D-day for L Drivers Is Coming...

Over the last few days I have had quite a few emails about the changes to the laws regarding learner drivers and to the best of my memory, I haven't even mentioned it on the show since the story broke. But given that this is such a contentious issue, I guess those it affects are looking for any platform in which to vent their anger.

Whilst my immediate reacion upon hearing the news was "about time" I'm hardly qualified to take the moral high ground as I myself drove on a provisional licence for many years, only doing a test when I was required to - and I failed. But I wasn't concerned about the result because it meant sfa to me.... I could still drive my car unnaffected by my lack of effort in the test. Yes, I was lazy but one day something inside me snapped and I became hell bent on getting my full licence. I studied learn to drive videos, I took pre tests and read the rules of the road front to back umpteen times over. I even took a week off work in order to ensure I passed! And, I did.

If a lazy so and so like me can pass the test then anybody can. I don't buy all this "oh I get so nervous during the test" that I have read in the papers in the last few days. Everyone has taken the easy way out up to now by getting a few driving lessons - some didn't even bother to do this - and take to the road thinking that we know it all. And we wonder why our driving skills are continuously being called into question?

So, this is the kick in the arse that was given to be getting passed on down the line to you ; TAKE THE TEST!

Now all you have to do is get a date. Sorry, can't help you there.

Ouch!

If I yell out in pain in mid-link today allow me to explain why ; The Dentist.

Yep, I paid a visit to the most dreaded of the dreaded yesterday and I am still feeling the effects this morning. A temporary crown was put in place and for some strange reason, my tongue is killing me. As a result I wince every time I talk so lord knows how I will get through today!

Look after your teeth!!!

Bugs Do Parliament Street.

Ali Winehouse with the Oxfam crew.


Kinga & co worker in Spar



We've seen this one already but Sara just has to get her mush in everywhere!:-)

Ali with Celine in the parliament street Bakery

It's A Bugs Life!

Any closer and these two will be doing rude things!


Do we have to give yer man from The Saw Doctors goodies? Make him promise that they don't record any more music!



Never miss a photo opportunity!

There won't be any deliveries from T.N.T today!

Okay, let's just pose for a quick photo and then we can get back to talking about make up.

Would you like anything extra with that, sir/

A bunch of 'Yahoo's' getting their TGIF goodies

FM104's Ali Winehouse enquiring about how many albums she has sold in HMV this week.

Eh, perhaps that would look better on someone else....:-)

Nobby's Jammin' Now!

Now there's a sight I thought I would never see - Mark Noble's ugly mug on my blog! I just noticed that the poor fella has aged since this picture was taken. Not surprising I suppose given the job that he has been in for the last year but it could also be due to the fact that he's smiling in the above photo - that doesn't happen very often! However, on friday night last the Nobster was VERY happy indeed and I am delighted to bring you the news that Mark picked up the PPI award for best music driven show. It's a fantastic achievement for the shy Roadhog assistant that I met for the first time almost 10 years ago and his success is proof that if you put the work in you will get to where you want to. Many congratulations Nobby!

A special mention must go to the main mover and shaker behind our pitch to the PPI's, Andy Matthews. For those of you not familiar with the process of the awards, the work behind the submission of entries starts many months before the event itself and knowing what exactly the panel of judges expect is a knack in itself. In fact, so successful have we been in the last few years it's not been unknown for other radio stations to approach our Andy for some tips on winning more awards. Andy's expertise in knowing what to submit and what category to submit it to has worked well for us since the competition began and if you don't believe me, check out the cabinet in our boardroom that is full to the brim of awards from years past. We were unlucky to just pick up the one award this time around but if I know Andy I'll bet he's already working on next years gameplan.

Roll on next year!

Go Now!

Well, it was a draw I suppose. Better than last years 5 - 2 loss in Nicosia. Still, what we got last night wasn't enough, was it?

While Steve Staunton's arrogance is infuriating, I do feel a certain amount of pity for him as the whole country blames him for our failures on the international pitch. To try to sleep with all of that pressure on one's shoulder must be tough.

But there comes a point when stubborness must make way for common sense and I think at this point Staunton must claw back some of his shattered credibility and call it a day.

I'll save my rant for the F.A.I for another time. Wasters!

Triple Decker Guesses!

I promise faithfully to update this thread every day! I know you don't believe me but I am going to prove you wrong:-)

Guessed so far.....

Kate Moss
Naomi Waters
Maggie Gyllenhal
Dannii Minogue
Meryl Streep
Katie Melua
Charlotte Church
Scarlett Yohannsen
Kate Hudson
Angelina Jolie
Elle MacPherson
Sharon Osbourne
Jessica Biel
Paula Abdul
Kylie Minogue
Kelly Osbourne
Leona Lewis
Michelle Pfeiffer
Kimberley Stewart
Charlize Theron
Hilary Swank
Nicole Kidman
Cate Blanchett
Diane Keaton
Halle Berry
Anastacia
Nelly Furtado
Kirsten Dunst
Natalie Imbruglia
Molly Ringwald
Pink
Natalie Portman
Sienna Miller
J.K Rowling
Heidi Klum
Patsy Kensit
Joss Stone
Delta Goodrem
Samantha Mumba
Jessica Simpson
Michelle Ryan
Jessica Alba
Myleene Klass
Melanie Griffith
Toni Colette
Jodie Foster
Helen Mirren
Lily Allen
Gwyneth Paltrow
Rachel Weiss
Drew Barrymore
Sophie Ellis Bextor
Lyndsay Lohan
Holly Valance
Gwen Stefani
Nicole Scherzinger
Reese Witherspoon
Jennifer Lopez
Cameron Diaz
Sophie Anderton
Katie Holmes
Niamh Crowley!?
Uma Thurman
Avril Lavigne
Rihanna
Eva Mendes
Lacey Turner
Nicole Richie
Bridget Fonda
Dolores O'Riordan
Isla Fisher
Carrie Underwood
Wynona Ryder





We'll play again on Friday afternoon (16/11) at 1.30 for 680 euro!

I Hate Drunks!

I do a few gigs outside of FM104, the pay is good and it's nice to be able to see real people instead of just studio walls. The downs are few but dealing with drunks never bothered me.... until last night.

So it was early in the night and I'm standing around waiting for the crowd to - hopefully - come in. A regular punter was one of the first to arrive and he made his way over to the dj box to say hello. It was his birthday so I politely wished him many happy returns and agreed to play a Depeche Mode song. He made his way back to his friends and I continued doing what I was doing. Around 5 minutes later he came back over and asked for Depeche Mode again and I replied that I hadn't forgotten about him and was just waiting for an appropriate moment in which to play them.

5 Minutes later he was back and this time he wanted to know if I had listened to the new James Blunt album, My answer was no. Well, his look was almost accusing me of commiting the biggest crime against music since Lucie Silvas covered Metallica's "Nothing Else Matters". I din't particularly like the last Blunt album so I'm in no rush to listen to his latest offering. Then he asked me did I attend the last Depeche Mode gig in June. I didn't. "Is James Blunt coming here soon" he asks. Yes, I believe he's coming here next year, was my reply. Well it would appear that James Blunt has acquired his first stalker for next years Dublin date. And, according to Mr. drunk stalker, the promoter was going to give him free tickets. We're all jealous!

It was only in the last few weeks that I had a conversation about drunk people repeating themselves. I was about to experience it for myself. Is James Blunt coming to Dublin soon/did you listen to his album/ did you go to see Depeche Mode in June? Eh, didn't he already ask me all these questions? It was going to be one of those nights and all because of birthday boy! As my blood begins to rise he then asks "do you listen to Ray Darcy?" Now this guy apparently knows who I am but never listens to FM104 yet knows what time my show runs from. "How can I listen when I'm on air the same time he is?" is my reply. By this time I think he's guessed that he is going to be on the recieving end of a black eye if he loiters around the dj box for any longer. Once again he asks for "The Mode" and reminds me to listen to the new James Blunt album. Oh, and apparently not listening to Darcy is also a crime. I'll just turn myself in at the nearest Cop Shop, shall I?

Now I apologise if I appear to have been rude to the guy but I always try to be as pleasant as is possible to punters but, sometimes, my tolerance level is zero. As was the case last night.

At least I have this blog as My therapy so expect some more rants over the next few weeks and months!:-)

Giggs For Todays Gig.

Today we're live from the Roadhog with Fas from Lifestyle Sports Blanchardstown which gets it's official opening today with none other than Ryan Giggs looking after the ceremony!

Even though I'm not a Manchester United fan, I'm quite excited at the possibility of meeting one of the finest players ever to kick a ball. He's still the backbone of the United team and although the years are catching up on him, he shows no sign of giving into them and Sir Alex just doesn't seem to have the heart to offer the player up for sale that he has nurtured since his teens.

So, in other words, if you are a soccer fan the place to be today is Lifestyle Sports Blanchardstown. I have a distinct feeling that there will be quite a few ladies in attendance....:-)

No More Orange Juice For Me!

Stimulants don't work for me! I see some staff here in FM104 - and there's one in particular that is permanently stuck to the coffee machine - indulge in various pick me up's every morning. Tea, Red Bull, nictotine etc etc - not my bag, you understand.

Now, orange juice is something that goes a little way to opening up the eyelids after a nap on the train so this morning I bought an extra big bottle and lashed it back. Big mistake! No sooner had I got out of the lift on the third floor than that 'feeling' you get started to erupt. I almost felt like putting up the 'cleaning in progress' sign when I left the boys room!

The above picture is a cautionary tale to me as well as you!

Thank God It's Friday (tuesday dreaming:-(

Just in case you don't know our Beetle Bugs visit workplaces every friday just to spread the friday cheer - and more importantly bring gifts of Miller Beer and Cadbury's Crunchie:-)

You want some? Text the word 'bugs' folowed by your name and location to 53104 and keep an eye out for the bright red cars when friday rolls around!

Below are some happy campers from last fridays jaunt.

Hugh & Crew In Eagle Global Logistics. Noel In Statoil Castleknock. Noeleen & Friend In Musgraves Ballymun.

The Police At Croke Park - The verdict.

So this was a gig I have been waiting to see ever since I bought a copy of 'Ghost In The Machine' when I was eight years old. Sting had the most amazing voice , Andy Summers could make his guitar effortlessly amplify the most amazing sounds and as I always wanted to be a drummer, I was entranced by Steward Copeland's drumming and his amazing kit.

So you could say that I was a little bit like an excited child on saturday:-)

Herself was like an mother full of pride sending me off on saturday afternoon and all she was short of doing was giving me a packed lunch and a flask of tea! My mate Rachael had agreed to come with me - as herself was playing her pregnant trump card - so we met at the top of Clonliffe Road and we set off for the Cusack Stand.

After waiting for 30 minutes plus for a beer we decided to make our way to our seats, just as The Police launched into Message In A Bottle. This is where I started to lose the rag as nobody seemed to know where our seats were. We were sent up to level 3 of the Cusack Stand but we had a feeling that we were being sent in the wrong direction. Our hunch turned out to be correct and we made our way down to ground level and were pointed in the direction of the corporate area. Both myself and Rachael got very excited at the prospect of us viewing the concerst from the corporate area but alas it was too good to be true as the gentleman at the door pointed us in the direction of the steps back up to the Cusack Stand. At the steps we were met by more stewarts who told us to go back to the corporate area! Now this was getting ridiculous and the 2 beers I had swallowed a few minutes earlier were causing my blood to boil! Someone arrived and led us to our seats and our night began... 2 songs into the set.

The stage looked amazing, the sound was spot on and it was a lovely sunny evening in Croke Park so the setting couldn't have been better. So, what was missing? I'm still trying to put my finger on it...

I think the fact that the arrangements for most of the songs were different to the original tracks and that's something I hate at a gig. I appreciate that Sting would probably go green in the face if he attempted some of the high notes he was hitting back in the late 70's but some of the songs were almost unrecogniseable. You know when you're sayin to yourself that you know this one and then realise what it is once the first verse kicks in? Also in the latter days of the band the three piece extended to include other musicians and added to the drums bass and guitar were piano, synths and some orchestration. However, it was just the 3 of them on stage and while they created a mammoth racket between them, the songs suffered because of the above. Of course guitar purists wouldn't be bothered by my issues with the band set up but, being a child of the 80's, I do like a bit of synth:-)

Aside from that I enjoyed singing along to some of the lesser known album tracks, while some of the 82.000 strong crowd around us who's knowledge of the bands back catalogue begins and ends with Every Breath You Take tried to shuffle along, only making themselves look like even bigger gobshites!

Bottom Line ; I'm grateful to have been able to see one of my all time favourute bands so pay no attention to my rantings:-)

What I did Today.

So, the reason I stuck Bengy Murray in at the deep end today is the above ; my unborn child.

Myself and herself made our way to Holles Street hospital today for our first scan and as you can see, he or she is developing just fine:-)

We were in two minds whether to find out the sex of the baby and the debate raged on right up until we arrived at the hospital but in the end we decided to wait so roll on March 7th!

We have a "lazy baby" on our hands as we were told by the consultant trying frantically to get a bit of movement from the little one but eventually it moved from it's comfort zone and gave it's proud parents a first glimpse of it's beautiful self. Yes, it was hard to keep the tears in before you ask:-)

We're looking forward to the 4D scan next month which will give an even clearer picture of our new arrival, provided baby is in the mood of us looking:-)

What is it about sweets? You produce a packet of Starburst or Malteasers and offer some to whoever is in your company and their face lights up! Unfortunately I've never grown out of the taste myself and can never resist the temptation to include a packet of Cola Frosties or what ever chocolate bar tickles my fancy when getting the bread and milk in at the local Centra:-)

Recently our own Mel Byrne has been leaving me gifts of sweets. Yesterday she left me some Fizzlesticks with sherbet dip and when I announced on air that I had just polished off a few packets of the stuff, the texts started rolling in and the phone ringing at reception! Now, can anybody tell me where you can but these sugary delights? I, and My listeners, would dearly love to know where they can be purchased! In the meantime I'm going to get Mel to pick me up a few boxes from her 'dealer' and as soon as I get them I will pass them on to the Bugs for delivery to as many of our sweet toothed listeners as possible.

Keep an ear out over the next few days as the 10 - 3 show Fizzle Stick Revival kicks the Wispa bar revivals ass!!!:-)

Rant (long overdue)

So this morning we were once again reminded of the sham that our road system is. Of course smug old me is just pissed off because the one day I decide to drive in and not take the train, the heavens open and drivers fail to adjust their regular maniac driving habits to suit the weather.

The result..... Pandemonium!

To be honest if I had to drive to work every day I would have given up doing this by now and it makes me feel even more sorry for the poor unfortunates - and possibly you are one of them -that have to do it every day. Patience is a virtue that not many of us have in abundance and in these trying times with rising interest rates, our over-mortgaged houses falling in value on a weekly basis and the constant reminder that we are spending/eating/drinking too much, do you ever wonder sometimes why you bother?

I witnessed some obnoxious moron scream obscenities at an old lady this morning for driving slow. Among the choice words was "why don't you get a decent car you old bag" Well Buddy, she'll probably still have her car when the bank manager has reposessed your bottom of the range Merc:-)

I can now put it all behind me fromthe comfort of studio one here in Hume House as I fix myself with the aid of the Love Hearts Fizzle Stick Dip that Mel Byrne left here last night. Forget about the re-launched Wispa bars, this is the stuff!

Mel Byrne for president and the little old lady for roads manager!

Killiney Photos

It's the Girls Aloud reunion circa 2027. And still wearing the clothes they wore in 2007! They're a talented bunch in the Killiney Pharmacy:-)




You know, one day we'll call into a Peter Mark salon and the staff will be wearing yellow...

Well at least we know where one of the members of the band Hanson is, he's working in Spar Killiney!

More Pics (hope you brushed your teeth)