Category Archives: Random Whimsy

Culch Valentine’s: 5 Video Games For Single Players

  By Lisa McInerney | February 9, 2012 - 12:00 pm | Random Whimsy, The Culch
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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 If there’s one thing that pop culture has taught me about Valentine’s Day, it’s that it’s offensive and … There’s more →

Fecquin Hilarious

  By Lisa McInerney | December 16, 2011 - 4:00 pm | Comedy, Music, Random Whimsy, The Culch, The Internet
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If you’ve logged onto the internet at all in the last couple of months, you’ll probably have heard me bleating on, and on, and on about my recent move back home to rural South County Galway, a place with rocks where fields should be and reality where Killinaskully should be. Since I got settled back in Connacht, I’ve struggled with how best to explain this reclaimed lifestyle to my urbane urbanites back in my adopted city of Cork. Should I send them photos of cows in flagrante delicto? Elderly priests falling off their bicycles? Perhaps videos of boy racers speeding their Massey Fergusons up and down the community school car park? For a while, it was as perplexing a quandary as our disappearing lakes. And then Garry Carroll sorted it for me, just as he had sorted Fade Street and Coldplay. I should never have doubted him. Garry Carroll, also … There’s more →

Events: Christmas Fairs in Dublin Town

  By Culch.ie | December 7, 2011 - 12:00 pm | Fashion, Featured Post, Performance Art, The Arts, Tourism, Vintage, wantsies
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We’ve received a few press releases about upcoming Christmas fairs in the capital so here’s the rundown, if you like that sort of thing: Powerscourt Gallery Christmas Market is happening this Saturday 10th in The Powerscourt Centre on South William Street. From 12pm - 5pm they’ll have Irish arts and crafts such as handmade jewellery, Christmas stationary, handcrafted knitwear and handbags and plenty more. Christchurch Cathedral are holding their Christmas market in the 12th century crypt, with gourmet food stalls outside in the cathedral grounds. Trading is from 11am - 4pm and stalls include arts, crafts and jewellery from up-and-coming Irish designers. With free entry, the market runs Saturday 10th and 17th and all proceeds will be going toward the restoration of the belfry. Bella’s Christmas vintage and craft market takes place in The Workman’s Club this Saturday 10th, featuring JoJo Cupcakes, Some Like It Frock vintage ladies clothes, Natalie … There’s more →

Shameless Pimping: Deadly Christmas Jumpers

  By Aaron McAllorum | December 1, 2011 - 9:02 am | Fashion, Random Whimsy, The Culch, wantsies
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Today at Culch.ie we are finally allowed to use the word ‘Christmas’ without fear, punishment or forfeit and we reckon that those of you who plan to blow your November pay cheque over the next few weeks should look no further than the latest pop-up to surface in Dublin, the Deadly Christmas Jumpers store on South Anne Street. Deadly Christmas Jumpers was set up after a conversation between 2 like-minded people, Dave and Vinny. The duo have come up with traditional non-traditional Christmas garments. Gone are the days of having to fork out €50 on an ill-fitting, itchy-back-causing wooly jumper - replaced now with breezy butter-soft cotton t-shirts and hoodies. All the designs and concepts were created by a talented young scamp of a graphic designer (to help protect his identity I will use the every reliable method of spelling his name backwards, “Nioe”) All of Nioe’s prints are original … There’s more →

Oscar Predictions: Best Film

  By Sue Murphy | November 23, 2011 - 12:35 pm | Featured Post, Random Whimsy, The Culch
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The Oscars: Best Film Prediction* Each and every year for as long as I can remember, I have sat up to ungodly hours of the morning watching the Oscar ceremony. I can’t explain what this means to a film reviewer, it’s basically like our Christmas. As you are no doubt aware, Christmas gave you that warm, fuzzy feeling for weeks in advance and a lack of sleep, with a minor development of exhaustion, waiting for Santa. However, also like Christmas, you will eventually realise it is a massive fraud where you have been lied to consistently for years in order to keep you blind to the reality that nothing in this world is pure. You will continue to play along because there is always younger people concerned and you are so desperate to hold on to those nostalgic feelings, you will try convince yourself of anything, including a deer with … There’s more →

Open Auditions: Cuckoo

  By Culch.ie | November 18, 2011 - 3:18 pm | Events, Movies & TV, Performance Art, Random Whimsy, The Arts
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Fancy yourself an actor? As yet undiscovered and just waiting to wow the nation with your talents? Cuckoo, one of the upcoming web TV shows for the latest series of RTE’s Storyland, is holding open auditions to cast not one, not two or even three but five parts. The brand new psychological thriller is looking for stars to portray red-haired restless teen Niamh, 52-year-old Maureen who’s a buxom motherly type, brassy rough Tina (37), 17-year-old Sarah, Niamh’s partner in crime, and 54-year-old Brendan, a quiet family man with an unexpected Alpha male side. The casting panel will be made up of Writer/Director Danann Breathnach and Aidan Power of 98FM amongst others and they’ll be seeing applications next Saturday November 26th between 11am and 6pm in The International Bar, Wicklow Street. If you’re heading along, submit a headshot and CV to Alex, the casting director, at [email protected] The first episode of … There’s more →

Events: SCOOP Up Some Money-Can’t-Buy Presents at the Better Than Socks Christmas Auction

  By Sinead Keogh | November 18, 2011 - 11:50 am | Events, Fashion, Kids, Random Whimsy, Vintage, wantsies
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On Friday December 2nd, Powerscourt Townhouse Centre will be venue for the first SCOOP Foundation auction. SCOOP helps kids living in poverty and the auction will act as a fundraiser for their activities. It’ll also give you the chance to get your hands on some unlikely and inventive Christmas presents like a walk on part in Fair City, a chance to ring the bells in Christchurch Cathedral, swing lessons in your sitting room and plenty more. The €10 entry fee for the evening will get you a bidding paddle, a glass of wine, a cloakroom ticket, a lot brochure and entry to a raffle. If you’re lucky enough to make a successful bid, then the new owner of each great lot will be given a beautifully designed ‘SCOOPon’, which they can give to the lucky recipient of their Better Than Socks gift, explaining how the present came about and where the … There’s more →

Book Review: The 80s Kid

  By Sinead Keogh | November 18, 2011 - 9:51 am | Books, Nostalgia Week, Random Whimsy, Vintage
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A copy of The 80s Kid was deposited into our greedy little hands this time last week. It had been talked up somethin’ fierce by the guy who suggested we review it and was cleverly delivered when Team Culch were onto their third Friday night drink and would’ve been endeared by a triangle-cut sandwich. On a quick page-flick we were impressed with the poppingly-colourful design and the neat little handbag size of it … but would it pass muster when we sat down for a proper read? Only Saturday morning’s hangover and a dimly-lit room in Culch Towers would tell… But wait, says you, just what is The 80s Kid? In a sentence, it’s a hardback full-colour 160-page nostalgiafest featuring everything it meant to grow up in Ireland in the 80s and 90s. Written by Andrew Murray, himself an 80s kids, it features the hairdos, hairdon’ts, bad telly, good telly, … There’s more →

Movember Update: 10 Days In

  By Aaron McAllorum | November 10, 2011 - 9:47 am | Events, Fashion, Random Whimsy, Site News, The Culch
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Phil “Chopper” Casey 10 days in and the novelty is wearing slightly thin. The original fuzz has given way to the coarsest hair anywhere on my body, well maybe almost anywhere. Mentally, I feel like a chrysalis entering the last phase of metamorphose. A new darker me is emerging from the thickening. This gringo has started to consider cowboy boots and a horse for the daily commute. Saddle up partner it’s gonna be a long ride.   Peter “I’ll mow your lawn baby” Donegan Compost has a tendency to velcro to my stubble so I’m usually relatively clean shaven. This Movember, as versus The Hercule Poirot, I went for The Hulk Hogan [alias The Trucker] look. For those that don’t know of Movember, I’m a little conscious to keep the garden blog updated with a pic hither dither.I’m sure there’s nothing worse than expecting Ryan Tubridy when instead a Paddy … There’s more →

Talks: Howth Peninsula Heritage Society - Autumn 2011 Lecture Series

  By Culch.ie | September 22, 2011 - 8:48 am | Random Whimsy
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Not all of the lectures will be everyones cup of tea - but there ye are. That said, this is just the Autumn Series and this is Culch.ie Howth Peninsula Heritage Society - Cumann Oidhreachta Leithinis Bhinn Eadair AUTUMN 2011 LECTURE SERIES Tuesday September 27 50 Years of Amnesty International Speaker: Colm O’Gorman Tuesday October 25 A Unique Place in Irish Golf: 125 years of Sutton Golf Club Speaker: Roddy Guiney Tuesday November 22 - Howth Botany and Botanists Speaker: Prof. Declan Dooge Preceded by the Annual General Meeting at 7.15 p.m. All Lectures take place at 8.00 p.m. Howth Angling Centre, West Pier, Howth All are welcome Non-members of the Society: €4

Opportunity: Do you want to sleep with Sinead O’Connor?

  By Culch.ie | August 21, 2011 - 11:44 am | Celebs, Music, Random Whimsy
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  The following post appeared on Sinead O’Connor’s website yesterday, Saturday August 20th and was reported on Independent.ie: The man who runs my site will protectively suggest I may want to visit the bathroom for a few intimate moments and a subsequent cold shower before deciding to post this on the site but I will of course ignore him as it’s too late now and the her-moans are having the best of me. I recently read of a woman in America who married and regularly humps her truck. I don’t yet own a truck but I’m beginning to understand her head space. And am worried I too may be so desperate for sex that within days I might run up the road and hump Bray Cab’s whole fleet in one hour. Forty quid clear-up afterward. Can’t say fairer than that. Except maybe a photo for their web-site. Which would be … There’s more →

Linky Li: TheBurningHouse.com

  By Sinead Keogh | August 16, 2011 - 9:01 am | Fashion, Random Whimsy, The Culch, The Internet
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While we don’t want to become known as a slaggregator (Aggregator is too good a term for what is essentially putting it about) sometimes we see things on the internet that we want to pass on. We’ve decided to preface such posts with the title ‘Linky Li’ - a vague pop culture reference, to dull the blow of the fact that we haven’t actually created any content. Cheeky bastards, us. Linky Li of the moment is TheBurningHouse.com where interneters send pictures of the items they’d save in the event of a fire. It fills us with nostalgia for Desked and makes us wonder why these people think they have a hope in hell of rounding up a dozen items without succumbing to smoke inhalation and dying on the floor surrounded by their favourite shoes, a worn out teddy and a packet of Rolos bestowed on them by their first love … There’s more →

Popscotch #1: Purporting Precarious Pop Culture Theories

  By Culch.ie | August 15, 2011 - 10:59 am | Movies & TV, Random Whimsy
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What’s Popscotch? Popscotch is pop culture hopscotch. Popscotch is when two things marry in your brain, even though they wouldn’t touch each other in real life. Popscotch is when you make a spurious connection with something on TV, or in a song, or an ad on the side of a bus. Popscotch happens when you’re so immersed in pop culture that you don’t even know your own name anymore, but you could easily list the last seven features that Winona Ryder was in faster than IMDB. Popscotch… well, you’ll never really get it until you watch it play out. This month we’re asking… is it possible that Mary Poppins was a Timelord? Bullshit, says you. Hear us out. The Doctor, is known for being a bit magical and otherworldly, cos he is. He flies through the sky with the greatest of ease… And Mary P? Bit magical herself, bewitched umbrella … There’s more →

Video: OMG it’s Jedward!

  By Culch.ie | August 11, 2011 - 10:16 am | Celebs, Music, Radio, Random Whimsy, The Internet
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So, a weird thing happened to us yesterday. There we were, minding our own business (for a change), checking our email (for a change) and we come across one called ‘Message from Jedward’. Naturally we regarded it with a fairly hefty amount of suspicion since most emails we get purporting to be from 18-year-olds go straight into the spam folder but turns out there was nothing untoward about it…we really did get a message from Jedward. See? It might be one of those things you can actually describe as surreal, as opposed to most of the time when it’s common usage is mangled. Obviously we’re entirely aware that it’s a clever little ploy to promote their new album, but since the other hello videos they did were for the likes of Miriam O’Callaghan, Perez Hilton (who they described as the best website ever - sigh, they’re not even wrong) and Obama, … There’s more →

Events: The Workman’s Club’s 1st Birthday

  By Culch.ie | August 8, 2011 - 10:11 am | Comedy, Events, Featured Post, Gigs, Music, Random Whimsy, The Arts
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For those of you who frequent the place, it might be bloody hard to believe it’s turning the big 1 already, we know we were shocked, but stick it in your diary - the Workman’s Club are having a birthday party. What night, you ask? Pfft. It’s a full week of celebrations from September 5th - 11th so you’ve no excuse for missing it. If you’re not acquainted, The Workman’s Club on Wellington Quay used to be just that - The Dublin Workingmen’s Club. It opened it’s doors back in 1888 and closed them in 2003 and since the place got it’s new lease of life last year you can hear history singing in the walls. History, or whatever band is playing The Venue. Split across a few nubs and hubs of activity from The Venue and The Venue Bar on the ground floor where we’ve caught many a fine … There’s more →