Joe’s Blog

The Great Friday Festival takes place next Friday the 21st of March, run by Great Friday Event Management, in County Limerick.
For the last five years, the Great Friday Party has been held in Limerick city. It has always been a fantastic day, looked forward to by many. Last years event saw three live music acts, and 300 guests enjoy the environment of goodwill that people have come to expect from Great Friday.
With growth in attendees increasing as it has been, we decided this year to move the event outdoors and increase the emphasis on live music. In looking to Limericks live music scene, we found immense support for the project, and the result is a line up that showcases Limericks best bands. The line up is

We Should Be Dead
The Fewer The Better
Idle Hands
Walter Mitty and The Realists
Seneca
Fox Jaw Bounty Hunters
Verfield
Blackstar
Lavelle
Confused Nation
Qazi Qazi Khan
Benoit
Maciek

DJ Lego
Kav

Where the event takes place has been a hotly discussed subject over the last number of weeks and the location has been kept a secret by the landowners and organisers. The first act takes the stage at 11AM that morning and bands perform until 9:30PM. The DJ’s take the stage at 9:30PM and will be playing until 12AM. A bus service will be running from Arthurs Quay Park every 30 minutes from 10AM till 9PM to shuttle people to the event and the bus service runs until everyone gets home. Food and minerals will be available to purchase on the grounds courtesy of contracted caterers and the event is a BYOB (Bring your own Beer) event. Tickets are priced at a reasonable €20 and are available to buy from Bakers Bar or by contacting greatfriday@gmail.com.
Profits from the day will be going to Worthy Cause to support the building of the Self Help Community Centre in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

29th March 2008
10K RUN/WALKATHON
11:00am Walk start
11:30am Run start
All Contributions go towards the Charities
Milford Hospice, Down Syndrome Ireland
and Croí
(Sudden Death Syndrome Ireland)

Register before 22nd March - Adults €12.00 / Students €8.00 / Over 65 €8.00
Entry forms available at the UL Arena Reception desk or www.plassey10k.com

For further info contact
Catherine dot Dooley at ul dot ie or Phone (061) 213596

As flagged by the angry hedgehog and now there is a facebook event

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OUT IN UL-The University of Limerick’s Lesbian, Gay & Bisexual Society presents ‘QUEERBASH V’

Out In UL, the Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Society in the University of Limerick, will be hosting the 5th Annual Queerbash event on Friday 22nd February 2008 in Baker’s Place & Underground, Limerick. ‘Queerbash’ is a fundraising and social event for the LGBT community in Limerick and the Mid-West.

Queerbash 5 is geared up to be another success, as it has been for the previous 4 years. It will build on these achievements by continuing to use the event as a means for Outreach within the Lesbian, Gay & Bi-Sexual Community in the Mid-West, but also to those who are straight who just want to come along for a fantastic evening of fun in a safe and controlled environment. There will be 2 DJ’s downstairs battling it out, whilst a Charity Auction will take place, with all proceeds going to Rainbow Support Services-an LGBT resource Centre in Limerick City.

Out In UL, provides support for the LGB students on the campus of UL, as well as an active awareness program of LGB issues, chief among which lies the concept of Violence towards the Gay community. The title of the event, “Queerbash”, represents a recognition of this violence, which is still ongoing within our society-Some 41% of people in a 2006 survey on Hate Crimes claimed to be a victim. Of that group, nearly 50% suffered a Physical Attack. (Source: Johnny, Hate Crimes Report 2006, Dublin: 2006). Queerbash is about raising the profile of such attacks and reneging the victim status which becomes attached to a person who has been attacked because of their sexual orientation.

The Society is also involved with other LGBT’s across the country, many of whom will be in attendance at this event which is one of the longest run & premier student-run LGBT events in the country.

The Event will be run this year in conjunction with “Baby Blue Training” Conference, which is another LGBT event being hosted by Out In UL, with support from NUI Maynooth and Kildare LGBT this year. This Conference will feature workshops, discussions on various LGBT issues arising in Ireland including city vs country life, Civil Marriage Rights and Health Issues.

Tickets cost 5EUR before 11pm and 8EUR after. For further information contact outinul@yahoo.ie or see http://heaven.skynet.ie

Key Facts:

* Date: 22nd February 2008.
* Venue: Baker Place/Underground, Limerick.
* 5th Anniversary of ‘Queerbash’ which grows more successful and bigger every year.
* Event is for all persons, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual or Straight, of an open mindset.
* Being run as part of ‘Baby Blue Training’, an LGBT Conference with NUIM & Kildare LGBT.

Remember the calendar that I suggested before Christmas - tonight they’ll be handing over the cheques. I can still probably source a few calendars if anyone wants
From www.limerickpost.ie

Friday 25th Jan 2008 the UL Vikings will hand over the proceeds of their 2008 charity calendar to the Mid-West Cancer Centre in Russells Bar, Raheen, Limerick at 8pm.

• “Full Monty Theme”
• Live music with Shaun O’Dowd featuring Hanora
• African Drummers reception with red carpet and champagne
• Cocktail tastings
• Finger food
• Dress to impress

For those people with a connection to the University of Limerick here are a few suggestions

Crinniu CD from the UL Trad Group.

All proceeds from the sale of the CD are going to St. Vincents School in Lisnagry. The funds will be used to assist the outfitting of a Solezeum Room for the children at the school. The equipment can be used to stimulate or to calm the senses depending on the pupils needs. The therapy can help in all areas of the child’s development including speech, movement, tactile responses and overall feelings of security and well being.

If you wish to purchase the CD you can contact any of the following:
Noel McCarthy, Pat Cuddy, Jim Ryan, Rita Gallagher, Danny Browne, Tom O’Dwyer or any member of the group

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UL Vikings 2008 Calendar (naked American Football players) - proceeds to fund equipment in the cancer unit of Limerick Regional Hospital available in Eason’s I’m told

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Cantamus Notes (Monaleen) CD - Proceeds to St Vincent’s Centre, Lisnagry

The CD will be available from the following outlets:

• Monaleen Church
• The Bookshop in Superquinn Shopping Centre
• Flavin’s Butchers
• The Hair Shop
• Celtic Bookshop
• Hunt Museum Shop
• 30, Ashleigh Wood, Monaleen: annheffernan [at] hotmail [dot] com

Suggested contributions: 1 CD 10 euro, 2 for 15 euro

http://www.geocities.com/cantamusnotes/

Limerick Blogger suggests Give a digout to people who deserve it and provides details of charities like MILFORD CARE CENTRE, LIMERICK ANIMAL WELFARE, REDEMPTORISTS CHRISTMAS APPEAL, SOCIETY OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL and THE SAMARITANS

I’ll be running 5 miles shortly in aid of ALJEFF - Suicide Centre and Adapt House Services; ECE funrun

Digouts for charity (donations) are more than welcome…

Is it Time to Boycott People In Need and finish it off?
- a discussion

The telethon emphasizes the desperate helplessness of the most severely disabled. In doing so, it reinforces the public’s tendency to equate handicap with total hopelessness.

and check out the official RTE People In Need Telethon page.

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In other news - the University of Limerick Students’ Union organised “Walkout Wednesday” because

The University committed to clearing Wednesday afternoons of all classes 5 years ago – and nothing has happened.

I took some photos of the Mock-Dail in which Young Fine Gael, Ogra Fianna Fail and Labour Youth took part. The Young Greens were substituted with a bag of spuds (organic I think)

2007-10-24 Mock Dail Album

Slideshow