Surviving Dublin a city with more taxis than New York. Dublin is a passengers paradise and a taxi drivers hell
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Tuesday 7th Sept
Remember this at the point?
Now its your chance to be there.
Or be square!
Ring 086 1581111, tell them you want to join in on the great taxi drivers special day out.
I often wonder, we bring 1,000 kids + out for the day and the media ignore the whole thing.
So sod the media join me and hundreds of other taxi drivers and we will have a ball of a day.
A big hand for the fantastic Johnny Walker without whos efforts all this would have ended long ago.
Yes you did hear right that was last year,77 now and still going strong.
That Scouse girl has a great laugh.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Sunday into Monday
Free hugs !!
Herbert park from the Herbert hotel
Mr Spud aka Mr.Tayto
Dublins oldest fish and chip shop Werburg St
Dream catchers for sale.
One am Sunday morning, I am just jotting down a few things and then I have to do the dishes. If men were in charge it would be paper plates.
Sometimes when you listen to the radio or read the paper you have to do a double take, "did I really hear that right?"
Darren Sutherland the boxer who died recently is to be exhumed as the coroner is not happy with the original verdict of suicide.
Why?
Well it turns out that his hands were tied together for one thing.
"Egg and sperm donor payments may be raised to boost supply". Aah what happened to romance?.
A teenager who became a magistrate at 19 called Gareth Derbyshire bought a company(Well he bought it but he didn't pay for it)
Well this young lad had 2 Ferrari's and spent nights in a suite in Clariges hotel at 2,000 pounds a night wearing his 7,500 pound Rolex or his 11, 000 Hubolt watches, he drank Cristal champagne at 400 quid a bottle. While the company went bust leaving debts all over the place.
Well the serious fraud office are on to it....about time too.
Talking about watches Weirs are getting Patek Phillipe to make them a limited addition watch which will sell for mote than 250,000 euro, you can count me out as well.
In sport today Down 1-16 Kildare 1-14
Down have qualified for their first All-Ireland final since 1994 with a two-point victory over Kildare in a gripping contest at Croke Park.
Up Down
Internet hackers are targeting youths abroad.
One young chap was in Columbia when his parents got an e mail from him...Help I am in a prison hellhole, then another guy explains how he had met their son in the prison and he could get him out if the could send money....
It was quite a story, but turned out to be a scam!
Reminds me of Richard Harris the actor who went off on a drinking spree with a friend.
His wife who he loved dearly had told him that if he ever went on a drinking spree she would kick him out.
So here he was coming home the worst for wear, not knowing what to say.
He rang the doorbell and when his wife opened the door he said.
"Why didn't you pay them the Ransom money?"
She kept him for a while longer.
God made Irishmen to rule the World.
The Devil made alcohol to make sure they didn't succeed.
Scary thing happened last night, one of the drivers saw a kid out late at night alone. He pulled up beside her to see if she was OK. She was not distressed and said she was fine..Later on the body of a 12 year old girl was found. A 19 year old is being held. One of the other drivers was bringing a reporter around as he was gathering the information.
It will probably take a month or so to find out what really happened.
"Your sons and your daughters are beyond your command, your old world is rapidly changin..."
Friday, August 27, 2010
Fall, to rise again
Graduates in their gowns take photos.
Making a video om Dame St. Forget it lad,My son is much louder than you.
Clamped !
Gotchya too !
The lighthouse at Howth. How old?
Her it is again, click on it to enlarge the photo.
Time marches on and when it does change happens.
Schools are starting back, trees are turning and life goes on.
My old mate Joe met me the other day.
His grandson who was badly injured in Thyland has been returned to Ireland. He was in Beaumount hospital for a few days, then he was sent to the rehabillition unit in Roachestown Avenue.
His grandson has bad brain damage,plus all the injuries he sustained in his crash.
He will never be the same person again.
Joe wanted to know what kind of a place it was. Well it is heaven and hell together.
It is hell if you keep remembering who you once were and heaven because they will push you to the very limit to make you walk and talk again.
I saw those phisios shouting "One more step, now another, You are great" Then they would support the patient who would be bathed in sweat from the effort.
It is the toughest gigs you could imagine, working there.
Young kids in wheelchairs trying to learn the most basic skills.
The boys and girls who work there are cheerful, they often have to tell parents that they are upsetting their kids by crying, you must smile and be happy.
Many of their patients are from rugby injuries 15 to 20 year olds, the body is not able to take the knocks.Them motorbikes then car accidents then strokes.
My mate Frank went there when he had a stroke and I used to bring him home at weekends when I had a wheelchair taxi.
God help them all it is another world out there.
Another horrific crash near Kallarney on the Mallow rd.
4 Young people killed. 2 brothers and a girl of 15.
One lad survived.
Today the first funeral will take place in Killarney today.
Once again the area is numbed, but how to curb the wild streak which comes with youth is a problem everywhere.
What to do if you find your sterio has been taken
It will be a while before they do that again.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Ashes to ashes Rust to rust.
This beautiful Merc could have gone the same way.
If you know anything about me you will know that I will cross the road to see a vintage car.
Something about them brings me back to the good old days !
Well here is one baby who lost her way.
I saw it, and I couldn't believe it.
It was hidden under brambles until the guy who lived next door got a court order to get the house rubbish cleared.
There she lay.A 1953 Ford Customline with a V8 engine.
A rare enough car. Sad to say she had rusted away....A few days later it had been crushed.........Rust In Peace!
You know sometimes there are diamonds right at your feet !
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Organic flower power
Ewa knows her tea for sure.
20 th Birthday? Wedding anniversary?
Chucking out time at the hostel.
A Ferrari 360 Raffle for Barretts town house.
Imagine what a car like that would cost to run
I am so old that I remember when we had no mobile fones !
Biscuits were sold loose in a paper bag.
Guinness came in big wooden kegs and we would bottle it and cork the bottles, then the crown caps came along.
We in our shop had our own blend of tea which was delivered in a wooden tea chest, which was lined in silver paper. As kids we would help to fill up bags, weigh them and seal the bags.
Everything is now pre packed.
Change is all around us.
Then you see something that brings you back.
I was passing the Organic flower power shop in Berkley Rd a few weeks ago.
Coffee and tea in glass jars.Teas with flowers, mint and Raspberry.
So many teas !
Then the girl who was working there let me smell the aroma of the dried tea.
You know a scent can transport you through time.
For an instant I was 10 years old pulling the silver paper from around the tea chest,
I can't remember what we used it for.
So I told her I had some tea that my friend Judy gave me and I put it in the car.
The next time I was passing I gave her a sachet.
She told me (I wrote her name on my hand and then I washed my hands,sorry) that she heated the water to between 70 and 80 degrees and let the tea infuse for 8 minutes "It was delicious" So now I find out that the water should not be boiling and that it should be at different temperatures for different teas.
We Irish are the highest per head tea drinkers in the world and I have been doing it wrong all my life (What else is new?)
There is another place opened in Wicklow st. But the place in Berkley Rd is handy for parking and the staff are cool.
Perhaps these teas will replace Guinness as the national drink?
Monday, August 23, 2010
Photos back
This shop is called Make up forever! What a name.
Heading for the morning boat this British car had a fuel leak.
Mr Beahan came to the rescue.
What a great way to start my week !
Today I picked up that Polish girl who was being bullied at work.
Remember the bullying was so bad that it had affected her heart ?
My heart truly went out to her at that time and I Googled "bullying at work". she had loads of rights, but until this morning I had not seen her again.
Great news!, she got a new job a couple of days after I spoke to her.
She started today after a long holiday in Poland.
So I drove her in on her first day of the new job!
What a bonus for me.
She felt that the prayers that I said for her worked, boy she looked great today, not at all like the defeated person I picked up 8 weeks ago.
She didn't tell her employer why she had to leave the job,I will leave that to her whether she should write to the boss in private to alert him as to the problems he may have to face in the future with regard to bullying in his office.
Guess what she does ? Protection against money laundering..
It is great when you get a good result.
Talking of which, the exam results are out and the students are back in town, the pubs will start to fill up again.
Next thing you know it will be Christmas, they have started advertising pantomimes and party's already and the Summer is hardly over.
But the leaves are turning to gold on the trees.
Tempis fugit as the bard once said.
There is still the odd gangland shooting and 2 weekends ago there was a shooting in Finglas. I noticed that there were a lot less taxis around, it was only when I heard a news broadcast at 2 am that I realized that the illegal drivers had scurried off home because of the police activity. I wish they would pull up drivers more often, it is a joke now there are thousands of illegal drivers in Dublin after dark and at weekends.
There was a fatal accident where the driver tried to leave the scene of the accident only to be detained by passing taxi drivers, 2 weeks in the country, no papers and driving his brother in laws taxi..That taxi has been repaired and is still driving around the streets, with a legal driver now,I hope.
How many psychiatrists does it take to change a light bulb?
Only one, but the light bulb must WANT TO CHANGE !
Friday, August 20, 2010
Happy birthdayPhilip 61
Phil Lynott would have been 61 today.
Thin lizzy lives on in our hearts and minds forever.
Phisomena will be 80 this year.
Well last week the Garda pressed the button and moved in to arrest more than 30 drug dealers in the city and they raided a number of houses and drug mixing plants. It was quite a haul.
The operation had been in progress over 6 months with undercover garda buying drugs from dealers during that period. So the dealers would be facing charges of supplying drugs more than 20 or 30 times.
It is about time, I am sick of seeing drug dealers openly operating on the streets.
Drugs are the petrol that drives a lot of crime.
The result of the operation was to have addicts falling down in agony on the streets.normal looking people screaming at their partners, their supplys had been cut off.
Believe you me "THERE FOR THE GRACE OF GOD GO YOU OR I"
Heroin would numb your unhappyness for a short while.
There are only a couple of beds for addicts who want to come off heroin.
If it was up to me dealers would be shot and property seized.
But even in countries where they have a tough stance they still have a drug problem.
Conversation from my taxi around 8 years ago.
"I was unhappy, there was something missing in my life, I was only 15 and my boyfriend gave me my first fix. It was great mister. For a while I was in heaven, then,. the next thing you know I was working on the streets selling sex for him, both of us trying to get the £200 each that we needed every day just to feel normal
I'll be back in 10 minutes, keep the meter running and the doors locked."
Thin lizzy lives on in our hearts and minds forever.
Phisomena will be 80 this year.
Well last week the Garda pressed the button and moved in to arrest more than 30 drug dealers in the city and they raided a number of houses and drug mixing plants. It was quite a haul.
The operation had been in progress over 6 months with undercover garda buying drugs from dealers during that period. So the dealers would be facing charges of supplying drugs more than 20 or 30 times.
It is about time, I am sick of seeing drug dealers openly operating on the streets.
Drugs are the petrol that drives a lot of crime.
The result of the operation was to have addicts falling down in agony on the streets.normal looking people screaming at their partners, their supplys had been cut off.
Believe you me "THERE FOR THE GRACE OF GOD GO YOU OR I"
Heroin would numb your unhappyness for a short while.
There are only a couple of beds for addicts who want to come off heroin.
If it was up to me dealers would be shot and property seized.
But even in countries where they have a tough stance they still have a drug problem.
Conversation from my taxi around 8 years ago.
"I was unhappy, there was something missing in my life, I was only 15 and my boyfriend gave me my first fix. It was great mister. For a while I was in heaven, then,. the next thing you know I was working on the streets selling sex for him, both of us trying to get the £200 each that we needed every day just to feel normal
I'll be back in 10 minutes, keep the meter running and the doors locked."
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
2010
20 Honours subjects and 10 pass 2010 !
A biology teacher who sat a record 30 Leaving Certificate subjects has spared his blushes by scoring top marks in his specialist topic.
Eoin Jackson from Co Waterford notched up 17 honours and 10 passes after sitting 41 papers to raise funds for his school.
But despite his outstanding results card, including an A1 in biology, the 35-year-old said he was frustrated by a fail in Hebrew studies.
"I passed biology by a long way but I teach that so I would want to," he said.
"The Hebrew got away from me - it's one of my only regrets.
"I put so much work into that, it would have been an unbelievable coup to get it."
Mr Jackson - who set a previous record when he passed 20 subjects in 1994 - admitted he had an attack of last-minute nerves when he received the envelope containing his grades.
"I hadn't been anxious at all in the run-up, but when I had those results in my hand and I was looking through them one by one I was nervous," he said.
Mr Jackson, who lives in Brownstown Head near Tramore, teaches at the XLc Project in Waterford.
A biology teacher who sat a record 30 Leaving Certificate subjects has spared his blushes by scoring top marks in his specialist topic.
Eoin Jackson from Co Waterford notched up 17 honours and 10 passes after sitting 41 papers to raise funds for his school.
But despite his outstanding results card, including an A1 in biology, the 35-year-old said he was frustrated by a fail in Hebrew studies.
"I passed biology by a long way but I teach that so I would want to," he said.
"The Hebrew got away from me - it's one of my only regrets.
"I put so much work into that, it would have been an unbelievable coup to get it."
Mr Jackson - who set a previous record when he passed 20 subjects in 1994 - admitted he had an attack of last-minute nerves when he received the envelope containing his grades.
"I hadn't been anxious at all in the run-up, but when I had those results in my hand and I was looking through them one by one I was nervous," he said.
Mr Jackson, who lives in Brownstown Head near Tramore, teaches at the XLc Project in Waterford.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Exam results.
By the time you read this many students will know how their exams of the spring have gone.
The exam results are out today.
Success or failure?
What kind of judgment is that?
So give them a big hug as they venture off to get their results.
One thing I know is David Beckham is not too bright in one way,
but he is a great footballer.
Stephen Hawking is lousey at football, but is a great scientest.
One thing for sure Mother Thresa of Calcutta never won a beauty contest !
So you never know, a great poet cannot be measured the same way as a great painter.
We all have special gifts, some take more time to find their groove.
Tell them that you love them and ask them to ring you to tell how they did.
Then suggest an outing to celebrate or to sympathise.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Last week we lost another driver, this time from my own rank.
He hung himself in a moment of desperation.
In an instant he snapped,he created far more problems in death than he would have ever faced if he had lived.
Please boys and girls, THINK !.
Ring MABS for money advice.
The Samaritans at 1890 303 302
Or Aware at 1890 303 302
Think about this, if they are busy perhaps you should volinteer a bit of time to help them out.
So, So, many people are in deep shit at present.(Its not just Taxi drivers)
___________________________________________________________________________________
You might have thought taxi drivers were making loads of money sometimes.
Imagine getting a passinger and then giving out because they are only going a short distance ?
When the flag falls the fare starts at €4.10 ! thats a lot.
The bus all the way home would be 1/2 that cost.
A very beautiful girl from Brazil got into my taxi the other day going to Lad Lane. She was very pleasant to talk to so as well so I suggested to her that if she walked up to the rank at St.Stephens Green the taxi fare would be much cheaper.
"Well when I do that they complain about how long they have waited to get a fare"
I had to tell her that they must be mad! Any hetrosexual male would drive her around all day just for the pleasure of her company and in awe of her great good looks.
So I got a €3 tip for my trouble, she had the most fantastic smile of white teeth I ever saw and that is not the only thing that was fantastic about her.
A girl stopped me outside the Spar on Baggott St one day going to Crumlin, When I asked her where she worked it turned out to be Mesbil Rd., just around the corner. She said that the drivers on the rank there always complained about the fare being too small, so she picked up a taxi around the corner from the rank instead, there was something really special about her too, a trainee film producer I think, it was a while ago.
So be a bit more cheerful, there is no reason to load your problems on to your customers..
3 Dublon ladies of an advanced age were stranded on the desert Island.
After a few weeks they found a bottle on the beach.
Thinking it might be whisky the opened it up only to be confronted by a huge GENI...
Well the GENI offered them 3 wishes one wish each, and only one wish.
Mary went first,
"I wish I was in Mulligans in Poolabeg St drinking sherry"
BING she wass gone.
Margret said it was her daughters birthday and she wished she was in The Silver Granite pub in Palmerstown,, a great spot.
Bing , she was gone
Philys was last.. she was under a bit of pressure and couldn't think straight.
"What is your wish"? said the Geni.
"I am all confused. I just wish the girls were back here"
Bing and the GENI was gone.
BING and the girls were back !
Leave them with a smile, they don't have to know about your problems.
The exam results are out today.
Success or failure?
What kind of judgment is that?
So give them a big hug as they venture off to get their results.
One thing I know is David Beckham is not too bright in one way,
but he is a great footballer.
Stephen Hawking is lousey at football, but is a great scientest.
One thing for sure Mother Thresa of Calcutta never won a beauty contest !
So you never know, a great poet cannot be measured the same way as a great painter.
We all have special gifts, some take more time to find their groove.
Tell them that you love them and ask them to ring you to tell how they did.
Then suggest an outing to celebrate or to sympathise.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Last week we lost another driver, this time from my own rank.
He hung himself in a moment of desperation.
In an instant he snapped,he created far more problems in death than he would have ever faced if he had lived.
Please boys and girls, THINK !.
Ring MABS for money advice.
The Samaritans at 1890 303 302
Or Aware at 1890 303 302
Think about this, if they are busy perhaps you should volinteer a bit of time to help them out.
So, So, many people are in deep shit at present.(Its not just Taxi drivers)
___________________________________________________________________________________
You might have thought taxi drivers were making loads of money sometimes.
Imagine getting a passinger and then giving out because they are only going a short distance ?
When the flag falls the fare starts at €4.10 ! thats a lot.
The bus all the way home would be 1/2 that cost.
A very beautiful girl from Brazil got into my taxi the other day going to Lad Lane. She was very pleasant to talk to so as well so I suggested to her that if she walked up to the rank at St.Stephens Green the taxi fare would be much cheaper.
"Well when I do that they complain about how long they have waited to get a fare"
I had to tell her that they must be mad! Any hetrosexual male would drive her around all day just for the pleasure of her company and in awe of her great good looks.
So I got a €3 tip for my trouble, she had the most fantastic smile of white teeth I ever saw and that is not the only thing that was fantastic about her.
A girl stopped me outside the Spar on Baggott St one day going to Crumlin, When I asked her where she worked it turned out to be Mesbil Rd., just around the corner. She said that the drivers on the rank there always complained about the fare being too small, so she picked up a taxi around the corner from the rank instead, there was something really special about her too, a trainee film producer I think, it was a while ago.
So be a bit more cheerful, there is no reason to load your problems on to your customers..
3 Dublon ladies of an advanced age were stranded on the desert Island.
After a few weeks they found a bottle on the beach.
Thinking it might be whisky the opened it up only to be confronted by a huge GENI...
Well the GENI offered them 3 wishes one wish each, and only one wish.
Mary went first,
"I wish I was in Mulligans in Poolabeg St drinking sherry"
BING she wass gone.
Margret said it was her daughters birthday and she wished she was in The Silver Granite pub in Palmerstown,, a great spot.
Bing , she was gone
Philys was last.. she was under a bit of pressure and couldn't think straight.
"What is your wish"? said the Geni.
"I am all confused. I just wish the girls were back here"
Bing and the GENI was gone.
BING and the girls were back !
Leave them with a smile, they don't have to know about your problems.
Monday, August 16, 2010
We know where you live.
Today at the rank I found out something which I find very dispurbing.
If you go to the taxi regulators website and type a taxi roof sign number you can find out a few details such as what car it belongs to etc.
Then if you pay an extra €25 you can find out the drivers name.home address and most of his private details.
The data protection act which should protect you does not in this case protect your personal information.
So you see a shooting and the shooter gets your number. He can go to the regulators website and get your home adress. So your kid awnsers a knock at the door.
The stuff of nightmares.
Stalkers and rapists will have a field day. Ladies drive taxis too.
So if anyone knows Ms.Doyles home address please put in on to the remarks box so that we might send a few undesireables round to her home, just to see how she would like it herself.
If you go to the taxi regulators website and type a taxi roof sign number you can find out a few details such as what car it belongs to etc.
Then if you pay an extra €25 you can find out the drivers name.home address and most of his private details.
The data protection act which should protect you does not in this case protect your personal information.
So you see a shooting and the shooter gets your number. He can go to the regulators website and get your home adress. So your kid awnsers a knock at the door.
The stuff of nightmares.
Stalkers and rapists will have a field day. Ladies drive taxis too.
So if anyone knows Ms.Doyles home address please put in on to the remarks box so that we might send a few undesireables round to her home, just to see how she would like it herself.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
I am a bit late driver.
Taxi drivers help to rekindle peoples interest in religion.
A great old favourate
But you had better not do it in Switzerland.
Here is another report
A great old favourate
But you had better not do it in Switzerland.
Here is another report
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Tango Fest.
The Tango Fest is on in Dublin.
look here
The silver Fox watch this old guy go.
If you want to get ahead...get a hat.
Did you ever follow the link to the taxi dancer in Argentina?
Then as you get better!!!
For Tango look out for this pair.
Have they improved here ?
the two masters of tango play together
For those in New York please click here
The Fresh Air Fund needs your help.
look here
The silver Fox watch this old guy go.
If you want to get ahead...get a hat.
Did you ever follow the link to the taxi dancer in Argentina?
Then as you get better!!!
For Tango look out for this pair.
Have they improved here ?
the two masters of tango play together
For those in New York please click here
The Fresh Air Fund needs your help.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Some photos
This cruise liner makes The World look small
Part of a ships engine at the Irish Shipping HQ
The World with the wheel, you can see the cruise liner behind them. It is huge.
The wheel by night
And by day
Here is the World.
Dad waits for a break in trafic to cross the road.
You see dads out with the kids far more now that the Celtic tiger has died.
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