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Adrian’s All – fairy tales of a job seeker

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Adrian Phelan

Post 55

Hire me

Failte

The post this week is a bit Irish centric because of the way things have landed. However, there is a bit more besides. I cover The Ali G movie, and we’ll have the usual good cause. Going local for a moment I want to go straight in with a massive ‘Bravo’ to all involved with organising the Stevenage 80 Youth Music Concert at The Gordon Craig Theatre on Saturday. It was brilliant. It’s safe to say the future of quality music in the local area is secure, and reassuring that the council and the local music industry has its back. A big shout out to all the artistes who performed: @izzystrevens.music @sleeptillsunrize @samuel_topping @elimorris.music @official.publicliability You were all superstars.

The K Club

I need to extend a big Happy Birthday to my older brother Ken who turned a non-specific age today (26 October). He’s just back from a trip to Killarney. That’s what you do when you’re 53. Oops I didn’t mean to give the year away.

There was always a U2 v R.E.M. war in our house growing up, with Ken being a big fan of the latter. Ironically (because of endless campaigning) we each became fans of both bands. Everything was blown apart a bit when Oasis came along but that’s a blog post on its own if we can ever get bloody tickets.

Philip Cairns – a significant anniversary

For the benefit of non-Irish readers and perhaps even some younger Irish readers, the disappearance of Philip Cairns aged 13 in 1986 is one of Ireland’s most hard-hitting unsolved cases. None of us who were alive and old enough at the time have ever forgotten him. He literally vanished into thin air on his way back to school after lunch one day, his school bag turning up randomly in a nearby laneway a short time later. Every now and again, developments in the case are reported by the media, and this week has brought another one, on what is the 40th anniversary of his disappearance. Both of his parents have now passed away which is heartbreaking with his mother dying only last year.

The case must continue to bring heartache to a family desperate for closure, so as unlikely as it is I want to do a tiny bit and ask that if anyone reading this has information about Philip’s disappearance, please call Rathfarnham Garda Station on 01 666 6500.

The filim bit – Ali Geez, What did we just watch!

I took my son to watch the Ali G movie (Who Iz I?) at the weekend and I’ve been walking around in a daze ever since. No spoilers but the conversation on the way home was about who was in on it – i.e. acting – and who was taking part thinking it was real. If we’re to believe the credits, there weren’t many people acting, which makes the content absolutely shocking. The protagonists were persuaded to carry out some extreme acts that even choice–editing could not excuse. It was simply mind-numbing.

The film has all the usual crude humour you might expect from an Ali-G movie, and one definite plus is the rapport between Baron-Cohen and Morgana Robinson who plays m’Julie.

I did laugh out loud a lot during the just shy of an hour and a half, but overall, I came away shocked at the behaviour of our cousins in Trump’s America.

In a way the movie was selfless, with Baron-Cohen sacrificing some of the character’s thunder to show us what we could be capable of if under the wrong influences.

I’m rambling, but I’ll end by saying, as ever, you should watch it and make your own mind up, but approach it with caution, it’s not for the faint-hearted.

RIP Donal Lunny

I’m going to do this from the heart and not Google facts or figures. I’ve seen Donal Lunny perform live about three times including with Christy Moore and Declan Sinnott and with Afro Celt Sound System. I’ve also seen him numerous times on telly and have learned more in recent days about his many other collaborations. The country might have used up a lot of its available grief when Glenn Hansard passed a few months ago, but rightly we have also paid fitting tributes to Donal. He was the quiet man of the Irish music scene. I am more familiar with Planxty and Moving Hearts than The Bothy Band but people over the last few days have been talking a lot about the latter.

Anyway, we have lost another Irish institution, and although he went about his business quietly, he made enough noise to mark his passing. Thoughts are with his loved ones. RIP Donal.

Do Good Well – Intersex Awareness Day 2026

Intersex Awareness Day is observed on 26 October to highlight the experiences and human rights of intersex people, who are born with sex characteristics that do not fit typical definitions of male or female.

I’m very happy to raise awareness of this campaign which I hope supports intersex people to feel included and safe.

Check out all the important campaign information on the awareness days website.

Goodbye and thanks

I’ll end with another plug for my CV page. Enjoy your half term (Mid-term break in Ireland) but the first thing you do when you get back is hire me.

As ever, thanks for sticking with the blog and I’ll see you next week.

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Adrian’s All – fairy tales of a job seeker

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Adrian Phelan

Post 54

Welcome to this week’s post. There should be something for you in here. Enjoy.  

The job bit

My website’s new CV page is getting hits which is great. It didn’t take long to create and it’s certainly earning its keep. We’re coming into the jolly season so if you have any seasonal campaigns that need an extra pair of hands do keep me in mind. I am open to all sectors and happy to land anywhere my skills will transfer.

Also, if anyone reading has links to any useful job seeking or career resources then do send them my way as well.

As ever, your support is much appreciated.

Thinking of Dad

It’s hard to type but it’s six months since my dad passed, and just under six months for my mother-in-law. I was compelled to jump on and mark it. I remember when he died saying ‘blink and six months will go by’ and they have.

Christmas is just around the corner and a big part of Christmas for our family was watching my dad’s excitement grow over the year. His build up literally started on 26 December and he was the All-Year-Round Christmas Shop’s number one customer.  His illness robbed him of a lot of the Christmas build-up last year. He was in hospital for much of December, including just after Christmas Day. He was determined to make up for it this year. Alas, it wasn’t to be. I think we have an important job to do in keeping his Christmas spirit alive, so even though Halloween hasn’t been yet, let me extend to you the compliments of the season.

The music bit

Unusually – given my background – I don’t rattle on about music too much in the blog, but a couple of album launches to note this week across two very different genres. The first is Just Like a Black and White Film by Dave Sutherland and the second is Dopamine Chamber by Fontaines DC.

I bought Fontaines DC’s Dopamine Chamber on vinyl for my son who said he loves it and I’m definitely a fan of the tracks I’ve heard so far. They’re a (post-punk) band who’ve been around for years but to my shame I have not paid much attention to their music, albeit they sing in their own accent, my accent. Plenty to discover and I can’t wait. Liam Gallagher has said this week that they don’t have any tunes, but I think this album goes a long way to prove the opposite.

And so, to Blackheath Halls where friend and Americana musician Dave Sutherland launched his new album Just Like a Black and White Film. Ably supported by Lewisham band True Believers and Oxfordshire-based singer/songwriter Ags Connolly, it was a great night of the aforementioned Americana, Country and Folk. I bought the album on the night and look forward to giving it a proper listen.

The Wembley Way

It was a busy weekend and my trip to Blackheath was followed on Sunday by a jaunt to Wembley to see The Jacksonville Jaguars take on the Houston Texans. One of the highlights of the day was meeting up with an old school friend who I had not seen for years. He was visiting for the day from Dublin with a colleague. We managed to squeeze 30 years of catching up into a couple of drinks. He had news of friends I had lost touch with (and vice versa) so it was great that the stars aligned and we could meet.

The game didn’t quite go to plan with The Texans taking it 34-31 but the annual pilgrimage to see the Jags is always a great occasion and this year did not disappoint.

The filim bit

I went on a bit of an online rant after watching Digger on Friday night. I’m disappointed by the poor box office performance, not because I want people to like the film but because people have not gone and made up their own minds about it.

It would be difficult to describe the film in a paragraph let alone a sentence but if I were to try I’d say it’s a pseudo-dystopian story about the rehearsal of a grand play showing the catastrophic consequences of drilling for oil on an ice shelf near Greenland and the money and politics that surround that.

But that’s almost not as important as the point that this was a brave move by Tom Cruise to star in and produce a project like this when we are so used to seeing him in action movies or playing the romantic leading male.

I know the cinema isn’t cheap and you want bang for your buck but if you’re into film, go and see this and join the debate. Although it has been widely panned, those who do support it think it will stand the test of time and I think it will too.

Do Good Well – ADHD Awareness Month

October is ADHD Awareness Month and the campaign is in full swing with a mixture of fun and educational online and in-person events. Here is a link to campaign info for Ireland. There are also tons of resources on this campaign site from our American cousins and here’s what’s happening in the UK.

Do help to raise awareness of the condition where you can.

Goodbye and thanks

I’ll end as I began, with a plug for my website’s CV page. If your project could do with an extra pair of hands, do get in touch.

As ever, thanks for reading and I’ll be back again with you next week.

Socially viable

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