Think I wrote earlier about my contributions to a healthier and more environmentally friendly Dublin...hehe. Anyway, thought I'd share a picture of me fully kitted out in helmet, neon vest and the whole thing...and my hotrod.

Dublin is really boring at the moment, the summer seems to have decided to go to south of Europe instead and we only have rain, rain and more rain. Well, at least it is not as bad as in the UK.

Had a bit of a holiday, went to Madeira for a week with Diarmuid which was great. Went down to Cork to see his family last weekend, helped out at the farm with some hedge trimming and weeding (nearly killed myself...).

Am off for a long weekend in Copenhagen and Malmo soon, managing to combine it with a training at Oracle Copenhagen. Am going to go out with Kristen, meet up with Marit and spend some time with my brother as well.

The tag rugby is going well and I have sort of started working out a bit more as well. Not that I can tell that it is having any effect yet though...sigh.

Back to normal

The few weeks we had with nice warm weather is over. The drizzle and cold winds are back and you have to wear jackets again. No fun.
It's midsummer this weekend, but I haven't decided yet what we'll do. Plans were first to go down to Diarmuid's parents, but we decided to postpone it until after our holidays. So either we'll go for a nice picnic somewhere or - if nothing better - head out to the Swedish embassy where they will have traditional celebrations.
Was over at my friend Julie's on Monday and took the picture below from her balcony. The apartment is close to the IFSC which is where the Celtic tiger once was born. The area between Julie's and IFSC used to be one of the worst areas in Dublin and most houses still need quite a bit of plaster and paint, but with that sunset it sure looks a lot better.

Am off to Sweden and Stockholm next week for some business/holidays. Can't wait, really hope that the weather is going to be good as I desperately need some sun...

View from Julie's

Trip to Northern Ireland and Donegal

Diarmuid and myself celebrated our first year anniversary with a long weekend break up in Northern Ireland and Donegal. The weather was crap on the drive up but then we were really lucky and had sun the remaining days.

The first day we were up visiting The Giant's Causeway which is up on the northern coast of Northern Ireland in county Antrim. The scenary is beautiful and we were staying at the perfect B&B, Whitepark House. The owner, Bob, is a superb host and I truly recommend this place.

The day after we continued down south (after a quick visit to the Bushmills distillery where we got some nice whiskey) and visited my Brazilian friend Giselle and her Irish husband Dermot that I met when I was living in Brno, Czech Republic. After a few biscuits and coffee we decided to drive up to Glenveagh National Park where we visited the castle and the gardens.

Then we left for the north of Donegal, the Inishoven Peninsula were we stayed in a very nice farmhouse called Trean House. We got there rather late after having dinner at "The Town Clock" in the village Moville on the way up. Diarmuid and myself went for a walk down to the beach with the family's two dogs. Great fun and a really beautiful sunset.

After a good night's rest and huge breakfast we continued on to Malin Head, the most northern point in Ireland (see picture on the left). I could have stayed here for the rest of my life, the beauty of the landscape with the cliffs and amazing secluded beaches was mezmerizing. This is why I love Ireland.

Peder

Great young people

For the past month or so I have been volonteering every Friday morning with a NPO (Non-profit Organisation) called Junior Achievement Ireland. I have been doing a programme with young students at Larkin Community College in central Dublin called "Economics of Staying in School". Today was the last day which I truly regret as it has been a great experience for (hopefully) both myself and the kids.
I didn't think it would be so rewarding working with young people. Their intelligence and warmth makes you feel valued and respected. I have talked to their teacher about doing some work with them on the side as I feel it will be hard to only do a "one timer".
I took some pictures today and have posted them below with their permission.

Me and smiling kids

The guys

Jesper

Blue Footed Booby

I got a Blue Footed Booby for my 30th birthday from my friends Jenny and Karl. Well, they "adopted" one for me via WWF and I got a cuddly version of it to remind me of it. (See picture on the left.) It is a cool dude and he is sitting at the top of my sofa. Haven't been able to figure out a cool name for him yet, so please send me some good examples!

Mark at the office

Out with the girls

Went out with the girls (Maria and Michaela) last weekend, which was good fun. The only stupid thing was that we were supposed to be at least 8, but the rest of the girls chickened out for various reasons (read: Eira and sisters were hungover). So Maria, Michaela and myself went to Salamanca's for tapas and drinks. After that we headed over to Café En Seine but it was too much of a meat market so we ended up drinking mochitos in a hotel behind Grafton Street (really can't remember the name, apart from that it started with west-something). Turned out that Maria had worked with one of the guys in the bar so we got our coctails for free...not bad! :)

Getting a taxi

Maria enjoying a Mochito

The girls

Me out with the girls

Michaela

Election time in Ireland

Today Ireland is going to the ballots, voting for a new Dail - national government. The sitting Fianna Fail/Progressive Democrats coalition is fighting neck to neck with the alternative Fine Gael/Labour coalition. It seems the Green Party might be the one tipping the scale to one or the other side. In the latest polls the FF/PD coalition is leading with a combined 41pc against the 37 of the FG/Labour alliance.

Fianna Fail has been rather damaged by the allegations of corruption against the FF leader, Bertie Ahern, but with the last few days slow climb in the polls, the part seem to have regained at least some of the trust that was lost. Well, at least for the time being. FF has said that they will not comment on any of the allegations in any detail but refers to the Mahon Tribunal that rather conveniently will not be disclosing any findings until after the elections.

After more than 10 years in politics in Sweden I rather naturally came to want to understand and take part of the political arena here in Ireland. It is hard. First of all, all the parties seem to be pretty much the same; right wing conservative Catholics. They also seem to be a Old Boys Club. Finding a person under the age of 35 is pretty much impossible. I assume that this to some extent is due to the fact that people have decided to have a career outside of politics first, but there are a few that have been sitting a loooooong time. I did a bit of research on the candidates in Dublin, and when they were first elected. Check this out:

Bertie Ahern (FF) - 1977

Michael Woods (FF) - 1977

Ruairi Quinn (Lab) - 1977

Alan Shatter (FG) - 1981

Mary Harney (PD) - 1981

Seamus Brennan (FF) - 1981

Tony Gregory (Ind) - 1982

Richard Bruton (FG) - 1982

Thomas Kitt (FF) - 1987

Michael McDowell (PD) - 1987

Ivor Callely (FF) - 1989

Pat Rabitte (Labour) - 1989

Joe Costello (Labour) - 1989

Sean Haughey (FF) - 1989

Eric Byrne (Labour)- 1989

Michael Kennedy (FF) - 1991

Tom Morrissey (PD) - 1991

David Healy (Green)- 1991

Sean Ardagh (FF) - 1991

Charlie O'Connor (FF) - 1991

Trevor Sargent (Green) - 1992

Frances Fitzgerald (FG) - 1992

Derek McDowell (Labour) - 1992

Tommy Broughan (Labour) - 1992

Noel Ahern (FF) - 1992

Roisin Shortall (Labour) - 1992

And these are the lucky ones that got elected. Even counting the poor sods that failed would be embarrassing.

Approx. 25% of all Dublin candidates have held a seat for at least 15 years (incl. both local and Dail elections). You can argue that this is good for continuity and consistency. I would say that that would be a very weak argument indeed. Political parties need new blood and with about 10% of the candidates being in power for the past 30+ years the blood clots are near. People lose the interest in politics if it is always the same faces and the same ideas. And worst of all, the "oldies" don't feel the need to keep on top of what the outside world looks like. It is the same in most countries, Sweden is not that different. Unfortunately.

I will make an effort in trying to understand more of the parties differences after the elections and the implications for myself and my life. Reading up on the history of Ireland is all fine and well as it gives you an idea of the background to the political parties (especially the difference between FF and FG...check out "The Wind That Shakes The Barley") but for a newbie in Ireland I want to know what the parties think today and what makes them different.

The next elections are in 2012, hopefully I will have a better idea by then.

Eurovision and The Peace

The Eurovision Song Contest is good for the peace. After watching the weekend spectacle I have come to understand that Eurovision probably is better for the friendship between the neighbours of Europe than all the silly diplomat dinners crossborder fellowships put together. Russia votes for Moldavia, Belorussia and Serbia gives its old comrades from former Yugoslavia a big bear hug.

When Sweden, the old imperialist, now only gets points from its fellow Nordic brothers I would suggest that we well in advance of next year's ESC once again mount an "friendly" takeover of Poland, the Baltics and Germany. Who knows, if we start now we might even make friends with some countries in Central Europe?

Nahhh...unfortunately I think that the sad truth is that Ola Salo sucks. The Eastern Europeans are more rock'n'roll than we are and it is a nasty wound to lick...It is rather obvious that Irish ballads and ABBA imitations are a thing of the past. Now it is Russian techno, sword dance and drags in tin foil that are in. It might be a far fetch from the Swedish definition of "schlager", but it is a good laugh.