Last weekend I was very privaleged to attend the Irish Blog Awards in Galway. When I was invited along by himself, but didnt really know what to expect. As someone at the awards put it, I was off to meet ‘the people from the internet’. I’d heard alot of the names from himself, but had no idea what I was letting myself in for….

The weekend started with the train journey down to Galway on Friday evening. Low and behold, we bumped into a fellow blog-awarder on the platform, and the journey down was significantly shortened by philosphical discussions on the art of photography, splinter blogging groups and the judging of the awards.

Saturday brought a stroll around town, some lazy reading of papers in Eyre Square, and then it was almost time. I’m told the kick-off of the whole thing is the Ladies Tea Party. Any excuse for a tea/coffee/wine in the afternoon, and some lady-free time for the boys to have warm up pints.

The venue was the presidential suite at the g hotel. I was a little creeped out by the black reception and the dark moody corridors; I felt like I had entered some kind of bizarre Gothic slasher movie, not to mind the fact I was about to enter a den filled with women, most of whom I had never met before. Thankfully the opulence of the presidential suite soothed my worried soul, and I was welcomed into the bosom of the female blogging community.

Following lots of mini sandwiches with the crusts cut off, some coffee, and some tasty mouth-fulls of chocolate desserts, I hit the DIY nail bar (courtesy of L’Onglex nail polish remover) located in the main bathroom of the suite. I say main bathroom, for there were two.  After painting the nails and bonding with a few more ladies, it was off to the Radisson for the main event.

The showmanship of the event was perfectly stage manged, the host well versed, and the entertainment factor turned up to 11. My heart was warmed by the genuine thanks in the few words from each of the humble winners. I can see now why some many people travelled from all corners of the country to attend; this is the community event of the year. Its like the local town festival or parish bake sale of the blogosphere. Everyone knows everyone, and everyone is there jsut to share in the fun.It was great to meet so many really friendly people, to put faces to names and pseudonyms, and to feel part it all.

Highlights of the weekend have to be the warm welcome from all the ladies at the tea parties, chatting to Fran from Made in Hollywood about hot wire cutting of polystyrene, and peeling stars off my face before going to bed. Thanks J.

No tags