Monthly Archives: February 2012

Valentine’s Day Google Doodle

  By Jen McShane | February 14, 2012 - 7:46 pm | The Culch
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Though Valentine’s Day is drawing to a close and some of the Culch gang have already given you their thoughts on the day, I saw this and I have to say it melted my icy anti-Valentine’s Day heart and inspired me to do a post. Yep that’s right, sometimes not even Google keywords can navigate the search for love. So they’ve come up with a short animation to do so instead. Today, Google celebrated Valentine’s Day the world over with a charming animated “Doodle” that is free of dialogue — yet is all heart. The strains of Grammy-winning Tony Bennett —crooning the bluesy Hank Williams tune “Cold, Cold Heart” — provide the only words. It’s charming, adorable and a perfect way to end the season of romance, no matter how you might feel about the day.

Culch Valentine’s: The round-up

  By Culch.ie | February 14, 2012 - 4:00 pm | Random Whimsy
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There’s a certain laziness that pervades when something is a hobby and not a jobby. Sure you’d like to write acerbic, witty commentary of a Thursday, maybe a couple of gig reviews peppered throughout your week, dash off a Photoshop of something and a funny cat on a Saturday morning. But then there’s arse grooves in the couch; long, luxurious bouts of cheese eating and your addiction to SingStar to think about. And you just can’t do everything. You’re only one person. And you’re trying God damn it you’re trying. Here at Culch Towers, every now and then we fight off the blanket of lethargy and do a wee group project to bring us all together under a blanket of lechery. And what better theme to get handsey to but Valentine’s?* We’ve been just delira with the response to our foray into personal storytelling and we’ll try to get into … There’s more →

Culch Valentine’s: What love is

  By pluincee | February 14, 2012 - 3:00 pm | Random Whimsy
2 Comments

Hi there gorgeous, So, Valentine’s Day. Starry-eyed loser, star-crossed lover or cross-eyed malcontent, you’re bound to have an opinion on it, yes? Be it a memory, a barely-concealed urge to vomit, a poem for your other half that makes the rest of us vomit, a scribbled note on what a perfect valentine’s would be for you, a history lesson on the relics of St Valentine, an angry swipe at Hallmark, a cry for help because you don’t know your partner much better than you know your postman and you’re deathly scared of trying to shop for them or anything in between, we share those feelings and each day in the run up to the 14th one of Culch’s writers will bring you their own personal Valentine’s thoughts. With love and last-minute garage chocolates, Culch

Events: Fingal Folk Club Presents ~ A Night of Love Songs

  By Peter | February 14, 2012 - 2:00 pm | Gigs
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With this years Valentines falling on a Tuesday, yes, that’s this Tuesday today, it might just leave the Beau in your life wondering if it will be this weekend coming or following when he or even she will have that little something extra in store to say just how much you love her so. Have you still not noticed the hints….. ? Check the door of the fridge ? With the probability that you haven’t hired Martin Byrne to pop around and serenade yours most truly, the higher probability that you may be arrested should you start to sing from the front garden to the bedroom window or just that you forgot to read about the very romantic Valentine’s fondue for two accompanied by strawberries & marshmallows on offer at the local Kettle’s Country House Hotel, do not fear for Culch.ie has unearthed a back up plan for you! another … There’s more →

Culch Valentine’s: The real deal

  By Jenny Foxe | February 14, 2012 - 12:00 pm | Random Whimsy
1 Comment

Hi there gorgeous, So, Valentine’s Day. Starry-eyed loser, star-crossed lover or cross-eyed malcontent, you’re bound to have an opinion on it, yes? Be it a memory, a barely-concealed urge to vomit, a poem for your other half that makes the rest of us vomit, a scribbled note on what a perfect valentine’s would be for you, a history lesson on the relics of St Valentine, an angry swipe at Hallmark, a cry for help because you don’t know your partner much better than you know your postman and you’re deathly scared of trying to shop for them or anything in between, we share those feelings and each day in the run up to the 14th one of Culch’s writers will bring you their own personal Valentine’s thoughts. With love and last-minute garage chocolates, Culch I went out with one of those guys that didn’t do Valentine’s for many years. Every year, as … There’s more →

Round-up: The Irish Film and Television Awards 2012

  By Jen McShane | February 14, 2012 - 10:00 am | Movies & TV
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  It was the night when the crème of Irish talent came out in their finery to pay tribute to our best movies of the year. The Irish Film and Television Awards (IFTA) were slightly overlooked this year, but The Fass got his gong out of it (no pun intended) and here at the Culch offices, that’s all we really wanted. The IFTA ceremony is relatively new to our shores, it is only in its ninth year, but it has to be said we do put on a good show. There was the usual finery in the fashion stakes (I want Amy Huberman’s dress) and the very fine red carpet glamour (Mr Fassbender looked mighty fine and brought his mam and dad along for the occasion, sweet or what?) Unfortunately Ryan Gosling wasn’t available to pick up his prize (boo!), he won for his role in ‘Drive’ but we did … There’s more →

Culch Valentine’s: The lucky man

  By Tony McD | February 14, 2012 - 9:00 am | Random Whimsy
3 Comments

Hi there gorgeous, So, Valentine’s Day. Starry-eyed loser, star-crossed lover or cross-eyed malcontent, you’re bound to have an opinion on it, yes? Be it a memory, a barely-concealed urge to vomit, a poem for your other half that makes the rest of us vomit, a scribbled note on what a perfect valentine’s would be for you, a history lesson on the relics of St Valentine, an angry swipe at Hallmark, a cry for help because you don’t know your partner much better than you know your postman and you’re deathly scared of trying to shop for them or anything in between, we share those feelings and each day in the run up to the 14th one of Culch’s writers will bring you their own personal Valentine’s thoughts. With love and last-minute garage chocolates, Culch I’m a very lucky man. I’m in a long-term relationship with a woman I love and we have … There’s more →

Review: Aladdin - The Pantomime @ Solstice Theatre Navan

  By Jenny Foxe | February 13, 2012 - 3:00 pm | The Arts, The Culch, Theatre
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St Mary’s Musical Society present a fantastic panto and this year it’s Aladdin that gets the ultimate panto makeover. The show opens with the baddest of baddies, Abanezer (Rich Cullen) reciting his evil rhyming plot to get his gnarly, undulating fingers on the magic lamp. The audience was sold straight away. Rich plays a fantastically evil but lovable panto baddie. I wanted to cheer everytime he came on rather than the obligatory boo. The curtains open to reveal a North African souk and after the first energetic, well-choreographed and performed musical number, featuring what seems like a cast of hundreds, the audience is introduced to Aladdin (Ultan O’Cinneide), his brother, Wishy Washy (Matt McGuirk), the Princess Jasmine (Tracy Armstrong) and her lady in waiting, So Shy (Aoife Hoey). There follows a rather madcap, all singing, all dancing, all heart clutching and star gazing, child beating and knicker washing version of … There’s more →

Culch Valentine’s: My secret admirer

  By Culch.ie | February 13, 2012 - 12:00 pm | Random Whimsy
1 Comment

Hi there gorgeous, So, Valentine’s Day. Starry-eyed loser, star-crossed lover or cross-eyed malcontent, you’re bound to have an opinion on it, yes? Be it a memory, a barely-concealed urge to vomit, a poem for your other half that makes the rest of us vomit, a scribbled note on what a perfect valentine’s would be for you, a history lesson on the relics of St Valentine, an angry swipe at Hallmark, a cry for help because you don’t know your partner much better than you know your postman and you’re deathly scared of trying to shop for them or anything in between, we share those feelings and each day in the run up to the 14th one of Culch’s writers will bring you their own personal Valentine’s thoughts. With love and last-minute garage chocolates, Culch A hideous chud I was. An skinny incubator of late puberty, hormones and penchant for sleeveless knitwear. Until … There’s more →

Movie Review: Martha Marcy May Marlene

  By Tony McD | February 13, 2012 - 9:00 am | Movies & TV, The Culch
1 Comment

It’s a strange moment, when you realise that the life you’ve been living is actually not what your body and brain are designed for. For example, I’ve lived all my life in cities or suburbs, and in cities and suburbs there are always rules, restrictions, witnesses and emergency services. You lock your doors and by and large people respect that boundary, and you do your best to forget that all that separates you from the rainstorm outside is a foot of brick or a few panes of glass. All that separates you from the violence of others is the collective knowledge that this organisation of people - civil society or whatever you choose to call it - relies on everybody respecting those boundaries and hoping that theirs are respected in turn. So it really is chilling when you watch something like Martha Marcy May Marlene and realise that all that … There’s more →

Culch Valentine’s: How to be single on Valentine’s Day

  By Andy Gaffney | February 12, 2012 - 12:00 pm | Random Whimsy
1 Comment

Hi there gorgeous, So, Valentine’s Day. Starry-eyed loser, star-crossed lover or cross-eyed malcontent, you’re bound to have an opinion on it, yes? Be it a memory, a barely-concealed urge to vomit, a poem for your other half that makes the rest of us vomit, a scribbled note on what a perfect valentine’s would be for you, a history lesson on the relics of St Valentine, an angry swipe at Hallmark, a cry for help because you don’t know your partner much better than you know your postman and you’re deathly scared of trying to shop for them or anything in between, we share those feelings and each day in the run up to the 14th one of Culch’s writers will bring you their own personal Valentine’s thoughts. With love and last-minute garage chocolates, Culch Ah Valentine’s Day, an excuse for singles the world over to pop ‘The Blower’s Daughter’ back … There’s more →

Theatre Review: Bookworms in The Abbey Theatre

  By Darren Byrne | February 11, 2012 - 3:00 pm | Featured Post, The Arts, The Culch, Theatre
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I went along to see Bernard Farrell’s Bookworms in The Abbey Theatre on Wednesday. Check out my thoughts on it below. Bookworms plays from February 9th until to March 17th in The Abbey Theatre, Dublin, and here’s a few links I mention in the video:

Culch Valentine’s: Darren’s Favourite Romantic Movie Moments

  By Darren Byrne | February 11, 2012 - 12:00 pm | Movies & TV, Random Whimsy, The Culch
4 Comments

Hi there gorgeous, So, Valentine’s Day. Starry-eyed loser, star-crossed lover or cross-eyed malcontent, you’re bound to have an opinion on it, yes? Be it a memory, a barely-concealed urge to vomit, a poem for your other half that makes the rest of us vomit, a scribbled note on what a perfect valentine’s would be for you, a history lesson on the relics of St Valentine, an angry swipe at Hallmark, a cry for help because you don’t know your partner much better than you know your postman and you’re deathly scared of trying to shop for them or anything in between, we share those feelings and each day in the run up to the 14th one of Culch’s writers will bring you their own personal Valentine’s thoughts. With love and last-minute garage chocolates, Culch Yeah, I’m a romantic, I’m a sucker for a good tale and I’ve been known to … There’s more →

Events: Irish Film and Television Awards

  By Andy Gaffney | February 10, 2012 - 3:00 pm | Events, Movies & TV
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The rather fancy Irish Film and Television Academy Awards hit Dublin this weekend, showcasing a year’s worth of talent from both home and abroad and giving a well-deserved pat on the back to a frankly brilliant year for Irish TV and Film. However, we know times are hard out there so if you plan to make a trip to the bookies in order to bet on your favorites, here is my guide to whose name you will hear the most on the night. Michael Fassbender 2011 could of been renamed ‘The Year of The Fass’ (screenwriters, you’re welcome to pen that, by the way) as the German / Killarney boy seemed to become the coolest man on the planet. He could be seen popping up as everything from romantic Bronte leading man to future baddie Magneto in X-Men. However it was with his performance in Shame that he really got … There’s more →

Culch Valentine’s: How I learned to stop worrying and love the occasional bang

  By Culch.ie | February 10, 2012 - 12:00 pm | Random Whimsy
1 Comment

Hi there gorgeous, So, Valentine’s Day. Starry-eyed loser, star-crossed lover or cross-eyed malcontent, you’re bound to have an opinion on it, yes? Be it a memory, a barely-concealed urge to vomit, a poem for your other half that makes the rest of us vomit, a scribbled note on what a perfect valentine’s would be for you, a history lesson on the relics of St Valentine, an angry swipe at Hallmark, a cry for help because you don’t know your partner much better than you know your postman and you’re deathly scared of trying to shop for them or anything in between, we share those feelings and each day in the run up to the 14th one of Culch’s writers will bring you their own personal Valentine’s thoughts. With love and last-minute garage chocolates, Culch I used to be very righteous about sex. (More a locked knickers type than surfer-esque ‘totally righteous, dude!’) … There’s more →