New Aviva Stadium - 1st game of rugby

I was covering the 1st game of rugby at the new Aviva Stadium at Lansdowne road, Dublin for The Examiner yesterday. The game was between Combined Provinces Match, Leinster / Ulster v Munster / Connacht, (Under 20/Development Teams). At 68-0, or 62-zip as our American friends might say, was certainly a whitewash.

Nice stadium with the most up-to-date facilities, apart from pitchside wi-fi, which we all know isn't the most reliable anywhere, they have 15 internet/lan plugin connections at each end of the pitch, just be advised to bring your own extended CAT-5 cable as the ones at the pitch are a little short.

The pitchside viewpoint is very nice for photos, slanted just nicely down, although you still get soaked, as do spectators.

Managed to get a shot of the historic first try being scored by Leinster/Ulster's Craig Gilroy:

An Post Meath Heritage Cycle Tour - photos

First assignment shooting from the back of a motorbike (thanks Davy) The An Post Meath Heritage Cycle Tour, 500 entrants last year, over 1,400 this year - one of the best organised events I have covered in a while. The other 500 images will be posted tomorrow...

Clogherhead world record attempt for most people buried in sand simultaneously

Had great fun covering this world record attempt in Clogherhead on Sunday for The Examiner on Sunday, more than 500 people buried themselves in the sand of little strand beach as part of the Clogherhead Prawn Festival. So many people turned up and made the effort. They were rewarded by having great coverage in all of the papers by all accounts. This was my favourite pic:

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This is the post in the blog

this is the post itself, my dog is a great fellaWhen Meath were last in the Leinster final one young fan thought it would be a great idea to PAINT h...is cat GREEN!!! His mother was very,very upset - naturally .And so to retrieve the situation the young fella decided to wash the cat IN THE WASHING MACHINE..( FYI The door does'nt open until the cycle comes to a complete halt !! ) Unbelievably the cat survived and was suffering from fluid on the chest and exhaustion when we examined him..LUCKY will be around on Sunday for the big game against Louth

Lucky the cat and Michael and Colman Burke

Funny job for The Examiner today of 'Lucky' the cat, his brilliant vet Colman Burke and Colman's brother - the superb Meath Senior Footballer Michael Burke who will miss this weekend's Leinster SFC final against Louth. Michael broke his leg playing against Laois in the quarter final and as sore and uncomfortable as it was and still is, perhaps not as bad as what poor 'Lucky' had to endure, the story (by vet Colman Burke of Royal Pet Vet) is after the photo:


When Meath were last in the Leinster final one young fan thought it would be a great idea to PAINT h...is cat GREEN!!! His mother was very,very upset - naturally .And so to retrieve the situation the young fella decided to wash the cat IN THE WASHING MACHINE..( FYI The door does'nt open until the cycle comes to a complete halt !! ) Unbelievably the cat survived and was suffering from fluid on the chest and exhaustion when we examined him..LUCKY will be around on Sunday for the big game against Louth