Thursday October 11th 2007.

What a Great day I’ve just had…  With the help of Paula the Librarian, Daria My Wife, Mr O’Loingsigh, Cait O’Donovan and Mr Kenneally The Teachers and most importantly all the students a great and creative day was had by all.

My day started with a nice Breakfast at my B&B, which I’m sure you are not interested in, but you have just wasted your time reading about it and I am sorry,  and then on the train to Cobh.

The First Class I had was the 6th Class from St Joseph’s N.S.  A boy’s class.  I started, as I did with all the performances, with a song called ‘the Coat hanger Song’ and this was enjoyed and set the standard for the rest of it as I read poems, sang songs, asked questions and got them to break into groups to create limericks that begin with the line ‘There was an old lady from Spain’.  A large part of the class were playing in an important Football fixture later on so I was hopeful that my Soccer section would be well received and it was.  I started with a song called ‘Mis-Spelt Football team blues’ a song about a creative effort of a Tottenham fan going wrong.  I also informed them that I myself was a supporter of Tottenham, which did not go down as well as the poems and songs.  At the end I asked them to fill in a questionnaire to let me know how well I had done and I received some wonderful reviews,  Tottenham Hotspur on the other hand did not come out so well with comments being made about how although they liked my songs and poems,  my choice of Soccer team was shocking.

The Second Class was also a 6th Class from St Mary’s N.S. This was a Class of Girls.  The performance was pretty much the same with a few poems substituted, but generally the same.  The Limerick section went down exceptionally well with all groups coming up with two limericks, some created three, all of an exceptionally high quality.  One song I do is a Blues Song called ‘Got New Shoes Blues’ before which I explain what The Blues is and also the fact that buying Shoes gives me The Blues, hence the song.  Whilst giving this explanation one of the girls in the front row looked horrified, so obviously a Woman’s passion for buying shoes starts early.  Again very positive comments were received.

After the second class, I then had a break for Lunch.  Now as I’ve said before I’m sure that you have no interest in my feeding habits, but if anyone ever finds themselves in Cobh, both Myself and my Wife would recommend the ‘Lazy Bean’ Restaurant.

My final class for the day was again from St Joseph’s N.S.  Due to the match being played this was only a small group, and therefore the Limerick section did not take long to read so they got a few more poems.  I did feel tired when having lunch and I was worried about not giving it my best,  but I seemed revitalised as I strapped on my guitar and launched into ‘The Coat hanger Song’  again the comments were very good so I can only assume the tiredness I felt did not affect me.  The soccer section was again well received and Tottenham again weren’t, in fact I read a poem called, ‘We hope the other team don’t show up’, which I explained that this was a poem about a really bad football team, some witty youngster asked, ‘Who Tottenham?’ 

Although my tiredness did not affect me during my performance, once walking round Cobh with my wife, after I had finished, I felt exceptionally tired and on our return to Cork it was an exceptionally tired although happy humorist/poet/singer-songwriter who decided to stay in his B&B and watch telly, hand write my blog and have an early night in preparation for my performance in Kanturk tomorrow.