Ballybunion sunset, Confessions of a tyre kicker and Duagh Sports Complex nearing completion

Stunning Ballybunion Sunset witnessed by Mike Enright….a side benefit of fishing.

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Tyre kicker; This term apparently came from the car selling trade and it is used to denote a person who comes in, wastes the salesman's time by looking at everything, asking lots of questions and leaves without buying anything.

The term implies that the person in question never intended buying anything in the first place and was just a time waster,  so, in that sense, I was a tyre kicker by accident for I did intend buying, I just left without doing so.

What am I talking about?

Let me explain that Billy Keane took part in a RTE1 radio show last week with Derek Mooney when the subject of tyre kickers was the topic of the day. Derek had; a car salesman, an estate agent and a publican (Billy Keane) in to discuss the phenomenon. Billy was discommoded by visitors to John B.'s who come in, take photographs and ask lots of questions but buy nothing. He told us that it upsets his mother even more than it does him.

If the cap fits, as they say, so here is my new culpa.

On Thursday nights they do a marvelous theme night in Allos Bistro. Last Thursday night week the theme was Indian. The meal was delicious, the servings generous and a bottle of wine was imbibed by myself and my two dining companions.

The night was still young when we left Allos so we decided to take in the pub theatre in John B.s and to have our nightcap there.

We arrived just as the play was starting so we decided to wait until the performance was over to order our drink. The play was great. I enjoyed it immensely and took lots of photos for the blog,  but old age, early mornings, hard work and a full belly were combining to cause my friend to nod off.  I suggested that we head for home and the leaba and come to John B.s another night. Without thinking, I had become that pariah of the car, house and drink trade…a tyre kicker.

So there it is. I put my hand up to my sin. I have publicly confessed. I have made a firm purpose of amendment and if you see me in John B's in future, I'll have a drink in front of me.

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The Play

John B. Keane's puts on some great shows during the summer months. This one was a performance by the Athea Drama Group of John B.'s Backwater. The play explores themes close to the playwright's heart; love, emigration, family conflicts and the small pleasures of life in a rural Irish backwater. The inexperienced actors coped well with performing in a very tight space with their audience close enough to touch them. It was a lovely intimate occasion and an honour to see his play performed in the great man's own home just below the room in which the play was written.

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That was then, this is now

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The lights are on in Duagh Sports Complex

Isn't it fabulous, a credit to all involved.

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Listowel Emmetts U8 girls

photo from Listowel Emmets Ladies' Football page

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Drone view of Electric Picnic on Saturday last

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SItZgvYzLLU

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Extraordinary footage here of Ireland's strongest man, (Michael) Butty, Sugrue;

http://www.irishcentral.com/roots/history/The-amazing-tale-of-Irelands-strongest-man-Michael-Butty-Sugrue-VIDEO.html