Neil Young & Crazy Horse - RDS, Dublin - 15.06.2013

Neil & the Horse came riding into RDS on the back of last years' Physcodelic Pill and played an excellent set lasting almost two and a half hours. Personal highlights were Ramada Inn, Walk Like a Giant, Blowin I'm the Wind and Dick in a Cup.

Last week's disappointment at Dec's was more than made up for, topping off a weekend straight out of the top drawer.

Neil Young

Emmet

The Gingerman, Enda Kenny's local

Emmet

Connel and Paddy pre gig

Pints

The Plank

Paddy, Connel and Rory

Neil Young

The Who - Belfast Odyssey 10.06.2013

The Who, what remains, on incredible form so late in their careers.

I had kept my expectations in check given the notable absentees. But a combination of Townshend's rebellion, Daltrey's vocal  power & fitting tributes to the men who couldn't join them showed my reservations to be unfounded. Fantastic stuff lads.

Ireland vs Faroe Islands - 07.06.2013 Lansdowne Rd, Dublin

Three points was the order of the day, predictably delivered of a Robbie Keane hat trick on the night he took his 126th international cap.
Tougher games lie ahead, but Keane's goals keep our hopes of Brazil 2014 alive, for now. Thanks Robbie.

Keane celebrating after his second goal

The lads on Route

Summertime in the singing section

James McClean

Analysis in the Czech Inn

The disappointing trip to Dec's

So to McCumiskey's

Ireland vs Austria - 26.3.2013 - Lansdowne Rd, Dublin

After the embarrassment at the hands of Germany in October, the Irish restored some pride with a well deserved point in Stockholm, and before that a win in the Faroe Islands. It meant that the visit of Ausria was a crucial game. Austria went a goal up early on after some suicidal defending from Ciaran Clark, but two goals from Walters gave Ireland a one goal advantage before half time. Unfortunately, the boys in green lost momentum in the second half and it seemed that all but Trapattoni could see an Austrian equaliser on the horizon if fresh legs weren't introduced. The equalising goal came in stoppage time, David Alaba's deflected shot meant the game finished a disappointing 2 - 2.

Travelling Austrians joined us in the Czech Inn - that hat saved his granda's life you know.

Scoring a last minute equaliser always helps, but the travelling Austrian support were first class. A pre-match sing-off in O'Donaghues and a few good lads in the Czech Inn meant they were well represented. Shame we wouldn't be making the return trip ourselves.

Ireland vs Germany - 12.10.2012 - Lansdowne Rd, Dublin

Ireland opened their 2014 World Cup Qualifying campaign with a 2 -1 victory over Kazakhstan in Astana. Though the nature of that victory and the performances at the Euros meant that optimism was in unusually short supply amongst the lads ahead of the German's visit. The German favourites, Germany, were the first side to visit Dublin, a trip they will no doubt remember fondly as they ran out 1 - 6 winners. Andy Keogh's goal for Ireland coming in second half stoppage time (just after Leah and Rachel arrived) ending Ben's a run of seeing, in the flesh, 13 consecutive goals conceded without reply.

"Not good enough by a country mile" said Jonny Walters after the game. Can't argue with you there, Jonny.

Euro 2012 - Poland - June 2012

Euro 2012 was the first time Ireland qualified for a major tournament since the World Cup in 2002. So the Irish support set off in their thousands, making their way to Poland by any means possible.