HSE Community Games 2009

The 2009 HSE Community Games Finals were interrupted by atrocious weather this year and I got right and royally soaked whilst photographing them, but the games seem so well loved by all involved that the rain failed to dampen spirits and appeared to generate more smiles than frowns. These kids amaze me they are so focused, photographing from the edge of the track I was so lucky to witness first-hand the determination these athletes muster. At one stage I swung around to avoid a particularly nasty shower I spotted Orla Brady from County Clare 'on her marks' and it made one of my favourite images from the day, a sentiment it seems was shared by The Irish Examiner who I was working for that day. Although in many ways there are technical issues with the image, including the omission of her feet I think her emotion, the rain, her number hanging off her, her sagging clothes etc. etc. don't detract at all from the photo.

My other favourite from the day is here:

LeavingCert exam results

Photographed students in St Olivers Community College in Drogheda, County Louth today for The Irish Examiner.

The reason I am blogging is twofold, 1. to unburden my thoughts back to when I got my results (I managed 5 passes, 5 d's that is) from almost no study, certainly an underachievement but my late Mum Judy was delighted that I had at least passed and gave me 5 quid for every pass I achieved, 25 quid (in circa 1987) for doing nothing isn't a bad return by any standards.

Reason 2. The Leaving Cert isn't the be-all and end-all, so for any students that might not have got the results they were hoping for out there that happen to google their school and my blog turns up - take heart and don't be upset.

I am one of the lucky ones that after a pretty appalling participation in the Irish education system with a failed 'inter cert', (ask your grandparents what that is!) and a very ordinary pass in the Leaving cert as well as the notoriety of being the first prefect in St. Patrick's Classical School in Navan to be expelled, I have done okay.

I have been in the UK, Iceland, Germany (twice), France, Hong Kong (3 times), Hawaii, Malaysia (twice), Japan (worked there as a software engineer for 4.5 years), China, America (twice), Dubai, Oman, Austria (twice), Australia (twice).

I have photographed bands from Green Day to Coldplay, Massive Attack to Paul Weller, and REM to The Foo Fighters, I have photographed Tiger Woods playing in the Ryder Cup and photographed Chinese Premiers in Aras and Uachtarain, Sumo champion Wrestlers ringside (with a GAA photo pass!) as well as having the privilege of photographing kids in my locale that were champions in their own right and I have over 60 book covers to my name (ironically most of them used to illustrate educational textbooks!).

I have had images printed in almost every national newspaper in the UK and Ireland and other publications all over the world as well as front pages and even a photo in Newsweek magazine of an image from the 50th anniversary of the cultural revolution in China depite being told I wouldn't allowed within a 10 miles radius of Tiananmen Square.

Where am I going with all this? Well, I did all the above armed with a camera, self-belief, hard work and a little chutzpah, if you didn't get the results you wanted, try harder, try again, try again and try harder, believe in yourself, don't screw anyone over and you will get there - sermon over...