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An Irish Wake for Louise, Booterstown, Dublin - 11th October 2026

It's an unexpected and sudden trip to Ireland as we head over for a couple of days for the funeral and wake of Isobel's sister and the boys' aunt Louise, otherwise known as Da Wheeze, and one half of Da Gorls. It starts with a repose in the funeral home off Newtownpark Avenue and then a visit to the Wishing Well pub over the road. This starts off somewhat unpromisingly with the discovery that our reserved table is in the middle of a room full of people watching loud footbollox on TV, which is really quite a grim prospect until an alternative of a hockey-club den is negotiated. The next day is the service itself, which is being held at the Church of the Assumption on Booterstown Avenue - a Catholic church built in 1813 to look more like a house so that it wouldn't upset its then largely-Protestant neighbours. There's a big turn-out for this, and we all get to do a bit as part of the service, in particular with Isobel reading the eulogy at the end. Afterwards, there's a committal a few miles away in Dublin at Mount Jerome, and then there's wake back over the road from the church at Gleeson's pub. Before this, Nosher has to drop Evelyn's car back, a process which involves a bit of a faff involving Philly's bag which has been left in the boot of the car. The wake continues through the afternoon and into the evening with people slowly drifting away. Nosher and Harry eventually cadge a lift with Wayne and Caro, leaving just Isobel, Noddy and Fred at the end. This small hardcore group staggers in sometime after midnight, having carried Noddy half the way back from Monkstown DART station. It's safe to say that the legend of an Irish wake has been lived up to.

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previous album: A Walk Around The Lion Pub, Debenham, Suffolk - 4th October 2026

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The boys wait for the Aircoach at Dublin Airport

The boys wait for the Aircoach at Dublin Airport

The curved walkway from Terminal 1

The boys on the Aircoach in Ballsbridge

Fred walks up Idrone Terrace

Annaville Avenue in Blackrock

We head over to the Wishing Well pub

The Wishing Well pub

We get use of a downstairs 'den'

There's a nice old cash register behind the bar

Noddy, Harry and Isobel in thr Wishing Well

Nick gets used for some sort of weightlifting

Philly, Noddy and Evelyn in the kitchen

Harry hangs around in the kitchen

We get ready for the funeral

Philly roams around

The Church of the Assumption in Booterstown

The main door of the church, built in 1813

The nave and its sained-glass clerestory

The wake kicks off in Gleeson's, opposite the church

Gleeson's starts out quietly in the mid afternoon

Fred and the Yoots have found a pool room

Fred explains some pool rules to Rachel

Gleeson's multi-function bar, shop and hotel

A view to the Winkies along Booterstown Avenue

Isobel with some relatives

Our corner of Gleesons

Caro and Jen Mac have a chat

Davida, Isobel and Harryana

Isobel, Evelyn and the gang

Fred racks up as Harry looks on

Fred takes a shot

Wayne and Noddy chat

We raise a glass of Sambuca on ice to Louise

Rachel holds court in the pool room

Wayne looks a bit confused

Fred talks to Finlay

James thinks Fred looks all 'billionaire's club'

The remaining hardcore group

We walk back to Wayne's car for a lift

An Aer Lingus Airbus is refueled

We hang around waiting at Gate 102

A plane engine has all its cowls open for servicing

We get dumped onto the bendy buses at Stansted

Harry emerges from the plane

Fred meets us on the bus

Gridserve has got Christmas stuff out

We wait for the car to charge at Gridserve