Three Hookers Please!

Yesterday ( Friday) I had a day off work and had a nice time hanging out in sunny Galway.

I picked Aimee up from work at the end of the day and we went to the McSwiggans for a Guinness. When we got home Audrey ( our flatmate) mentioned that some french friends were watching the rugby at the Univeristy Bar so we tagged along with her.

The University bar is a sight to be seen, it was huge with a big screen and was packed with merry people ( many with those beards that only students can grow). There were plenty of French present and the atmosphere was electric.

Amidst the hord I was able to make my way to the bar and yell "Three hookers please!". Usually one would discretely pull the barman aside to make such a request but not in Galway.

Here a "Galway Hooker" is a type of yacht and also the only locally brewed beer available in pubs. It is very similar to Macs Copper Hop (Now called Hoprocker) or Limbergs Hopsmacker (Hawkes bay brewery).

Apart from Guinness ( a glorious brew) most Irish bars also serve generic lagers and American beer. Budweiser and Millers are on tap everywhere and Bud tastes just like Lion Red ( i.e. awful). Next month the Great Irish Beer Festival is on nearby (cross the road and walk the length of the carpark) so we will be attending and seeing what other local beers are hiding away here in Ireland.

Notice how I steered the conversation away from Rugby! Well that is exactly what the Irish are doing ( Rugby? What Rugby?). Unfortunately the Irish Soccer team has not been doing well either, so we will have to talk about Hurling and Gaelic Football which are safe topics.

Here is a photo of me just for my mother (note the new haircut and new hoody). (I am in the reading corner at Aimee's work.)

Autumn in Galway

Things are chugging along nicely here for us.

Aimee is back at work and enjoying her United Nations of Childcare with kids from all over the world (African and Phillipino faces are quite a rare sight in galway with its almost 100 european population).

I am still at the City Council and will be at least until the 5th of October. Hopefully when the work in Planning dries up I can get more work somewhere else in the Council or at the County Council around the block.

We have had our friend Mary (see blog link at the side of the page) visit for a few nights. We have also had a brief St Josephs Mt Vic reunion when Clare and Moyra hit town as well.

Rugby is our current entertainment with the World Cup being on at primetime and on two channels. We have watched about two thirds of the games so far. The little guys are sure scaring the pants of the big guys with Georgia amost beating Ireland on Saturday. There is a real chance Ireland will not get to the next round, especially if Argentina beat them.

We even have special ( and free) Rugby watching T-Shirts thanks to Guinness!

Aimee had to walk for an hour out of town to the mail centre to pick up our Guinnessrugby packs as well as a food parcel that Laine sent us from NZ ( moments like these you need Minties, and cheesels and Rashuns! Thanks Laine!). The Mail centre is in the wops, no footpaths, so next time we get a parcel we will explore re-delivery options (hopefully they can send the parcels to our nearest post office).



We got a free Guinness glass and beer vouchers (redeemed already) as well just for joining the Guinness Rugby supporters club.

Our Canadian friend Jess, who we went round the North with, just stayed the last two nights with us before departing for the last time. She is off to Maroco and then to Oktober Fest before going back to Alberta Canada. We just walked her to the bus stop and had a pint before she departed.

Love and Hugs to all.

Emmett and Aimee