It finally felt like summer was here, so I grabbed my kayak and went to Sandy Cove near Kinsale to meet up with other swimmers, paddle boarders and rowers. It's a great place, but the terrible parking situation always bothers me. Kinsale itself is lush, but again, the parking and the novice drivers…
On another day I returned in the same direction to visit the Old Head of Kinsale. It's a shame that this walk is no longer open to the public, but the cliffs nearby are simply stunning. There's also a lovely little teashop called the Signal Tower Café, just around the corner from the Old Head of Kinsale signal tower. facebook.com/tower2019 oldheadofkinsale.com The Lusitania memorial there is also definitely worth a visit.
I saw John Bishop live at Live at the Marquee this month, he put on a really good, polished show and it felt like he was still bursting with fresh ideas, it was good, I also saw Blondie live at Musgrave Park, she was opening for Sting and to be honest Mr Sumner was pretty good too, although I did go to see her rather than for her.
Debbie Harry is just amazing, she has great style and a fierce sense of fun, belting out her hits and looking like she's having fun.
If you haven't seen Bridgerton yet, we highly recommend you do. Though it's set in a fantastical world of the 1800s, don't come for historical accuracy. An orchestra in a lavish ballroom plays music like Madonna's “Material Girl” and Miley Cyrus' “Wrecking Ball.” You'll also hear songs by Coldplay, Taylor Swift, and Alanis Morissette.
I'm not opposed to car chases or exploding buildings on TV, but this series shows that a very slow-moving hot air balloon can also be fascinating and entertaining.
I never thought I'd say this, but I've become a fan of Crocs. A friend convinced me to try them and, with a trip coming up, I thought they'd be a convenient alternative to flip flops. I've been wearing them ever since, and although I'm still not brave enough to wear them outside the house, I will next time I go to Tesco. Mine are pink, of course.
I've been loving Spotify's Daylist feature lately. Spotify basically creates a daily playlist for me based on the songs I've listened to recently and gives it a fun name. I've been spending a lot of time in the car lately and I'm getting bored of the same old playlists. It's nice to have something fresh to enjoy featuring my favorite artists and songs.
After a few years away, I've become a returning Love Island fan. I decided to tune in to the first show of the new season and have been hooked ever since. With a cast that includes reality TV veteran Joey Essex and some hilarious characters (love you, Harriet!), there's sure to be plenty more drama to come. Casa Amor, I'm looking forward to it!
I'd love to be the type to swim in the sea all year round, but I'm not. But now that it's warmer I enjoy swimming every now and then. It doesn't get any better than that, plus there are so many great spots to choose from in Cork.
Landless – Lúireach. Dublin folk quartet Landless' sophomore album brings together Irish, English and Scottish traditional music, richly rendered in unaccompanied four-part harmonies. The effect is always mesmerizing, but a multi-year hiatus between albums has only heightened the impact of this beautifully crafted, critically acclaimed LP, with Lankum/ØXN's John 'Spud' Murphy steadily at the helm.
Who Killed WCW? Fascinating, distracting and often disturbing in equal measure, there's a reason why French philosopher Roland Barthes once called professional wrestling “spectacle excess”. Ahead of its official European broadcast, an episode of VICE Media's latest documentary series on the sport of champions is circulating online. This time, it focuses on the slow demise and rapid sale of the American organization World Championship Wrestling. From the quiet but steady foundations of US media mogul Ted Turner's cable TV empire to its ignominious sale and decline as AOL Time Warner's merger maneuver goes awry, this is a compelling story that covers the dizzying commercial heights of wrestling media in the late 1990s, the Machiavellian machinations of corporate entities trying to get out of their old bosses' pet projects, and the real people behind the mega-star wrestlers who brought WCW to life, and the equally acerbic bosses and directors.
Irish Film Institute Archive Series. Streaming has captured the attention of many viewers for its variety and convenience, but there are understandable concerns about the intangibility of films and series coming and going as new services keep on popping up. Meanwhile, outdated DVDs and Blu-rays are relegated to the realm of collectors, enthusiasts and various other nerds. Those interested in Irish film history might want to pick up the last few in-house DVD stocks of the Irish Film Institute. These include releases of the TG4 film series Seoda, early films from experimental film director Thaddeus O'Sullivan and the remains of the archive GAA collection. At £5 a pop, they're selling well and are unlikely to be pressed again. Get archiving.
Deadly Pins. In an increasingly hegemonic social context, it's good to see Irish pop culture references becoming more prominent again. Run by Dublin pin maker Sean Conroy, Deadly.ie sells all sorts of fantastic Irish-themed metal pins, badges and brooches. Currently they still have in stock the fantastic Brigid spinners, as well as mirrored badges that evoke the classic “How are you?…”. An approachable, lovely and affordable accessory that will go with any outfit.
New Musicals. As a musical lover, I'm always on the lookout for new musicals. This month I've been rewatching two: The Notebook and The Great Gatsby. Both are adaptations of the novels of the same name and have been running on Broadway since March to rave reviews.
If you're familiar with the story of “The Notebook,” this new version features three different pairs of Noah and friends set at different times in the characters' lives. The final number, “Coda,” is my favorite, featuring all the characters who accompany the main characters' love story.
This time-slip production of The Great Gatsby to the 1920s stars musical stalwarts Jeremy Jordan and Eva Noblezada, and while only a few songs have been released from the soundtrack, “My Green Light” and “Past Is Catching Up to Me” are my favorites.
Silver cowboy boots. These boots have been in the cupboard for over a year now, but I finally wore them officially for the first time this month when Shania Twain performed at Virgin Media Park in Cork. You may ask, “Why didn't I wear them for so long?” but they're a must-have for any summer concert or gig. Who knows, but now that they're back in the spotlight, I might never take them off again.
My piano nails. In honour of all the amazing summer concerts that took place in Cork throughout June, I decided to have music-themed nails for this month's nail appointments. With a white base and black tip on one hand and a black base and white tip on the other, the ladies at Nova Beauty in Ballinlough helped me bring my piano nails to life. They may make another appearance at the Cork Jazz Festival in October.
Cork's newest wine bar, Old Brennan's Wine House, has opened at 7 Oliver Plunkett Street, stocking over 100 different wines and also boasting an art gallery on the second floor.
I stopped there this month and indulged in the butter board – sourdough with caramelised shallot and chive butter, leek oil and crispy onion (€9). For non-wine drinkers, Beamish, beers and spirits are also available.
I went to Greece for a week at the start of June, a quick decision I made last December when a new route was announced from Cork airport (nice to not have to fly into Dublin airport for the trip). We stayed in Kolymbea, a little way from the hustle and bustle of the resort areas but we rented a car to get to the heart of the action and explored the beautiful island. After a busy few months, sun, sand and endless books – it was just the respite I needed.
Speaking of books, I read nine books in June, and a few really stood out as great. I devoured Circe by Madeleine Miller in one sitting, the perfect book for a Greek holiday. It's by the author of The Song of Achilles, and in my opinion, it's a little better than my BookTok favorite. I also listened to two audiobooks: Hagstone by Sinead Gleeson and Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors, both fantastic books.
I went to Dublin and saw a matinee performance of my favorite musical, Come From Away. An uplifting musical about the events surrounding 9/11 may not have been the best idea, but it was perfectly executed. It was set in Newfoundland, and all planes heading into U.S. airspace were redirected that day. A 5-star show.
Sometimes this job doesn't feel like work, and June was always one of those times. I'm one of the reviewers for the live season team, but I've seen a lot of my favourite artists – I call it work. In Cork I went to see Shania Twain, The Wolf Tones, Take That, Lyra, and last weekend I was one of the lucky 150,000 people who went to the Eras tour.
