Notnem

Ross and Sorcha are chatting about possible baby names, and the name Ailbhe comes up…

She goes, ‘What about Ailbhe?’ and I’m there, ‘Ailbhe? I mean, is that even a name?’ and she goes, ‘Hello? Of course it’s a name. It comes from the old Irish word for white. It’s Erika’s cousin’s name,’ and I’m like, ‘It’s just it sounds like, I don’t know, a kitchen appliance. As in, will we splash out on the Moulinex or will we just settle for the Ailbhe? and Sorcha goes, ‘Maybe you’re right. Ailbhe actually has an attitude problem? Takes after her cousin.’

From ‘Should of Got Off at Sydney Parade‘ by Ross O’Carroll-Kelly

Just got into work after spending the weekend in Oxford. It was Ailbhe’s 21st an I hadn’t visited her in a long long time, so I decided to make a weekend out of it. I few to Heathrow on Friday after work and took a direct bus to Oxford which got me there at about 2330.

I was expecting to meet everybody (Alf, Ais & Nif) in the pub for a drink or something, but they were all in bed… I had eaten a pile of coffee beans on the bus, so I knew sleep was not going to happen for a few hours so I just surfed until I was tired enough to fall asleep.

The next morning Ailbhe had a tutorial, and at about 1100 we all went for breakfast in the dining hall. Excellent food by the way. I then hit the town to do a bit of walking while the girls visited the shops. I just walked around and had a gander. It was something I had wanted to do and I really enjoyed it.

Dinner was a Chinese take away in Ailbhe’s room while everybody was getting ready. We were in the club (Escape) for 2000 and shortly afterwards people started to arrive. We had a whole section booked which was great. I think there were roughly 50 people at it which was a great turn out. We were there until about 0230, so it was a long night, but Ailbhe had a good time… and she scored a couple of guys.

Six people slept in Ailbhe’s room… I don’t know how she got us in by the night porter, but I think it is safe to say she flirted with him (go Alf). I was lucky in that I had an air bed for myself… where as Aisling and Niamh had to share one with Chris.

The next morning we did breakfast in the St Hilda’s bar. James (Ailbhe’s Guy) had said he would give us a tour around his college which is the oldest college in Oxford. It dates back to the 13th Century. James had the history and stories of the college down, and it was a great tour. The highlight of it all was when he brought up to the top of Merton Tower which has fantastic views over Oxford. It was a steep staircase which centuries worth of graffiti etched into the walls.  Fantastic stuff.

We got something to eat and headed back to  St. Hilda’s to chill out. Niamh and Ais had to get trains and head home. I wasn’t flying out till the next morning so I was able to relax and managed to get a couple of hours worth of sleep in. I woke up and it was just myself and Ailbhe. Some of her friends came around to eat some cake and for a chat which was good fun. Then we watched a DVD on her computer for a bit and hit the hay. I had my alarm set for 0300 and I think it was 0100 before I actually got to bed.

Obviously, knowing that you are going to be getting up in two hours doesn’t bode well for a good 2 hours sleep, and it didn’t. Maybe I got an hour, maybe I got 90 mins. I don’t know but it wasn’t enough. I got the 0400 bus to Heathrow to catch the 0650 flight to Dublin which came in on time. I got my bag and caught the Thrifty Bus to work for 0830 and here I am… hoping the day will pass without me having to drink to much coffee…

This month has been a strange one. After Mark and Julie’s wedding and the rest time I needed to recover from it, and everything else, I haven’t been blogging much over the last while. Think it was just the month that was in it…

I’ll be back blogging regularly from now on…

On Wednesday I met Marco in town for some shopping. We needed shoes, belts and tie pins. It was actually pretty painless. I drove home and mark followed me, then brought me up to thrifty where I rented a car and put mark on the insurance. We went back to marks place and tried on the suits to make sure everything was ok. It was. We then headed to
Ratoath where we met Michael Nally for something to eat and a few drinks, followed up by a few more in Ryans. Getting home took a while and then we got raped by the taxi driver.

On Thursday the first thing was to visit the hotel to drop off chocolates and cameras, then head back through Ratoath to pick up the jeep, back to Marks, to Blackrock and somewhere else i can’t remember now. Then we had a wedding reharsal at 1900 which was actually really weird. We all then went back to the Nally’s to try the wine we were going to be having at the wedding. I dropped Julie’s Mum and Lisa home and got to bed for about 0130.

The next moring I had an osteopath appointment because I had managed to lock to of my vertebrae together on Monday (which is pretty painful) and although I was fine, it was still a good idea. The plan was to then go back, work on the speech, then meet Marion for lunch to go over it and buy some clothes to wear on Sunday morning for breakfast.

I decided to get a smoothie on the way, but ended up doing my clothes shopping in Santry in Jack n Jones. I basically bought what one of the dummies was wearing. Now I decided to do my speech in an internet cafe in town, Marion acutally happened to be there already. I worked on the speech and she read it and gave it the ok. But in reality I had only
the introductions kinda done, and the opening and closing paragraphs of my speech.

I then headed out to Marks to meet him at his house. I picked up a voucher for Father Paul as a thank you present on behalf of Mark and Julie on the way. Mark had the flowers so next thing to do was lock up the house and hit the church. We then went back to the Nally’s and on to Ryans for a few drinks which was good fun. Marco and I finished the night with a drop of Midleton Very Rare which was fitting.

The next moring we had breakfast at 9. Everything was pretty calm although I was worrying about the half assed pile of notes that was my speech. I got a chance to put it all down on index cards which sorted out the order and really helped me. Showers and getting dressed and we headed to the church for 1200. The weather was great with a bit of wind.

Damo was to be an usher so we met him there and basically helped him through it. My duties were pretty easy to be honest. I’m looking forward to seeing the pictures from the church with us all talking and getting organised. Aisling had brought Marion to the church.

Afterwards I drove Marion, the bridesmaid (Lisa) and her boyfriend Dillon to the castle. Turns out Marion has worked with the two of them in a pub in Edinburgh which was strange. The reception all went down fine and soon enough, and after a lot of pictures, we were in the main room. My first stint with the mic was coming up fast… It was my job to introduce Mark and Julie to the room. I fucked up Ladies and Gentlemen… and I was getting worried that I would keep fucking up words. I was also getting worried because I wasn’t worried and I was going to be winging it.

I introduced all the other speakers and that went down fine and even got a laugh at one of my jokes. Then my speech was to start, and i was really worried about my first line… Good Ladies, evening and Gentlemen. I really wanted a laugh there and I would be set up for the speech. It got a really big laugh, as did the next two lines. Then I went with, for those who don’t know me, my name is Ronan and I’m single which cracked everybody up so I was flying. Every joke got a
massive response and I think I can honestly say I had people laughing for most of the speech.

Afterwards I sat down at the lads table… and they were like, where did that come from? There were all delighted, but also really worried beforehand because they had never heard me speeking publicaly before. I sat there for about 5 mins chuffed with myself and the reaction I got… and then it was time to mingle…. The rest will have to stay in the memory banks…