Category Archives: Out and about

There was no reason why boys didn’t use skipping ropes, we just didn’t. Skipping was for girls and boxers. The speed at which some boxers could skip was extraordinary. How heavily-muscled men could be so light on their feet was … Continue reading →

Moving to a crossroads called Bright in 1989, I was delighted when Van Morrison released a song about our neighbourhood. The only problem with the song was that he seemed to have little idea where places were and the directions … Continue reading →

Freebird Records in Dublin’s Wicklow Street has the force of a whirlpool or a vortex, one can be passing peacefully down the street and suddenly find oneself drawn down the corridor that leads to The Secret Book Store and Freebird. … Continue reading →

In memory, Torquay Athletic must have one of the most scenic locations of all rugby clubs. The club address, ‘The Seafront, Torquay’ is evocative of a resort of railway station posters and Agatha Christie stories. It is an address that … Continue reading →

Deception Island. It is a place in Antarctica of which I had never heard, a place apart featured in the BBC Travel web pages. Human artifacts on the island resemble those one would find on a derelict industrial site, probably … Continue reading →