It’s just like 2020 for Racingman

Thu, Jul 23, 2015

Sun rises in the capital of culture…ate a clock in the morning like...smartphone alarm beep beeps into me ear...one hand picks up and smashes it again the wall...not so smart now is it...where am I...recessed lights in ceiling shine into me eyes...discover me pyjamas have a hood in them… …and jeans…fell asleep in the clothes again...where am I...not Mrs O’Brien’s b & bloody b this year... no, not for me...fine room in wan of them gombeen hotels owned by NAMA for half nawthing...open shirt buttons and spray deodorant under arms and head for the lift...close buttons, push buttons and fella in the lift mirror does the same...full Irish with bacon rashers and eggs... throw back the lugs and dive in...lash back the orange juice...parched I am...try to walk sober like, wan foot then the udder, repeat...I’m Racingman, I’m wide out…I’m part of Galway. I’m its culture too. Don’t look down on me ‘cos I don’t know Chekhov or ballet… I’m Racingman…there’ll be racing in 2020 too, don’t forget…down the square check out paddys ladbrokes boyles muls get the odds... and ends... too early to go out yet...sit on bench and look at fountain knocked on for the few weeks…the trickle, they’d needn’t have bothered their...whole week I’m here for…sit on steps, legs sprawled…then light up, brighten up... wink at young wan heading to work down town, get scowl but scowl back at her... I’m in love, besotted, but she don’t know what’s she missing...missing in Racingman... me. the man. I’m a cultural ambassador…for Galway…I can be a culture icon…I light another... hand shakes but ‘twould by now anyways Wednesday and all... phone dying just two bars...head dying just 25 bars...need cash...act fast...shaky fingers dance on vomit-splattered keypad at hole in wall...good job don’t need numbers 3, 8, 2 as they’re splashed pretty bad... cash comes out crisp clean only gives 300 so go to other machine... clean pad, thick wad jammed in arse pocket but switch to front... can’t be too sure... cute hoor watching ya catching ya but not me. I’m wide out me so I am, sham ya have to get outa the scratcher early to catch out Racingman…some fecker murdering a violin in the Square...where’s Lee Harvey Oswald when ya need him...get the Racing Post...to look cool like…in the know…and the Star...dash into Debbinghams cosmetics section and when the wimmen aren’t looking over, Racingman is lost in a spraycloud of Calvin Kyne, Packie Rabanne and Ralph Lawrence eau de sweat…lash on the lot of them…the cognac combo….then a splash on ur hand to look like ya know your stuff…smelling grand...ready for the road...ready for the course...hop into taxi...sit in front…legs sprawled…talk the talk…big head on him...air stinks of air freshener and stale conversation...he tells me country is fecked...emigrants should shag off home…to Mayo…taking our wimmen, can’t get jobs…and he’s from Lagos...three ways to racecourse...green, blue and red routes…an hour later we take a bit of blue and red and he drops me in a cowshit-spattered field near Castlegar church...walk that way he says... the brown route...and I walk...better now…some wan gave me an I Back Galway sticker… I’m the man for that…2020 vision and all that...go to ring the boys but smartphone still smarting from batin’ I gave it. Must be an app for that...see the stand ahead…the Killannin wan…walk straight...shoes covered in dung...sham says ‘any wan want to try the three card trick the three card trick, watch out Char-less the shades are lamping the scene’... don’t fall for that not after last year not me cos I’m wide out...Racingman won’t fall for that...this year...in the gate...meet yer man from home he waves and says he knows a fella who knows Weld is the man…and he blesses himself when he mentions how he’ll miss Dessie Hughes lord have mercy on dessie…get card and biro...rip page from card and jam in raffle drum to win another shaggin’ night in another gombeen hotel...always been lucky, mother said, when I won the teddy bear at the sale of work but she didn’t know I stole it then sold it then stole it again...Guard nods at me I nod back ‘howya guard’ what does he know... probably has a file on Racingman... the big happy Templemore head on him and eyes red-out from reading Pulse all night…met the boys... the boys from home...lads shout yahoo at Ted Walsh and some others... twenty years since he rode her mother...run to the stand... spilling plastic pints down new Next shirt, it’ll live up to its name tomorrow...horse romps home...plastic pints go skywards...beef sandwiches all round... grease is the next stain for the Next shirt... Lads have quare wans’ mobile numbers… they want 200 notes for an hour of the bould thing... lads laugh when I ask for group discount...an hour I laugh, an hour of drinking time wasted...she says for 400 she’ll bate me with a whip til I cry and give me a happy ending…told her I can get a batin’ for nawthing outside the chipper…and if I want a happy ending, I can watch Frozen…and the lads laugh…I know my culture…and then the streets...Latin Quarter with not a word of latin on me…nil desperandum and all that…from wan pub to another…with the boys…Racingman’s head’s in a spin...time for food...tuna melt with extra dolphin...staggered up the pedestrianised streets, avoiding the bikes and the rickshaws, like fecking Tianaman Square ‘tis...hops into taxi and shows him card from hotel...Lagos man again......more stale conversation...he’s up from Carlow with all the other taxidrivers...drives me around town nine times and then drops me back at gombeen hotel where room was chayper than taxi...birds are singing when me head hits the bed...zzzzzzzzzzzzz..ate a clock...smartphone about to beep its alarm, but decides not to...now that’s a smart phone...still only Thursday morning…but I love it. I love Race Week, part of my culture…part of what we are…there’ll be racing in 2021 as well...never forget...

‘’It is all about being and looking comfortable’’

Thu, Jul 23, 2015

The Galway Races has managed to transcend all other racing festivals in the country and the best dressed lady’s prize is no different. Seasoned attendees at these type of style events will concede that the standard of fashion in Galway is above and beyond what is to be seen at any other track in the country.

County Council deny staff were unfriendly to landowners in greenway discussions

Thu, Jul 23, 2015

Galway county council staff were this week accused of being discourteous to farmers whose lands are along the proposed Greenway route between Galway and Ballinasloe. The route has proved controversial due to initial fears that land for the Greenway was to be acquired using compulsory purchase orders (CPOs). The IFA, farmers, and landowners previously voiced their anger about that proposal. Earlier this year councillors voted to remove the threat of CPOs and council staff have been liasing with farmers and landowners along the route to move the process forward.

Two hundred people reported missing in Galway last year

Thu, Jul 23, 2015

More than 200 people were reported missing in Galway last year, according to the Garda Annual Report.

Novel steam and threshing events at Mountbellew Vintage Rally on Sunday

Thu, Jul 23, 2015

One of the largest vintage rallies in the west of Ireland will be held in Mountbellew, this coming Sunday, July 26.  From a small beginning 14 years ago, this vintage festival has grown dramatically over the years and now draws huge audiences from all over Ireland and many from overseas.

Local handlers hoping to make the winners’ enclosure during seven day bonanza

Thu, Jul 23, 2015

It is the most competitive seven days of the summer racing season and a number of local trainers will head to Ballybrit with some realistic chances next week.

Claregalway’s Family Festival to raise funds for Hand in Hand

Thu, Jul 23, 2015

The Claregalway community is holding a music and dance festival on Sunday August 9 in aid of Hand in Hand Children’s Cancer Charity.

Weld jockeys gearing up for another fruitful week

Thu, Jul 23, 2015

Jockey Pat Smullen is no stranger to the winner’s enclosure in Galway. The Offaly native has ridden 39 winners at the track to date and punters can be certain he will substantially add to that tally next week. Because, after all, he will ride the majority of horses for the ‘King of Galway,’ his boss Dermot Weld. The master of Rosewell House has trained a whopping 258 winners at Ballybrit, a feat that will most likely never be equalled by another.

An Pucan unveils The Garden

Thu, Jul 23, 2015

An Pucan Galway’s newest oldest bar has recently opened The Garden – just in time for the highlight of Galway’s social calendar the annual Galway Races. Revellers will be blown away by the new offering that An Pucan has unveiled, and it’s sure to be the top spot this summer.

Positive Mental Health Foundation annual BBQ

Thu, Jul 23, 2015

Positive Mental Health Foundation’s 10th Anniversary Summer BBQ takes place this Saturday in The Clybaun Hotel at 7.15pm and will raise funds for the foundation’s work.

The barbecue will have food and music by the Broken Road band. Funds raised from the event will enable the PMHF’s services to continue in its provision of secondary schools mental and emotional wellbeing programme. 

Applications closing for Sports Scholarship Scheme

Thu, Jul 23, 2015

NUI Galway is issuing a final call for applications to its Elite Athlete Sports Scholarships Scheme for 2015/16.

The scholarship programme is aimed at student-athletes of outstanding calibre who register as students of the university.

Shuttle it to the Galway Races in style with Bus Eireann

Thu, Jul 23, 2015

The 2015 Galway Racing Festival kicks off at Ballybrit next week, and Bus Éireann is back with a special shuttle service to and from the racecourse throughout the week long event.

Situation at UCHG accident and emergency department described as ‘utter chaos’

Thu, Jul 23, 2015

The situation which unfolded at UCHG’s accident and emergency unit last week has been described as “utter chaos” by a man left waiting with his chronically ill wife for more than 24 hours.

The man, who identified himself as Patrick, was left stunned by the scenes that greeted him on his arrival at the unit. His wife was one of 50 people to be left waiting for treatment in the hallways and waiting room of the A and E department at the beginning of the week.

Get your gladrags at the g Hotel and giddy-up for the Galway Races

Thu, Jul 23, 2015

On Sunday July 26 from 2pm to 6pm, Imelda O’Rourke Finnegan is holding a fundraiser in the g Hotel in aid of the Alan Kerins Africa Projects and Gorta Self Help Africa, called ‘Get your Gladrags at the g Hotel and G up for the Galway Races’.

The Hare Krishnas are coming to town

Thu, Jul 23, 2015

Galway’s festival scene is about to go all spiritual with a Hare Krishna festival.Well known all over the world for their shaven heads, bright saffron robes, for giving out free food and their famous mantra, the event is expected to see hundreds attend.

Lack of funding facilitating domestic violence in Galway claims Farrell

Wed, Jul 22, 2015

The under-resourcing of Tusla and the family and child support sector is facilitating domestic violence across Galway while suspected child abuse cases are not being followed up due to pressure on staff resources.

City and county councils launch Economic Baseline Study

Tue, Jul 21, 2015

The new Economic Baseline Study, produced for Galway city and county, will be "invaluable over the coming months" to both the Galway city and county councils as they "set down the future direction for economic development" across Galway. 

Anti-racism group demand Arts Festival remove flagship Exhibit B

Thu, Jul 16, 2015

Exhibit B, one of the flagship events at this years Galway International Arts Festival, has been branded a "racist installation", and a direct appeal has been made to the festival to remove it from its programme, in spite of the fact that the show is currently running in the Black Box Theatre.

"It is about health and wellbeing, not being skinny"

Thu, Jul 16, 2015

There are so many bloggers nowadays, there has never been as much information available about the topics which interest us. And the majority of people are concerned with healthy eating. And as a nation, we certainly need to be, as we are heavier than ever. Scary recent figures indicate that 85 per cent of Irish women will be overweight and 57 per cent obese by 2030 while around 89 percent of Irish men will be classified as overweight, with some 48 per cent obese.

Galway woman with rare disease feels let down by the health system

Thu, Jul 16, 2015

Barbra McDonagh describes how she lives in constant pain which affects every part of her body. Ms McDonagh, who is originally from Ballinfoyle but now lives in Cork, feels completely let down by our health service. She has been displaying symptoms of Ehlers Danlos Syndrome since she was six months old but, shockingly was only diagnosed by her GP last August, at the age of 38. Furthermore, she had to travel to London for an official diagnosis in April because there is no EDS specialist in Ireland.

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