Monday, November 07, 2005

+++ bits + pieces +++

- Legendary gay club night HAM at the PoD closed it's doors last Friday night. After over 7 years at the cutting edge of music and design, the boys behind HAM, Rory O'Neill and Karim Rehmani - White, decided to finish on a high.


- The Thrills are set to make an appearance at a special event for MINI at CrawDaddy this week. The group are expected to pocket in excess of €30,000 for the performance at the MINI adventure. As MINI ambassadors, each of the 5 members of the group drive sporty MINI cars, a perfect partnership as the car manufacturer are trying to target more male drivers.


- Congrats to Mark Cagney who won the "TV Personality of the Year" award at the IFTA awards at the weekend. Mark, who co-presents the popular morning TV show Ireland AM, beat off competition from the likes of Pat Shortt of RTE and Sky News Ireland's Grainne Seoige, who has been nominated 3 times for the award and was tipped to win. Incidently, Mark was one of a number of guests at a MINI event in Italy last week.


- Jackie Brannigan, marketing manager of Nokia Ireland, is leaving the mobile firm. After 8 years there she departs at the end of the week to join Canon Ireland.


- TV3's new talk show, The Brendan Courtney Show, makes it's debut on Wednesday night. Guests for the first show are Anne Robinson, Keith Duffy, Hector and Alan Shortt. In a current radio ad campaign Brendan, who has been based in the UK for the last number of years, can be heard saying that Wednesday is "the hub of the week when even the most hardened party animal is at home". Not true Brendan! We all know that Wednesday is the busiest day on the social scene.


- Following a sensational summer of Budweiser music events including unforgettable performances by The Magic Numbers and the Kings of Leon in Dublin, the West of Ireland is set to come alive with three rocking nights of BudRising-mania. Music lovers are in for a treat, as Budweiser proudly presents performances by Mercury nominees The Zutons, the ultra funky Groove Armada and home grown legends in the making Republic of Loose at some of the best gig spots in Galway, Limerick and Castlebar November 17th – 19th.