was so keen he gave me his email address to send him the photograph.
My next victim was a seller of olives. Maybe he could sense that I don’t actually like olives and just wanted to take a photograph of him, which no intention of making...
That was no mob! A pitiful performance! You should be ashamed of yourselves - those who didn’t make the effort. Its a team effort people!
In this photo are a few of the mobsters.
Here is all the space available for potential mobsters
Those who were there were awesome! A small group, who gathered afterwards, including Duke Special who was just getting a Costa Coffee (seen below just leaving).
Next time will be better....
There had been rumours that this year would be better than the previous two, and with the addition of intros, music and a few words from George Bush it was. Once again, but very deservedly, Twenty Major won the award for best blog, coinciding with the recent release of his book the two prizes go hand in hand. Maybe it’s time to give someone else a chance next year.
Highlights of the night include Robin Blandford’s mum collecting his prize on his behalf, Kieran Murphy of Ice Cream Ireland’s dress sense, Nialler9 winning once again, Grannymar and Grandad sharing the same stage.
The award for best photoblog this year went to Claire of Gingerpixel and with her blog being filled with so many brilliant photographs, especially her great portraits of people she has stopped in...
The day I had been looking forward to for 2 years arrived on Friday; my photographs framed and exhibited in a public place. Friday was the launch; the first day of the exhibition, and the ‘Out to Lunch’ festival which is running until 27th January. I was down early to clean a few of the frames, and generally get things organised.
Rachel, who had helped me hang them, turned up first shortly before 6, followed by Ronan and Ciara of Kitty and the Can Openers, who, after technical difficulties and three different sound guys trying to work out the problems, played a few songs towards the end of the night in front of an intimate crowd.
There was a wine, some mingling, the parents - oh the parents’ with their (well mother’s) “hasn’t he gotten so tall”...
While at the launch of the first solo exhibition of the excellent local artist Alice McCullough at the Safehouse Gallery on Monday 26th November I was asked whether I consider myself an ‘artist’. This got me thinking…
According to the Dictionary.com:
pho·tog·ra·phy - n.
1. The art or process of producing images of objects on photosensitive surfaces.
2. The art, practice, or occupation of taking and printing photographs.
3. A body of photographs.
To me, photography is, by default, an art, though many photographers do not consider themselves ‘artists’. I guess it’s a frame of mind. Many people don’t like the idea of wanting to be part of that crowd of ‘artists’, often seen as being “extremely pretentious”, spending...
This morning I woke up with the most painful throat ever. That and a killer headache. I need throat lozenges desperately. I’ve done all that I can, which isn’t a lot. I had some soup. I turned the heating on. I dressed warmly. I just wanted to go back to bed. And so I did. From 2pm to 6pm. It felt good, in that I-still-feel-like-complete-crap sort of way.
I have a feeling someone might have the words “I told you so” on the tip of their tongue if they knew how I was feeling right now. Maybe I should have worn a coat on that miserable wet day yesterday.
It started off well, 10am, non-hungover 10am. After some breakfast, a bus and a walk back to my own house, I headed out in the rain to the Safehouse Gallery for a book reading by Camel Hartley from her first book of...
So where did I leave off. Ah yes, day two in Boston, Massachusetts. Its hot, the sky is blue, decent people, a personal feel, easy to get around, lots of culture and a heck of a lot of history.
On this particular morning, I stopped at a little coffee shop for some coffee and a mousse - the most awesome moose ever! Then we headed to Harvard Square once more. On the ground I found a brilliant piece of art work that really touched me. Unfortunately I didn’t see the artist about.
From here we headed to Au Bon Pain, unknown to me at the time, but this was the site of one of the scenes of Good Will Hunting - but more on that a little later. As we sat eating out sandwiches, or sipping on sumptuous (yes I just used that word) soup, we were entertained by a busker who enjoyed singing off...
Sorry if you’re just here for the wild sex, as promised yesterday. Just one more day to wait.
I am in no way sick of my photos of the US and trying to relive in my mind the experiences and get them down on paper (virtual paper). Though it has meant that I have slightly neglected other photographs and projects I have been working on since my return. This entry will be as a brief overview of what i’ve been up to the last 2 or so weeks since my return.
The first few days were spent at my parent’s house as I tried to overcome the jet lag and get at least one decent nights sleep. Then I lost my sought-after BT9 postcode as I to my wonderful new house with my wonderful house-mates, who had been residing here for 3 weeks before my arrival and made things look pretty
It...
What a relaxing weekend. Much of my time was spent at the parents house, chillin’
When there is a purpose for taking photographs it always makes it so much easier. Especially when my purpose is to show to people who have [probably] never been to Ireland. I try to think like this most of the time but it can be hard. To start to look at things a lot differently, through the eyes of someone who has never seen it before.
When I got back from the USA 2 years ago I did see everything differently. Looking forward to the day my friends would come to visit, I ended up seeing so much that they would find interesting. Through understanding that so much of what we take for granted is so unique to us comes the ability to see things in a different light and capture them.
So this afternoon I set...
Admittedly it does feel a little odd to be sober after waking up on a Saturday. Though it ain’t morning. its 13:30. Afternoon. I didn’t have one drop of alcohol yesterday and when I got home I watched 5 episodes of the amazing and truely addictive Heros.
Last night I was at the Island Arts Centre in Lisburn for a panel discussion entitled ‘What It Takes‘. The panel, fronted by Ross Graham, head honcho of NIMIC (Northern Ireland Music Industry Commission), included a few of the regulars on the music scene, who dished out their opinions of what it takes to make it in the industry. This is the third event I have been to where I have been informed about how the music industry works, and each time I learn so much more than the last.
The first was the screening of the...
Friday was, as is the norm, not without plenty of drink and photos to go with it. A truth revealing, thought provoking, musical night; of course I slept on the sofa again.
Before the afternoon arrived, I found myself at home, watching Heros; my latest obsession. Tonight I finished watching episode 12. Over the next few days I plan to get through the following 11 episodes, completing the first series, and all that has been aired so far.
The highlight of the day, however, was the Italian BMT I had in Subway.
My brother and father recently discovered a love for a fairly unusual hobby: archery. I have never seen either of them play before, so today I went along to watch my father taking part in a competition, which he didn’t win in the end.
Whilst there, we found some very tasty...
More photographs from Glasgowbury 2007!
Duke Special (waiting to go on stage)
Duke Special
Triggerman
Desert Hearts
Swanee River
The Beat Poets
And So I Watch You From Afar
Skruff
The Black Tokens
Shauna and Grace
more port-a-loos next year?
All the photographs can be seen on my Flickr account.
Copyright Phil O’Kane © 2006-2007This feed is indended for personal use only. If you are not reading it in your feed reader please let me know....
What craziness. An awesomely fun-filled birthday weekend that was.
Saturday night was spent in Lavery’s Bunker enjoying the music as part of the Curfew Festival which ran from Friday until Sunday.
It was after this that the fun really started. Having slept on a friend’s sofa, I awoke and left the house at 6:30am. On my walk home I met a girl who was locked out of her house, she asked to borrow my phone to insert her sim card so that she could call the people in the house to get inside. There was a party going on. I was invited in and led towards the whiskey.
After 2 hrs two police officers came into the room (for the second time that night as I discovered). as we were calmly watching Smallville (which I don’t like). One of these police officers was very mean and was...
In this country, the 12th July brings with it a lot of tension. In the last few years the Orange Order Parades have passed relatively peacefully, but if you are out when the parades are going by, it feels like the slightest thing could set any one of them off.
The government, and the Orange Order, is trying to make out that the parades are now a tourist attraction, rebranding it ‘Orangefest’. It is far from any “family-friendly pageant” and little in the way of a “kaleidoscope of culture and colour”. For me, it is an aggressive parade of angry music, following along a trail throughout the city in an attempt to cause friction between communities. The streets are lined with those of the same culture, out to watch, cheer and drink a lot of alcohol.
For...
And so it’s that time of year again. It is indeed nearing the Twelfth of July; Marching Season is fully upon us. I am in no way politically minded. In fact, I fucking hate politics. But this is Northern Ireland/Ireland and it’s not going to go away too quickly. Although things are getting a hell of a lot better, and if I dare to say it, a little more peaceful, as I read somewhere recently, the trouble these days is mostly with the youth of the nation. The ignorant youths around this country who insist on trying to carry on something from their past generations when they know very little about how it all really is.
It’s all about the way you were brought up. I was brought up to be indifferent to it all, and I am very pleased about that. I was brought up with politics...
Here we go again. Another fantabulous week of mild arty-fartyness mixed with lots of alcohol and a few too many cigarettes…
I hate to have any mention of them here, and I would love for it to be the last (though I fear they will just do a lot of stupid stuff in the next few years that will warrant a good rant). Yes, the Spice Girls (arrgh it pains me to say it) have got back together. Take That was bad enough, even though their new songs are (barely) tolerable. This of course means they are gonna start playing old Spice Girls songs on the radio! Like they did today. Help me!
This post is a little later than planned. Down to a little mid-week drinking. Lets get started.
Tuesday kicked it all off with a gig in Auntie Annies featuring Boathouse and Cars in Walls (what a name!)...
A work colleague of mine who lives in Larne told me on Friday that there was photographable stuff happening in the town. A car show and other outdoor activities. Even though I ended up having a late night, I got up early and got the 10:06am train. I had never been to Larne before, or been on the Larne railway line. The scenery along the way was beautiful.
When I got to the town I followed the signs and the traffic cops to the town centre and Main Street where there were lots of people enjoying the sun and going about their business or whatever they do in small towns when its sunny. Over the course of June the town is host to ‘Larne Alive‘, a small festival celebrating… well Larne really. Various family and children orientated activities simply celebrating being...
These posts are becoming so few and far between, and to make matters worse all I want to write about is something that happened 2 weeks ago. Damn camera destroying my long run of great blog posts (shussh, I think so anyway!).
So as usual - I’m quite happy, its just a running theme at this time of my life I guess. Its sunny, I have a camera, I take photos, I go to work where I’m bored shitless and think of nothing but getting home to computer/photos/camera and I take more photos and go to gigs and meet people and hang out with friends blah blah. It’s all good.
Possibly the best gig I’ve been to in a long time occurred on Saturday 5th May. I should begin this little story by pointing out that I have a habit of getting a little starstruck when I meet famous people,...
Each day of the past week has been a joy. Great weather and taking part in enjoyable activities with the best people. I have also taken an average of 300 photographs a day, and had very little chance to even look at many. From gigs to exhibitions, waterfront walks to late-night construction workers even a few clowns. Its just been one of those fun-filled weeks. So here it is in full, with pictures.
On Monday Iconoclastic and Queen Alexander and the Lowly Knights Orchestra played in The Bunker for Club Sandwhich
Followed by DJ Ben
This was also the first night of the smoking ban in Northern Ireland - something I will spend more time on later in the week.
As mentioned, the weather was awesome. So I went on a photo walk around the city during lunch, and after I finished work....
I enjoy going to public events primarily for the purposes of taking photographs of lots of different people in one place, as well as the atmosphere that often surrounds these pieces of cultural activity. It’s nice to take time out from the dark and dingy, seedy and dark, sweary, alcohol-fueled and smoke-filled bars and darkened rooms. To enjoy the sun and act like children.
This is what we did on Saturday 28th April.
Firstly, Friday. Nick McCallan from God Talking Soul followed by Mary’s Great Idea in Common Grounds. The weather was great and the music suited it so well.
After a late night, I met with Ciara, Michelle, Paul, Dennis, Ronan and Connor for an awesome Fry in a local eatery. Soon after we went to the EU50 Playday. This was a day run by the council to mark 50 years...
I don’t like TV, but I’ll tell ya one thing - Ben really doesn’t like TV!!
He went nuts. Like a mad man.
Rock ‘n’ Roll
Copyright Phil O’Kane © 2006-2007This feed is indended for personal use only. If you are not reading it in your feed reader please let me know....
Those who know me may know by now that I have quite a love-hate relationship with computers. I love using them, but things go wrong so often. It makes me so sad.
As I have been planning for a few weeks, I finally got around to reformatting my computer and reinstalling windows. Everything went fine until I came to switching on my 250gb external hard drive. Nothing. I tried a million times and a million approaches. Still the same. What worried me most was the strange ’struggling’ sound from the hard drive.
It was at this point that my heart raced. I was scared. Very scared. Later I met my brother and we pondered the predicament. Though not before spotting some strange behaviour around the City Hall. Vikings!
He suggested disconnecting the drive from all the USB circuitry. A...
My house’s electricity bill is controlled by a pay & go system. Using a card which is swiped in the shop and when a minimum of £5 is handed over we get electricity. Nice and simple.
For the last 2 days there has been no electricity. Fortunately I had nothing in the fridge or freezer. I decided would use the opportunity to bust my cycle. Although I actually have major problems with the PC at the minute and desperately need to reformat (I also think I need a need a new motherboard but thats not too urgent, and a story for another day), it can wait another day or two. See, the weather is just great and I look so cool in my sunglasses I just gotta get out.
As I mentioned the other day, if I lived in a hot climate I doubt I would use the net as much at all. My dream is to have a...
I am certain that if I lived in a hot climate I would use the Internet/computer very little.
Over the past week I have been online very little. It isn’t very often that I take such breaks.
I spent Saturday until Tuesday at my grandparents’ house. I saw this as an opportunity to spent some time away from the internet. Besides the fact that I find it hard to use a different computer from my own, this usually leads to nothing getting done if I’m away from home. So it was a long weekend of photographing, watching tv and kickin’ a ball around the garden.
The ‘Titanic Festival‘ launched on Saturday morning at the City Hall, and finishes today. It was mildly interesting.
It took me quite a while to find the local blogging community, but find it I did;...
Saturday was the last day of ‘the show‘ with Ze Frank. Today I watched it for the first time in a few weeks.
[damn just lost all I had written so have to start again…]
I found Ze and his Show almost a year ago, and every few weeks I watch the shows I have missed. I much prefer to watch a few at a time rather than just one.
It was from the first time I was introduced to Ze that I became hooked. I started showing all my friends. Even at parties after a few drinks. Although he definitely takes a little getting used to, his fast paced, in-your-faceness, non-blinking and intellectual comedy can take some people a little getting used to. I managed to make fans of a few people however.
Apparently Ze does not write a script for his shows. I’m not saying I don’t...
I woke up with a very sore head on Sunday morning…
The Blog Awards were a great success once again. More so even than last year and I reckon it will only continue to get bigger and better.
I arrived at the Alexander with my cousin, Ronan, shortly after 6pm. Not sure were to go we walked towards the ‘Winners Bar’. As we walked through the lobby I noticed some people sitting at the first table. I recognised Tom Raftery among them, but they looked like they were talking hardcore computery stuff so I didn’t bother embarrassing myself, instead we sat at the back of the lobby and watched everyone make their way in, not seeing anyone I knew. After finishing drink number one we made our way to the hall and towards the free bar.
Many well deserved awards were given out...
I can see the similarities…
But definitely no more.
Copyright Phil O’Kane © 2006-2007This feed is indended for personal use only. If you are not reading it in your feed reader please let me know....
With all the wars, politics, economics, poverty, celebrities etc - we need more fun.
Every so often we hear of wonderful acts of kindness and people being good en mass. Although I have never gotten around to joining him, I have great respect for Danny Wallace. In 2002 Danny started a cult which, at the time had no purpose. He simply placed an ad in a local classifieds publication Loot with the words: “JOIN ME, send one passport-sized photo to…” followed by his address. Soon after Danny met his first Joinee by the name of Christian Jones. He was “a do-er”. Soon many others sent passport photos and, still not knowing what they were joining, they were still willing to join. Soon members began to question what it was they were joining. Soon after Danny set out...