What Róisín has been up to this week
Looking forward . . . to hearing Canadian Ron Sexsmith sing one of my all-time favourite songs Strawberry Blonde at Whelan's in Dublin next Thursday. I last saw Sexsmith at the rock karaoke night Songs of Praise in The Village. Being the pushy sort, I gave him the songlist and held my breath while he decided whether or not he would get up to sing. In the end he performed a blistering version of Elvis's Burnin' Love and not Da Do Ron, Ron as one observer (okay, me) suggested.
Listening . . . to Gaybo. Cocooned in bed with a cold last Sunday, I slid the dial away from Radio Recession and let it come to rest on Lyric FM where three Irish priests were belting out Ave Maria like a soothing balm. Hallelujah! Gay Byrne (below) is back on the airwaves, as warm and engaging as ever, chatting away about theatre and music and his missus Kathleen Watkins as though he was in the bed beside you. Chance would be a fine thing. (Sorry, Kathleen.)
I tried to muster the energy to make myself a mug of healing hot chocolate but in the end I didn't bother - 10 minutes with Uncle Gaybo had pretty much the same effect. Sunday with Gay Byrne, 2.30-4.30pm, Lyric FM.