He's Behind You!!!!

Ok, so anyone who knows me knows that I'm an absolute Pantomime fanatic. And it's definitely the time of year to be thinking about it! Once the Christmas lights go up around the town and the 'Coca-cola' ad arrives on the telly, you know that people will finally start listening to your strange ramblings about this post-holiday show.

I've been dancing in the Drogheda pantomime for over 5 consecutive years now, a few here and there when I was growing up. I'm the kind of person that always needs something to look forward to, and seeing as this show takes place at the end of January, it's a very beneficial method of making it from the last days of Christmas to the Easter break.

Panto practice, though some people do not realise, usually starts sometime in September. Too early? Not at all, as it's now November and we've been resorted to holding two classes a week (3 1/2 hours in total) to keep up with our dancing agenda. It can be tiring, and my God it can be bitchy, but there's nobody there who'd actually leave.

Last year, Drogheda Pantomime Society put on a production of 'Mother Goose'. I have to say, it was one of the most enjoyable pantomimes that I have been connected with.
The producer finally got around to employing Jenny Fagan as the choreographer, and it's true that the dancing has NEVER been better!



Jenny's doing the dancing this year, and is jumping hurdles to make it as good as last year!

This year's production is 'Sinbad the Sailor', and we're doing some great routines like Canyman and Yankee Doodle Dandy from Lord of the Dance!

Even the pantomime hoodies have been ordered (thanks to yours truly, who everyone just EXPECTED to do it!) They are pretty cool, though. The Pantomime dancer logo (which I designed) stitched onto a jumper with your name on the back. Whoop!

Either way? it's gonna be good! Check out our PANTO BEBO PAGE around January for dates and times!! Show some support!

Proud to be involved with 'The Mighty Drogs'?

Ok, so here are the basics:

• I'm from Drogheda




• Nearly 3/4 of the population of the town are absolute fanatics about the local football team




• Drogheda United FC have recently won the title of Eircom League champions of Ireland




• We won a great big cup




• My dad is the club's P.R.O

Nobody really seems to notice the link. But yes, my dad is mainly the P.R.O to The Mighty Drogs, but has other jobs, such as marketing, advertising and event management. And recently, all the events that the club is involved with, this newest trophy is likely to make an appearance. So.... yeah. This €80,000 pure silver cup is in fact sitting in the corner of my kitchen. Every day. There's no point in trying to rob it, all you kleptomaniacs reading this, it's too well known!

But the hype about the arrival of the cup in the town has been enormous. And eventually, word got out that the new trophy was in fact sitting in my house. I'm used to it. Before this it was the Setanta cup. Before that it was the FAI cup. I just can't seem to get used to the fans.

I was sitting watching 'That 70's show' a few days ago, when there was a knock on the door. Ugh. Ignore it. I'm too comfortable (I do that a lot). The knocking persisted. Reluctantly, I got up off the sofa to answer the door. A man, and a child who I presumed to be his son, were standing on my doorstep. The man was clutching a camera.

"Eh, hello. Is, um.. your, say, dad here?"
He wasn't. I told him this. But the man did not move.
"Oh, right", he continued, "Well is, eh, the um, cup here?"

He obviously knew he was being somewhat rude. All I could do was stare at him. Not because of his audacity to come to my house to see the cup, but as I was straining my ears so I could still follow the conversations on the television.

Without a word, I stood aside and gestured him in. He and his son followed me into my kitchen, where the cup stood on the kitchen table, where other people would usually place an arrangement of flowers. Both the man and his son got very excited, and started snapping photos instantly. When the initial excitement wore off, the child turned to me.
"You not excited it's in your house?"

Well no, actually. I'm not. The things a nuisance. Sure, it's great for the town that the team won this, and it was a great feat to become overall Ireland champions, but I'm used to it. Football's not really my thing.

This is not the first time that this has happened. Streams of people always arrive at my house to view the various trophies that have been here in the past three years. I'm sick of this. I'm watching 'That 70's show'. I'm watching 'The Panel'. Granted, some are invited, and my friends are all very grateful that they, and their siblings, and their parents, and their parents siblings, can come to see the cups.

And I suppose I do like that I can fulfill the desires of my friends..

Drogheda United's website provides many photos of the 'Drogs on Tour', the sensibly named 'Drog Shop' stands in the middle of the town selling an assortment of hats, scarves, tracksuits, t-shirts, winter jackets- you name it, they sell it!

If you spent ten minutes walking through one of Drogheda's busy shopping centres, 20 quid says more than half of the locals will be wearing some sort of D.U.F.C attire! It's not some sort of money making scheme- people actually want, and love this merchandise.

So, I suppose I should be thankful to have these trophies in my house. It's something to tell the kids! But for now, nah, go away!