The Saw Doctors review: Fans got everything they came for and more
Earlier in the afternoon, who'd have bet on the sun Gods smiling down on us? Not a drop. All we saw was a thunderstorm of emotion for The Saw Doctors from a stadium full of fans who got everything they came for and more.
"It's great to be back in Cork, it's been too long,' says Leo Moran. 'When they asked us to play, we said we'd do it as long as we could have Damien Dempsey here with us. He's celebrating a big birthday this week.' The whole crowd sings Happy Birthday to Damo'.
Davy Carton of The Saw Doctors on stage in concert at Virgin Media Park, (Musgrave park) on Saturday. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
And we're off, wth gems like 'Tommy K' and 'To Win Just Once'. They kick off at 8:30 sharp and we're bouncing from the get-go.
There's a chaotic joy to a Saturday night Saw Docs gig that's really only comparable to, say, a singalong soiree with a mega-hit band like The Pet Shop Boys. Unlikely bedfellows perhaps, but these two acts have a pair of powerful weapons in common.
They both have around 18 chart-topping hits, coupled with a dedicated army of devotees who love nothing better than an excuse to reach deep into the closet for their most colourful carnival costumes, fizzing up a Rio vibe that explodes like a musical rainbow.
"We came down to Cork last night to get tuned in," says Leo. "So we had a couple of pints in the Castle Inn. We'll have to warn ye about the snuff. Don't do too much of it. It's very addictive stuff altogether.'
Leo Moran of The Saw Doctors on stage in concert at Virgin Media Park, (Musgrave park) on Saturday. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
In the Mecca of rugby that is Musgrave Park, it seems more than a little rock 'n' roll for the Saw Docs fans, many decked out in GAA shirts, singing along to hits like 'What Do Ya Think A That?' and 'The Green and Red of Mayo'.
The emotional fires are also stoked up by the enduring bond between joint lead singers Davy Carton and Leo Moran. It's unusual in a touring band to have two people steering the bus, but these lads never once skid off track.
The Saw Docs have seen their share of lineup changes over the years, but this enduring pair of schoolmates have a Springer-O'Gara rapport that quietly weaves its way through the evening, inspiring a bonhomie that unites the ramshackle and the regal, the Primark and the Canterbury, for a night of bonding as heartwarming as a WWI Christmas ceasefire in the trenches.
They played a bagful of hits. With the classics 'I Useta Love Her', 'N17' and 'Red Cortina', along with gems like 'Joyce Country Ceili Band', 'Clare Island' and 'Howya Julia', our voices were literally gone from singing along.
Fans enjoying The Saw Doctors concert at Virgin Media Park, (Musgrave park) on Saturday. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
The set finished at a little after 10pm. Not one person headed for the gate. Encores galore, rolling on towards 10:30pm when the first droplets of rain threaten to spit, but just about mind their manners.
And, they even cover 'After All' by the Cork legends Frank & Walters. What more could you want?
Tonight the Gods are from Tuam.
Joyfully exhausted, elated, thankfully we have the Sunday off to squeeze out our shirts (thankfully and surprisingly, not our socks), plenty of time to get ready for a fresh dose of reality, with a jukebox of West Coast coolness rattling around in what remains of our sobering minds.
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The Irish Sun
11-07-2025
- The Irish Sun
Inside secret Ibiza shanty town riddled with snakes where superclub workers live in squalor with no water or electricity
AS dawn breaks and the thump of Ibiza's wild nightlife begins to subside, the ramshackle shanty town is starting to awake. Folk emerge from mosquito- infested tarpaulin shacks as tipsy clubbers leave Pacha superclub — where VIP tickets can cost almost £1,700 — just a five-minute drive away. Advertisement 10 The super-rich and celebrities who have turned the White Isle into Europe's premier party destination are being catered for by shanty town dwellers Credit: Louis Wood 10 Chelsea fan and sous chef Mohamed said: 'We have no water, no electricity, no toilets and no hope' Credit: Louis Wood 10 In other impromptu camps, workers are all reduced to living in tents, cars, caravans and camper vans Credit: Louis Wood The makeshift encampment, plagued with snakes and without electricity, running water or toilets, resembles the fetid Yet, waiting for their shifts to begin at the Ibiza camp, I met a sous chef, a kitchen porter, a security guard at the port, a hotel cleaner and a dish washer. Advertisement For the super-rich and celebrities, who have turned the Spain suffers a housing crisis. Nestled beneath the high-end restaurants of Outside his shack of wooden pallets, restaurant worker Yaslem Hamdi, 34, originally from Western Sahara, told me: 'We live here with the snakes and insects because we can't afford to rent an apartment.' Yaslem tells me he makes around £1,100 a month while a tiny room nearby costs about £700 to rent. Pitched amid scrubland near the Can Misses Hospital, the hospitality workers here shower by pouring bottles of water over themselves in cubicles made from discarded wood. Advertisement Some use a patch of bushes as an outside loo. Sun-drenched party isle It is a miserable existence for staff propping up GDP . As temperatures soar towards 35C, yachts bob in azure waters as those aboard sip ice-cooled beer and champagne just a short drive from the camps. Brit tourists face holiday chaos with strikes confirmed for 180,000 hospitality staff throughout July on hotspot islands Pot washer Yaslem is among thousands of working homeless people on the sun-drenched party island. In other nearby impromptu camps I met a nurse, a hairdresser and chef, all reduced to living in tents, cars , caravans and camper vans. Advertisement Yet, its own left-wing government has helped fuel the shortfall by encouraging immigration while not building enough new homes for the incomers. New arrivals mean 250,000 households are added in Spain each year — but fewer than 90,000 new homes are built, according to the Economist magazine. The Bank of Spain has estimated that there is a shortage of 500,000 properties. The shanty town is a world away from the sun-kissed Balearic island's famous nightclubs, pristine sandy beaches and luxury villas. Long fashionable for its pretty villages and cuisine, one local newspaper says Ibiza's high-end prices now put it 'on a par with St Tropez'. Advertisement Home to 160,000 people, Ibiza received 3.6million tourists last year, with Brits the largest group from overseas. Each tourist spends an average of just over £160 a day. Some we spoke to believe a slice of the profits and taxes reaped from tourism should be spent on workers' accommodation. 10 It's a miserable existence for staff propping up an industry projected to be worth over £220billion to the Spanish economy this year Credit: Louis Wood 10 Activists have blamed over-tourism for driving up rent prices which many workers cannot afford Credit: Louis Wood 10 Restaurant worker Yaslem Hamdi, 34, originally from Western Sahara, said 'We live here with the snakes and insects' Credit: Louis Wood Advertisement 10 Sanchez's left-wingers have also been accused of siding with squatters over landlords Credit: Louis Wood Shanty town dweller Yehdih Salec Abdalila, 25, who works six days a week as a bartender, told me: 'We're working all day, so why can't we come home to a normal house like everyone else? The employers or government should give us a little bedroom with somewhere to wash.' On the golden sands of San Antonio close to party hotspots Linekers and Mum-of-two Kaylie Brooker, 34, said she and her friend Tara Madigan, 27, had each spent £1,000 for a three-day break on the island. 'The Spanish should appreciate that Brits want to come to their country and spend so much money ,' said Kaylie, from Brighton. Advertisement 'The government here should use some of that cash to build houses for the homeless workers. Tourists shouldn't get the blame.' Activists have blamed over-tourism for driving up rent prices which many workers cannot afford. Spain has been convulsed by protesters who say holidaymakers also clog roads and overload sewerage pipelines. Last month demonstrators in Barcelona Protesters in Palma, Mallorca, held up placards reading, 'Tourists go home' while others marched through Ibiza Town. Advertisement I've lived here for a year. I work — we're not down and outs — but we can't afford the rents. Caravan dweller Jose In another makeshift settlement in Ibiza, Portuguese chef Tiago Martins, 29, told me: 'How can you blame the tourists? They pay our wages.' The hospitality worker lives in a van alongside dozens of others — including families with children — in tents, motorhomes , cars and caravans on a fly-blown and sweltering patch of land near Ikea in Ibiza Town. None can afford the rents on the island. Residents here have been served with a notice by local government saying they must move or face fines of up to £25,500. Speaking through a fly net draped in the doorway of his cramped van, Tiago added: 'Then where would we sleep ? And who would do the tourism jobs ?' Advertisement It's not only workers in the tourism sector who are homeless. In a dustbowl carpark near Can Misses Hospital I met trainee nurse Maria, 34, returning to her caravan after her shift. With the silhouette of the cobbled Old Town behind her, Maria — from Cordoba on the mainland — told me: 'In the summer it's impossible to afford a room in Ibiza. Medical workers should be provided with accommodation.' In the midday heat, night workers slump in vans with the doors open hoping for a breeze in the stultifying temperatures while pet dogs yap at strangers. Caravan dweller Jose, 30, originally from Argentina , said: 'I've lived here for a year. I work — we're not down and outs — but we can't afford the rents.' Advertisement Strolling along the beachfront at San Antonio, tourist dad-of-two Nick Skelton, 60, a part-time surveyor from Hull , said of the shanty towns: 'It's wrong. They should look after their workers. You can't have them do a day's work then go home to a bloody shack.' 10 Vikki Malek, pictured left with pal Tamara Bentley said: 'The rents here are overpriced. I don't think businesses care about the people in the shanty town' Credit: Louis Wood 10 Home to 160,000 people, Ibiza received 3.6million tourists last year, with Brits the largest group from overseas Credit: Louis Wood Enjoying a paddle in the waves, Vikki Malek, 27, from Dundee, who runs a beauty business , added: 'The rents here are overpriced. I don't think businesses care about the people in the shanty towns.' Her friend, businesswoman Tamara Bentley , 31, from Aberdeen, told me: 'If you want tourists to come you need workers. Advertisement 'They help bring in the profits so they should be looked after.' While much of the ire for Spain's property shortfall has fallen on tourists, socialist PM Pedro Sanchez's policies have only fanned the flames of the housing crisis. Bucking the trend across Europe , Sanchez's tottering administration — attempting to weather a corruption scandal — has encouraged immigration since taking office in 2018. Vulnerable families In 2022 alone, close to three quarters of a million people arrived to start a new life in the nation. With house building failing to match the rising population, it's hardly surprising that rents have risen by nearly 80 per cent in the past decade. Advertisement Sanchez's left-wingers have also been accused of siding with squatters over landlords, which has left homeowners wary of renting out their properties. Laws mean vulnerable families cannot be evicted unless they have alternative housing to go to. Last year there were 16,000 reports of squatting in Spain, with heavies often employed in forced evictions. Activists insist that tourism has made the housing emergency worse. Ibiza campaigners point out that flights to the island have risen from just over 25,000 in 2000 to a record 66,000 scheduled for this year. Almost a fifth of the planes are arriving from the UK. Advertisement Expat Xaquelina Ana Perry, spokeswoman for Prou Eivissa (Enough Ibiza), which campaigns against over-tourism, describes conditions in the shanty towns as 'awful'. 'It's unbelievable that on Ibiza, the Magic Island, people have to live like that,' said Xaquelina, who has lived here for 40 years. 10 Oliver Harvey in an Ibiza shanty town Credit: Louis Wood Originally from Wolverhampton, Xaquelina, in her 60s, says landlords are renting out their apartments illegally to tourists because they can charge a higher price. 'We want that stopped because the resources of the island can't cope,' she said. 'You need essential services and frontline workers.' Advertisement The mum stresses her group's campaign isn't against tourism but promotes a 'change in the type of tourism'. She added: 'Back in the 1980s you had family tourism, you had couples. Now people come for clubs and drugs and it's attracting the wrong type of people. 'People who break into houses and steal. And there's fights on the streets between drug dealers. It's awful — we never had that before.' Ibiza's council has taken steps to address the housing crisis and overcrowding on the island. It launched 'an unprecedented fight' against illegal tourist lettings, and now allows just two cruise ships to dock at once. Meanwhile, back in the shanty town, weary workers prepare for another day helping keep Spain's tourist industry afloat. Advertisement Sous chef Mohamed, 17, told me: 'We have no water, no electricity, no toilets and no hope.' A damning indictment from a grafter in an industry that provides rivers of gold for Spain.
The Irish Sun
09-07-2025
- The Irish Sun
Inside the ‘orgasmic retreat' where Brits pay £1k to climax with NO touching – it was intense I couldn't feel my face
IBIZA: The name probably conjures images of wild nights, stunning beaches, and perhaps a little champagne spraying. But beyond the party scene, this Balearic island is also a destination for a different kind of high - so forget the DJ sets for one second. Advertisement 7 Tara Suwinyattichaiporn headed across seas to learn more about her own sexual pleasure Credit: Supplied 7 She attended the Orgasmic Hypnosis retreat in Ibiza Credit: Supplied 7 It is located in the mysterious island of Es Vedra Credit: Getty Instead, it's an orgasm retreat in which Brits are flocking to and paying over £1,000 to learn how to climax without being touched. Blending hypnotherapy, sound baths, and a whole lot of sexual empowerment, the Tucked away on the small, rocky island of Women, including entrepreneurs and CEOs, ranging from their twenties to their sixties, pay thousands for this two-day 'sex weekend' where they can experience 'multiple orgasms.' Advertisement READ MORE ON SEX "It's the most amazing, unique and out of this world experience I had ever tried," says She added: "My sex weekend in Ibiza was very intense and quite an experience. But it left me feeling rejuvenated and renewed." The retreat is designed for women seeking help when it comes to mastering their orgasms, while dedicating the weekend to themselves. Dr. Tara admits that her latest experience at the Advertisement Most read in Fabulous "I was like, 'Oh my God. I've never seen anything like it,'" she explains. Introduced to her by two close friends who had already attended the retreat, claiming it would "change your view on sex forever," this unique practice can cost £1,471 for eight hours. I had a vagina makeover including a 'vampire' lift & infamous 'O-shot'...it's transformed me from a knackered mum of two to sex goddess having best orgasms of my life Other packages include a 16 hour session for $3,500 (£2,575), or 24 hours with possibility of certification for $5,500 (£4,047). And it's not just Ibiza that the Advertisement People can also attend it in Berlin, London and Paris depending on dates. While the average female orgasm typically lasts 13 to 51 seconds (10 to 30 seconds for a male), previous reports have found that these orgasms can last up to eight hours, and you don't need a helping hand from your partner; it's just you in control. Dr. Tara, who is also a sexpert on "I would see the women just like convulsing and coming like having orgasms without being touched," she explains. Advertisement "And it's crazy because there is no touch at all, and no physical penetration.' You can think yourself into or follow a visualisation or hypnosis into the feeling build-up of the orgasm Dr. Tara Suwinyattichaiporn The retreat was attended by 18 people from diverse backgrounds, predominantly women, with a few men and one couple. The two-day experience centred around Orgasmic Hypnosis, a practice described as being for beginners, with more advanced levels existing. The first day was heavily theoretical, starting with the crucial concept of consent, which is vital "when dealing with the subconscious or unconscious" and when individuals are in a trance. Advertisement Dr. Tara explained that the teacher emphasised how to give consent, what might arise, and the potential for both significant pleasure and, less commonly, unpleasant experiences. The process begins with a "pre-talk" to build rapport, discussing desires, boundaries, and even " Safe words and hard boundaries are also established. This leads into "induction," which is designed to enhance suggestibility. 7 She found the experience life changing Credit: Supplied Advertisement 7 Dr. Tara also went onto to learn about Shibari, which is Japanese bondage Credit: Supplied 7 Dr. Tara's view from the orgasm retreat in Ibiza Dr. Tara admitted: "I did not think I was suggestible because I feel like I'm always sort of against things like people telling me something. I'm like no." Yet, through various suggestibility tests, including intense eye contact and specific commands, she found herself surprisingly compliant. Advertisement "It was so weird how you feel vulnerable and suggestible that like when they say your eyes are so heavy, you can't open it. You actually can't open it." She even witnessed someone forget their own name under hypnosis. Ownership in dirty talk Following induction, the "trance work" begins, guiding individuals into their fantasies to build orgasms. "Technically Advertisement Drawing from the pre-talk, the hypnotist weaves a sexual scenario tailored to the individual's desires. For Dr. Tara, it was the concept of "ownership" in dirty talk. "Basically he was able to build this whole world of the sexual scenario of what I am fine what of what I usually find very attractive and desirable and sexy," she explains. "Over 25 minutes, the hypnotist whispered the scene, and would say 'next time I say pleasure, you're gonna feel it in your body,' he would say, prompting sensations that travelled from my stomach to my pelvic area. Advertisement I actually saw a woman in her sixties volunteer for the demonstration, and she ended up having a really deep growling orgasm Dr. Tara Suwinyattichaiporn "I ended up having a "It was a whole body experience for me. I think that's why my face was a little tingly and it felt numb." While she experienced one orgasm, Dr. Tara admitted to seeing other women have multiple orgasms and some even "coming like crazy." The second day involved group work, with participants lying on the floor, some convulsing and screaming, others crying tears of release. "It was a completely new experience for me,' she explains. Advertisement 'I have studied the sex industry for a very long time, but I realised how my education is so Western. "When I come to experience something like this, I realise the art of sex and the sexual energy is so vast. The best sex positions The most searched sex positions... The five best What is the What is the The The The The These are the sex positions that will What are the best Follow our sex positions page for more "There were many women there who were entrepreneurs, or CEOs that hadn't prioritised their pleasure or how to climax. "And I found it empowering to watch these people learn about their own pleasure and actually tune into their bodies. Advertisement "I actually saw a woman in her sixties volunteer for the demonstration, and she ended up having a really deep growling orgasm.' The most remarkable aspect? "It's just all done from not touching, just all what these were." While hand-holding was sometimes involved, there was "no sexual touching. No nipples or pelvic area or anything like that." After attending the retreat, Dr. Tara feels that she is ready to take things up a notch and go to a "more advanced level" after even learning that she had a gift of her own. Advertisement "I was able to also demonstrate on someone else and get them to climax," she explains. I think couples can be comfortable exploring different things, like attending these retreats or sex parties Dr. Tara Suwinyattichaiporn For a healthy sex life, whether single or in a couple, Dr. Tara advises exploring both within and outside the norm - including attending one of these retreats, with or without your partner. "Any doctor will tell you that having an orgasm is so good for you,' she explains. 'It's like a natural endorphins and it releases happy hormones. It's like depression medication." Advertisement Outside the norm, she encourages finding and attending retreats like the one she experienced. She says: "It's about prioritising yourself and your pleasure because pleasure is not hard, pleasure is free. "And if you do sexual medication, you can have pleasure. So pleasure is there. It's within your body and your mind and you just have to be able to access it." Consensual sex parties Other explorations include sexual meditation at home or, for couples, consensual sex parties. Advertisement Dr. Tara, who is currently in a non-monogamous relationship, continues: "I think couples can be comfortable exploring different things, like attending these retreats or sex parties. "There is a trend because obviously there are dating apps that are like if there's supply, there's demand." She believes that for those naturally inclined to be attracted to multiple people, living "out loud" is better than being secretive from their partner and Her own partner, whom she met on a plane, was initially new to non-monogamy, but they discussed it openly from the start. Advertisement 7 Dr. Tara is a sexpert on Celebs Go Dating Credit: Lime Pictures "For me it only expands my horizon and my ability to experience different types of sexual pleasure with a partner." She continues: 'I think a lot of people fight against embracing their sexual desires but these are the people that I highly recommend the orgasmic hypnosis too. "It is not about hypnosis or even about orgasm, it is about prioritising yourself and your pleasure. It's just understanding your pleasure and that is important." Advertisement And for her, the results were undeniable: "I had a few orgasms, which is nice ." What your sexual fantasies say about you By Raucous Role Play: If your partner enjoys dressing up for fun, it shows creativity and a desire to keep things exciting. However, it might signal that he struggles with responsibility. Multi-Partner Fantasies: Craving variety doesn't always mean he wants to cheat. However, it could indicate deeper feelings of unfulfillment. Power & Control: A little dominance is normal, but if it's always about control, it may hide insecurities. Adventure: Men seeking thrills may push boundaries, so be sure your comfort zone is respected. Passion: If he's romantic, he's emotionally tuned in—though occasionally avoiding tough conversations. Flexibility: Openness to new experiences is great, but constant novelty-seeking could mean avoiding emotional connection. Red Flag: If control is his ultimate fantasy, it may signal a deeper struggle with power dynamics.
Irish Daily Mirror
23-06-2025
- Irish Daily Mirror
Conor McGregor's wild Ibiza trip with Katie Price and Kinahan associates
Conor McGregor enjoyed quite the trip to Ibiza this month as he partied hard on the Balearic island in the Mediterranean. The former two-weight UFC champion was pictured with Katie Price and Republic of Ireland stars Evan Ferguson and Troy Parrott. McGregor was also seen posing alongside Kinahan associates Graham 'The Wig' Whelan and Nathan 'Biggie' Little on the party island. Whelan did time in jail for money laundering for a criminal gang, while Little was previously identified by the Criminal Assets Bureau as being a member of the Byrne Organised Crime Group. Kinahan cartel boss Liam Byrne's son Lee Byrne, who has no involvement in crime, was also pictured partying with McGregor in Ibiza. A picture, posted on social media by McGregor, shows Byrne with close pal Little posing next to the MMA fighter. Price is also in the photo, sitting on McGregor's lap, while Ireland footballer Parrot is also pictured. 'The Notorious' paid to take all of his Black Forge Inn teammates to Ibiza to celebrate the pub's over 35 team winning the UCFL Premier Division title. However, footage shared online last week allegedly showed McGregor appearing to peer down to address an unidentified man in the middle of the dancefloor at Pacha nightclub. Moments later, the Dubliner appeared to throw two punches, with the man hitting the deck. McGregor, who is now understood to be holidaying in Majorca with his family, shared a number of photos online from his trip to Ibiza, which you can see below: 1 of 8 Conor McGregor with his Black Forge Inn teammates in Ibiza (Image: Instagram/ Conor McGregor) 2 of 8 Conor McGregor and Katie Price were spotted partying together in Ibiza (Image: Conor McGregor Instagram) 3 of 8 Conor McGregor with Graham 'The Wig' Whelan (Image: Instagram/ Conor McGregor) 4 of 8
