Saturday, May 15, 2010

Meeting a Real Life Pirate and Dublin from the Bay - Day Seven in Ireland


Alice Cooper would be proud because school's out from summer! That is if by summer, I meant today only. Saturday was a free day in which no lectures or tours were planned. Despite the temptations of Dublin, I decided to put on my journalist hat and do some work.

I used today's free time to interview Steve Conway, an author and local DJ, about a book he had recently published titled "Shiprocked: Life on the Waves with Radio Caroline." In the 1980s, Conway had been a DJ and news presenter for Radio Caroline - a station on the last English pirate radio ship - the Ross Revenge.

I met Conway in the lobby/bar of the Clarion hotel located in the Docklands area (near Dublin's harbor). Nicole DeSantis, a talented undergraduate photography major, accompanied me and snapped some outstanding pictures. I talked with Steve for well-over an hour before heading down North Wall Quay (street near the river) for a tour of the Phantom 102.5 studio.

But, before I continue - let me clarify something.

Dear blog readers, you're going to be disappointed. I'm not going to be writing about the interview today because I'm saving the juicy details for use in an article that I hope to submit for publication within the next week (Prof. Fallon - hint, hint - any interest in copy editing?). I'll keep you folks in cyber-land posted.

After we left the studio, Steve was kind enough to drive us down to the bay to check out Dublin from the water. I had wanted to tour the Guinness Storehouse today, but we weren't going to have time. That was fine by me because this experience was so much more organic, so much more real.

How many tourists get to interview an author, see his radio station's studio and get a ride to the beach from him? That's a rhetorical question, Farley.

Let's move on from that terrible movie reference (Mr. Woodcock starring Billy Bob Thorton - really Andy's brain?).

The coastline around the city was wonderful. The rocks were covered in a thick blackish-green seaweed, but the water was clear and had a green hue to it. The harbor was busy with ships including a massive cruise liner that was anchored in the middle of the port. A statue of the Virgin Mary (quite popular around here) stood at the end of a man-made peninsula of rocks, concrete and grass. It wasn't the prettiest of beaches, but it was ours - and it was glorious.

Tonight we'll go howling into the streets on last time - Werewolves of Dublin! Sorry London, it's all about the ROI for the night.

Note: Photograph by the wonderful Nicole DeSantis. Many thanks for tagging along with me on this story.

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