Midi

Mike Westbrook has completed composing the music, and very fine it is too. We got a midi file made of it to help the Miscellany girls, who are slightly nervous because it's very close harmony and, without accompaniment, they have to grasp notes from thin air so to speak. But I'm sure they'll perform brilliantly when we record 18 November. Which is the next time the show (well a diesel filled China) takes to the road and I must think about planning a trip to Manaton at the same time to bag our last window and fix up some interviews. It's all go!

Liver Birds

Went to see the Peter Blake exhibition at Tate Liverpool (see Albert Dock above) - wonderful work they've done on the docks and warehouses and the exhibition is great fun, really inspires me and makes me feel all creative again - cannot understand why it isn't being shown in London.

The drive back to Film Farm is uneventful apart from an episode at the Dunhalm Bridge toll. Charles picks out the requisite 30p for me - 30 1p coins! As I hand it over I note in an apologetic tone that it is rather a handful. The chap looks at the coppers in disgust and opines: 'I should slap your legs for that!'

The number of slow moving caravans was also a hindrance - SCRAP enforecement required!

As they say, it's great to go travelling, but it's oh so good to come home. One regret and niggle - I was promised a drink at The Shelbourne hotel in Dublin but Charles somehow managed to eliminate this from the itinerary. He claims it's my fault.

Ggggreetingggs ffrom Llllibbby!

(For strange words see Christopher Foyle's delightful Philavery!)

Ireland 5

Genevieve Fry from Australia on Harp and Asha Calik from Germany on Hang

Wednesday: Charles tries for kidneys again at breakfast but there are none to be had - the cupboard is bare.

We return to Iveagh Gardens and, despite being hounded by a large grass cutting machine, we succeed in filming my havering. Thence, to placate Charles, we take a ride on the super dooper tram and back, before dashing down to Grafton Street to film the ambience and buskers including some Polish violinists and a duo who play harp and hang (a Swiss metal flying saucer, played like a drum) - the sounds complement each other perfectly. Just time to fit in a quick cappucino at Bewley's Oriental Cafe (beautifully decorated - both the building and the coffee) before returning to the hotel and driving to the ferry (see windswept passengers) and then driving to Liverpool.

Ireland 4

Charles on the move!

Tuesday: At breakfast Charles decides on the kidneys but after a 15 minute wait is told they are OFF!

Today we are bound for St Patrick's Cathedral and require more than the usual amount of equipment so load up my car (known as China).

Jinx #4: En route we spot a garage selling Diesel and join a queue for the pumps. Being early morning it is fairly busy and the owner, standing on the forecourt, directs me into the out lane. She then announces that she will fill the car and shooes me off in the direction of the shop to pay, but part way there a warning bell sounds in my head and I race back - sure enough - she's filling China with PETROL! Aaarrrrgh! All 17 litres of it.

I have to say this for the lady, she is exceptionally contrite and exceptionally helpful. We pile our luggage into her car and she drives us to St Patrick's, finds us at midday to give a progress report and finally collects us at 4pm when we find China sitting quietly in the forecourt gazing at the Grand Canal, having had the petrol siphoned out and a full colonic irrigation before being filled up with DIESEL. Inside the car is a jolly carrier bag with 2 bottles of wine and a large box of chocolates! So, from experience, I have to concur that Irish fuel is exceptionally cheap.

Despite the crowds, filming in St Patrick's goes very well, thank goodness, and Gavan Woods, the Cathedral Supervisor, proves to be very jolly and most helpful. Vertigo kicks in when I attempt the spiral staircase and I wimp out of the second set even though they provide good views of the Brangwyn window.

Jinx #5: Roadworks et al. We then move outside and set up in St Patrick's Park to take some external shots of the ediface and record my usual galimatias. However the hedge trimmers are out in force and some men are digging a very large hole in the adjacent road. I dash off to enquire how long the work might take or when they next anticipate a tea break - ah, this is an emergency, but they might be finished within the hour. So we move on to the Iveagh Trust buildings but they are plagued by the same noise and the traffic, so move on again to the Iveagh Market. Here a van conveniently parks in front of the camera, almost mowing me down in the process (Charles has a knack of positioning me in the middle of the road for my babbles - could this be coincidence or malice aforethought I wonder?!) Having relocated the camera, the dreaded road menders appear from nowhere and start drilling with gusto.

Returning to St Patrick's and the Iveagh Trust we discover that the hole in the road is now being shored up and the noise has abated. We manage to complete by 4pm as arranged with the garage proprietor.

I then drive into the City and Charles films the Liffey and O'Connell Bridge whilst I sit in the car in an illegal space and hope the garda don't appear. On to St James's Gate for film of the Guinness Brewery, and some more illegal parking.

Jinx # 6: Back to the hotel for a quick wash and brush up and book a taxi because this evening we have promised ourselves a treat - a meal at the Alexis Bar and Grill in Dun Laoghaire. We tell the driver quite clearly that we want the Alexis Bar, St Patrick's Street, Dun Laoghaire and are slightly confused by the route he takes. When he arrives at St Patrick's Street, Dublin we politely point out his error - and, to be fair, he is also contrite and helpful - rings up the restaurant, explains that we will be late, resets the meter, and when we arrive reduces the fare!

The meal is superb especially the freshly caught tuna, the waiter produces 2 spoons for Charles's dessert without prompting, and the prices are less than in Dublin itself. Highly recommended.

This time we state very very carefully that we wish to return to D U B L I N - 'oh', says the taxi driver, 'no worries, I'll take you to Timbuctoo if you really want.'

Ireland 3

Monday: I realise the car needs diesel but decide to wait until I can fill up with cheaper Irish fuel. We set off for Holyhead via Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch (which, roughly tanslated, means The church of Mary in the hollow of the white hazel near the fierce whirlpool and the church of Tysilio by the red cave - but you already knew that). Whoever invented the Welsh language was provided with a disproportionate number of Ls and Gs and Ys when given the basic typeset!

The Guiness family commissioned the Brangwyn window in Dublin and they were a remarkably philanthropic and humanitarian lot so we embark on a series of clips indicating their good works - St Stephen's Green, Iveagh Park, Iveagh Trust housing, Iveagh Market and of course St Patrick's Cathedral.

Jinx # 1: Monday afternoon we phone for a taxi and sit on the hotel steps in the sun awaiting same (see Charles with baggage and FBSG clapper board). Meanwhile three Europeans drag their voluminous cases down the steps and wait on the pavement for a taxi to take them to the airport. A taxi arrives, they speedily load up, I descend the steps and ask politely which room number the taxi driver has come to collect - he responds with mine - the other travellers now neatly ensconced in the vehicle claim vociferously that this is their room number! I gve up and we await their taxi - a huge affair more suited to transporting bags to the airport. The driver is none too plased at the prospect of his small fare.

Jinx #2: I ask for Iveagh House on St Stephen's Green but the driver takes us to the opposite side of the park, and, due to the vagaries of the one-way system, it would take another 30 minutes to get where we want so he drops us near the tram stop - fortuitously for Charles who is like a little kid when it comes to trains and similar, and from that point on trams take the place of the horse drawn carriages in Bruges!

After filming the trams from all angles (see above) I drag Charles away to the park itself, thence to the exterior of the large house the family used to occupy facing the Green. Managing to spout my words in between bursts of noisy traffic is not easy (a minor and anticipated jinx until it begins to escalate the following day). Armed with tripod, cameras and bags we trudge along to the Iveagh gardens and are transported by a wonderful waterfall.
Jinx # 3: Happily filming in the Iveagh gardens we are accosted by a uniformed gentleman ringing a bell - time's up apparently. We depart without having completed our work and the gates clang behind us.

Another longish walk (well, believe me it is when armed with heavy camera equipment) interrupted by photo opportunities presented by the elegant Georgian doorways, to David Byrne's pub in Duke's Street where, with my feet on the Ulysees plaque, I manage somehow to maintain a cheerful smile whilst being filmed sipping a Guinness! NOT my favourite tipple.

After returning to the hotel we wander round looking for a bistro (not having eaten since breakfast Libby's stomach is performing its borborygmus act with gusto). We finally loacte something suitable near St Stephen's Green but it proves to be tremendously noisy. When we enquire whether the noise level is usually this high, our waiter responds - 'Well, this is my first evening so I could not comment with any degree of certainty.' Wonderful place Ireland - even the waiters are literary!

Ireland 2

Sunday: We arrive in Beaumaris early evening and have another excellent meal at the Bulls Head Inn - the antipasta starter is a delight, with juicy sun dried tomatoes (not your usual normal dry as leather variety), some divine preserved figs which are neither sweet nor vinegary and very tasty bread.

Ireland - 2nd time lucky? (Well, almost)

Sunflower in honour of Oscar of course and purchased in Grafton Street!

Saturday: I leave my mother with strict instructions not to fracture another hip. Second time lucky we hope, although the jinxes are still apparent (see enumerated below).

I am greeted in usual enthusiastic fashion at Film Farm by Muriel and Dot (Croad Langshan and Norfolk Grey).