Growing up in Northern Ireland meant going to church, the local Ballycrochan Presbyterian Church in Bangor (perhaps ironic now as I usually attend Catholic churches in Poland – Presbyterian is a branch of Protestantism – all Christian none-the-less). I was a member of 10th Bangor Boys Brigade (BB) from 1990 – 1999 (before this I Read more about Northern Ireland Days: Getting My President’s Badge (May 1996)[…]
When the SOENISC was formed back in 2005, one of the potential meeting venues was Exeter, although at the time none of the club members lived there. Then on an away trip to Copenhagen to watch Northern Ireland draw 0-0 with Denmark, Richboy from the club met Tim Acheson. Tim Acheson was based in Exeter Read more about Alphington! SOENISC hits Exeter…November 2007[…]
In 2002 – 2003 while working in the local butchery at Steensons in Bangor, we would attract many a “local celebrity” customer, this included ex Northern Ireland World Cup star Billy Hamilton, ex- UVF hitman Gusty Spence, North Down Conservative Ulster Unionist MP Lady Sylvia Hermon, and perhaps oddly….Richard Morrow, a local hypnotist. He would Read more about The Night I got Hypnotised?…by Richard Morrow in Bangor, Northern Ireland[…]
This is to date on my blog, the most nostalgic, inspiring and melancholic post yet and it warps your poisoned mind back to 1997 – when life was good, when “the smiles were genuine.” I’m not being deeply ironic, cynical, acting like an old man, I’m just appreciating that period of my life when everything Read more about The Windsor, Bangor, Northern Ireland (1997)[…]
In my life I’ve been to four Northern Ireland v. Spain matches. It seems we are two teams that are nearly always drawn against each other. For example in every World Cup between 1982 and 1994 we were either in the same group in the actual tournament or in qualifying. We even had Spain in Read more about “You’ll never get Gibraltar!” – Northern Ireland 0-0 Spain (June 2003)[…]
Back to 1990 then for this little blog post. As you may know I am a Glentoran supporter. Due to the fact that I have lived in England for 5 years, I obviously don’t go to see them a lot anymore, but there were times in the early 1990s that I used to go almost Read more about Bangor 2-1 Glentoran (Budweiser Cup, 20th October 1990)[…]
Big Brother!! The reality television show first hit the UK screens in the summer of the year 2000. That summer I was glued to my screens watching it as the drama unfolded. There was Tom, from Northern Ireland the local guy for me to support. There was the whole nasty Nick business, by a guy Read more about Big Brother In Law: Boom Boom Room, Bangor – October 2000[…]
This morning I got an Ulster Fry (that’s a proper fried breakfast to anyone outside of Northern Ireland/Ulster) for just 95pence, that’s right five pence less than £1. A SEVEN piece Ulster Fry for just 95 p, plus I got two free cups of Earl Grey tea with that. This included scrambled egg, beans, tomato, Read more about Friday’s Featured Food: Ikea’s 95p Ulster Fry Bates The Credit Crunch!![…]