Drawing Maradona and Other Things in 1986

In many ways, the 1980s were the best decade ever!! I love looking back 20 odd years at those photos, and this one here, in particular encapsulates the sort of Jonny Blair I was and always have been. Plus the furniture, the style, the fashion and the era of the 1980s is fantastic. For the Read more about Drawing Maradona and Other Things in 1986[…]

The Day I Almost Died in a Car Crash

“The living daylights” – James Bond movie / A-Ha. This is the scariest blog post to date, and looking back at this event scared the living daylights out of me. I guess most of us will have known someone or have been in a car accident at some point in their lives. According to DingGo, Read more about The Day I Almost Died in a Car Crash[…]

Working Wednesdays: Temporary Work with Grafton Recruitment, Bangor, Northern Ireland

After leaving the Halifax in the first week of April 2002, suddenly I had my final pay packet and was going to sign on to the dole, but the same day I signed up with a job recruitment agency based locally in Bangor. It was the first (and only…) time I have ever signed up Read more about Working Wednesdays: Temporary Work with Grafton Recruitment, Bangor, Northern Ireland[…]

P1 Thompson (1984 – 1985), Kilmaine Primary School, Bangor, Northern Ireland

Childhood reminiscences are something which happened recently whilst back in Northern Ireland and sifting through old photos from P1 as we call it, or Primary One. I attended the wonderful Kilmaine Primary School in the Bangor area of Northern Ireland. The school was very small and compact in size, but actually had its own football Read more about P1 Thompson (1984 – 1985), Kilmaine Primary School, Bangor, Northern Ireland[…]

Working Wednesdays: Gallery Events at North Down Heritage Centre, Bangor, Northern Ireland

The only time I’ve ever worked in any sort of “museum” or, actually “heritage centre” was back in September and October 2001. I was employed by McMillens Bar & Restaurant at the time and they also did special wine and beer nights at the local heritage centre in Bangor, Northern Ireland. Bangor doesn’t have its Read more about Working Wednesdays: Gallery Events at North Down Heritage Centre, Bangor, Northern Ireland[…]

Northern Ireland Days: Getting My President’s Badge (May 1996)

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)[…]

The Night I got Hypnotised?…by Richard Morrow in Bangor, Northern Ireland

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[…]