Latest news with #40ShadesofGreen
Extra.ie
28-06-2025
- Extra.ie
The Weekend Run with Liam Gaskin — The 'Oh my God' ride-out
This run wasn't even close in terms of distance to most of my other runs, but its dramatic scenery and narrow, winding roads made it a spectacular ride out. It's a short distance from Tralee to the foot of the Conor Pass on the Dingle Peninsula, and nothing about it would hint at what was to come. You very slowly begin the climb to the top of the pass, and as you get closer, you get an indication of how steep the road becomes. The road is so narrow in places that some sections are only wide enough for one-way traffic, making for an adventurous ride. If you're driving an RV or towing a caravan, turn back now; there's no chance you'll make it to the summit. You'll have a great view on one side of a number of corrie lakes Pic: Supplied From the summit, at 1,500ft, you'll have a great view on one side of a number of corrie lakes, formed by glacial movement thousands and thousands of years ago. On the other side, an incredible view of the Atlantic and Dingle in the distance. I imagine most people who take in the view from here exclaim, 'Oh my God' — I know I did. Check the weather before heading to the Conor Pass, as low cloud at the top can be disheartening, especially after the climb. I imagine most people who take in the view from here exclaim, 'Oh my God,' — I know I did. Pic: Supplied The descent from the summit is on a much wider road, but more challenging than the ride up. I spent most of the run down with the pointy bit of my nose pointing towards the ground. I have been on numerous steep downhill roads over the years, but none have been as long as this one. It felt like it went on forever. The road is covered in gravel, and the only way to navigate it safely is by utilising your gears and avoiding using the brakes as much as possible. Bikers will always want a challenge in their runs, and the climb up and down from Conor Pass has that in abundance. Bikers will always want a challenge in their runs, and the climb up and down from Conor Pass has that in abundance. Pic: Supplied Into Dingle we rode, to be met with hordes of tourists both international and domestic. And oops, more downhill roads to the harbour. Dingle was immortalised by Johnnie Cash in the song '40 Shades of Green'. He wrote the song in 1959 during his visit to Ireland. The people of Dingle owe the Man in Black a great debt of gratitude, as tourists have flocked to Dingle ever since. The one lonely fishing boat in Dingle Harbour when we arrived. Pic: Supplied Dingle is a lovely town renowned for its fishing fleet, which is probably the largest on the West Coast. However, as luck would have it, the fleet was off doing its own thing in the Atlantic when we arrived. As the adrenaline was still flowing from the run, we decided there was nothing for it but to adjourn to an award-winning, historic hostelry for the auld cup of tea. Dick Mack's founded in 1899. Notice how steep the road is. Pic: Supplied Dick Mack's has been serving beverages since 1899. A Pub with a shop in it. On one side of the bar, the usual selection of beers and stronger spirits, and on the other side, a leather shop. This pub has a sense that it has been unchanged since it opened over 125 years ago. In 2017, a brewery called the Brewhouse was opened, and today you can enjoy one of Dick Mack's very own ales and beers. If you have a couple of hours to spend, you might fancy the brewhouse tour. You could pick up a pair of shoes while enjoying a pint of Dick Mack's very own brew. Pic: Supplied This was probably the shortest run I have ever been on, but it was one of the most exhilarating. We were blessed with the weather, as though it was raining, which added to the challenge; there was no low cloud. As long as some road planner doesn't go mad by widening the road up to the Pass or flattening out the run to Dingle, this is and always will be a great ride-out. As always, click this link to the Detecht map for the route of this run. Remember, when you open the map, enlarge it to see the details. When I arrived at 2 Wheels in Ballymount, I was given a brief overview of the Rebel by Alan, a knowledgeable motorbike expert. My first surprise was that the Rebel was jet black and wouldn't have looked out of place on The Sons of Anarchy TV show. Next, surprise, it is an automatic gearbox. This was concerning as I had never driven an automatic bike before. With a bit of trepidation, I took this low rider out of the gate and onto the motorway. At 15 minutes in, it felt like I had ridden in this position my whole life. Pic: Honda For the first five minutes, I found the foot pedals a little awkward, as it had been years since I had ridden a bike with such a low seating position. However, at 15 minutes in, it felt like I had ridden in this position my whole life. The next thing I had to come to terms with was the automatic gearbox, but to my surprise and delight, it was brilliant. I felt the automatic gave me more freedom to signal oncoming traffic. After all, bikers are more polite on the road than car drivers, and there was no discomfort in my wrist from having to operate a clutch. The gearbox was so smooth and did the thinking for me. Whatever speed I was driving at, it chose the optimum gear. The engine noise to me resembled a low growl, indicating a bike that just wants to be driven. Pic: Honda This beauty is born to cruise. It screams 'drive me' as far as you like and then some. The engine noise to me resembled a low growl, indicating a bike that wants to be driven. It is not a commuter, but it can handle both city roads and country ones. I took it out on Dry Road mode, and it had lots of pick-up power, which made me wonder why I would ever need to ride it in Sport mode. My one Biking Bucket List ride is the Sea-to-Sky road from Vancouver to Whistler in Canada. It's the largest ski resort in North America and was the site of the 2010 Winter Olympics. It starts at approximately 50 feet above sea level and rises to 2,215 feet. The road twists, bends and climbs its way to Whistler through towering trees and bear country, I kid you not. I drove it in a car with my daughter in 2023, and I promised her we would do it on a bike someday. She's my official motorbike videographer. Anyway, the Rebel is the bike I want to do it on. Its smooth gearbox, low centre of gravity, remarkably comfortable seat and easy handling make it the bike to tackle this incredibly beautiful road. Its smooth gearbox, low centre of gravity, remarkably comfortable seat and easy handling make it the bike to tackle this incredibly beautiful road. Pic: Supplied by Honda The CMX1100T Rebel comes standard with full LED lighting, cruise control, ABS, and three riding modes: Dry, Wet, and Fast (my definition). It also features side boxes for carrying gear on weekends away, which you will want to take. The ignition key also unlocks the seat, which conceals storage space and a USB Type-C socket. If you have a decent budget, you can add a few extras, such as a Wadding Seat (black or brown), Tank Pad (Side and centre), Headlight Cowl, Short Front Mudguard, Wheel Stripes, Support Passenger Backrest, Backrest Pad, and Rear Carrier. I love it the way it is. Here is a link to a YouTube video from the channel, which features the CMX1100T Rebel being ridden around Portugal and includes a lot of technical information. Gerry passed the Garda Advanced Motorcycle Course and the motorcycle Escort Course first time — no mean feat, I can assure you. He was heavily involved in the first 'BIKESAFE' course, which was initially held only in Dublin Castle before it went nationwide some years ago. I recently wrote about this excellent, free course. Check out a video about it here. Gerry has been a Honda man his whole life. Photographed here touring in Romania with his superb Honda Goldwing. Pic: Supplied Besides his Roads Policing duties, he was also involved in escorting many Heads of States and other dignitaries around the Country. Since retiring, Gerry has become a motorcycle tour guide, leading tours across and around England, Scotland, and Wales. Among his peers, Gerry is a legend of the Route 66 tours across America, raising much-needed funds for the Temple Street Children's Hospital. He has planned and led eight Route 66 fundraisers. A great friend of Gerry's described him to me as 'a legendary biker and absolute gentleman'. It's a privilege to have him answer my ten questions today. My Dad drove motorcycles all his life, and I was exposed to them at a very early age. Any chance I got I drove his bikes outside our house and loved the experience and have some great memories of those times with my Dad and his bikes. Times were different then, and it wasn't such a big deal then to let you kids mess around with your bike. I've been driving motorcycles for most of my life. I was 21 years old before I could afford to buy my first motorcycle. My first bike was a ST1100 Pan European Black in colour. Loved that bike! I had my car license to start, but have been trained and graduated to a full A-class bike license. Yes! I have been fortunate in my life to have experienced many memorable rides on motorcycles, but if I had to pick one, it would be one from a trip across Route 66 in America, fundraising for Temple Street Children's Hospital. At the end of the trip, our group, which consisted of approximately 60 bikes, received a police escort from the LAPD motorcycle unit into the city of Los Angeles to arrive at the Santa Monica Pier. At the front of the escort, they had taken all their old vintage police cars from their museum and used them to head our escort. We were honoured with a LAPD Helicopter flying overhead and had 16 of LAPD's finest police motorcycles escorting us the whole way—quite a spectacle to behold. Along the way, the local fire services' fire trucks flew giant American flags from their extended fire ladders across the road over us and stood to attention with a salute as we passed—quite an honour. Yes, I had a spill very early on in my biking career when a taxi made a sudden U-turn in front of me on the road. I T-boned the car and did a fair bit of damage to my beloved Pan European. Walked away from it with bruises and a shaken ego, but had all the best gear on and was back on the road after repairing the bike. She was nervous at the start, but since I was driving motorcycles professionally in my job, it eased things a bit. She had a strict rule that our children were never allowed to ride any of my bikes. In retrospect, they never got to enjoy any of the experiences I had enjoyed with my Dad and his bikes. To this day, neither of my children has ever ridden a motorcycle and shows no interest in doing so. After much persuasion, years later, my wife eventually got up on the back of the bike and now loves it; we have since taken various trips all over Europe. Short answer: Yes, but it took quite a few years, until after our kids had grown, before she eventually did. Motorcycling had become my life, and I suppose she looked on it as if she didn't jump on board, she would very rarely see me. So I started her off on small local trips, and it has gone from there. Now I wonder whether it was such a good idea, as I can't get her off the back of it now, and she loves it. She has been with me on many trips to Europe, and long may it continue. My main focus in biking is on touring. I usually do at least one major tour each year. Touring has become my main focus in life, and I have been fortunate to have had quite a few memorable bike tours. I am struggling to pick one to say was the most memorable. I have driven coast to coast across America on Route 66 a total of eight times on fundraising trips and am proud to say that I have raised quite a lot of much-needed funds for Temple Street Hospital. I have taken several tours across Europe and beyond. One trip alone covered seven different European countries, starting in the Scandinavian countries and working our way back through Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, England, and home. I suppose one that ranks very high in my memories is a trip I took two years ago with my bike club, which was a trip across Europe to Romania, where we attended a bike rally. I was absolutely blown away by Romania and its people. Completely different to my expectations, and it has some of the best biking roads I have ever driven in my life. We drove across the entire country from west to east to the city of Constanta. It is a 3000km plus trip that will stay with me a long, long time. It is a Country that I will definitely return to someday on my bike again. Simple, really – training, training, and then more training. You are never too old or young to receive training, and I would say it is absolutely essential for all new riders. It helps new riders develop proper roadcraft and prevents them from developing any bad habits. Choose a suitable bike as your starter, such as a Honda Deauville or a similar model, and take the time to practice, practice, practice. Always use proper, high-quality riding gear that fits, a decent helmet (avoid second-hand ones), and gloves. It may save your life in a bad situation. Keeping your bike properly maintained is another key factor.
The Journal
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Journal
Get the look: From vibrant pop art to Joanne McNally's Zig Zag stool
ADD SOME COLOUR to your home with these fab new colourful finds. The ZigZag stool at CA Design can act as a stool, a side table or a pedestal for a plant. The Zig Zag stool at CA Design As spotted in the home of Joanne McNally, we love the colourful, glossy Zig Zag stool by Polspotten at CA Design (€385). A fun and versatile piece it can be used for a multitude of purposes be it a side table, a plant stand, a pedestal for a treasured possession of a stool. The glossy lacquered finish comes in a range of colours including pale blue and pink as well as olive green and coral red making this a great talking point in any room whatever your personal taste or style. Addison Ross. Addison Ross. The Bobbin Lamp by Addison Ross Blending style, functionality and technology, these new LED Bobbin lamps by Addison Ross deliver brilliant illumination while bringing a brilliant pop of colour to your home. They are available in 10 stunning colourways including cherry, sage, yellow, watermelon, pink, orange and cappuccino so there's a shade to suit every décor style and mood. €150. Ciara O'Neill's new releases Artist Ciara O'Neill's latest series of paintings Wildflowers sold out on the day of the release. A new original series of Wildflowers paintings will be released in July. Thankfully fans of her work can choose from three limited edition fine art prints of the series released last week. Artist Ciara O' Jacinta Fahy Her Echoes original paintings and prints are also currently available online as well as her popular mini paintings which, at €240 each, always sell out quickly. Ciara has over 60 limited edition fine art prints in her collection priced between €110 and €440 depending on size and format. Outdoor rug by Kukoon. Kukoon's colourful outdoor rugs Not only does Irish company Kukoon Rugs stock brilliant spill-proof, stain resistant, washable rugs that are made from recycled cotton and chenile but they have just released their range of indoor/ rugs which come in a variety of sizes, colours and patterns. If neutrals are more your thing you can opt for their Rubus, Saule or Souci designs or if you want to add a punch of hot colour to your outdoor space go for this Ruskin style in terracotta. Prices from €35 to €235 depending on size. Advertisement The beautiful ethical rug by Ellie Dunne and The Galway Wool Co-op. Naoise Culhane Naoise Culhane 40 Shades of Green: Ellie Dunne x The Galway Wool Co-op The 40 Shades of Green blanket is a new and unique collaborative piece between Ellie Dunne, a young artist with Down Syndrome, and the Galway Wool Co-Op. The 40 Shades of Green blanket named after the Johnny Cash song of the same name calls to mind the palette of the Irish landscape and blends Ellie's artistic vision with the skill of the spinners and weavers of the Galway Wool Co-Op; a farmer-owned and run co-operative which is dedicated to preserving the cultural significance of Irish wool and restoring its economic value for farmers. This very special ethical piece measures 140cm x 180cm (plus fringe) retails at €675 and is available from this Thursday April 30th from Irish Design Shop and Nordic Elements. , and The mini vases at Hopeless Botanics start at €7. Colourful vases at Hopeless Botanics Hopeless Botanics are suckers for colour and have put together a range of vases that are simply lovely for holding flowers or foliage or simply as decorative items. Their vases start at just €7 for some of their colourful mini vases going up to around €65 for their larger Heikki vases. The colourful mini vases are easy to style – perfect with just one of your favourite flowers from the florist or a piece of foliage from the garden. Also popular with shoppers at the moment are their hand painted Odina vases which start at around €20. Colourful items from the The Stockholm 2025 range at IKEA. IKEA. IKEA. Ikea's Stockholm 2025 collection IKEA's Stockholm 2025 collection celebrates 40 years of timeless Scandinavian design and is designed to work whether you're investing in several pieces at once or adding to your existing furniture collection. The focus is on timeless design and great quality materials so here you'll find natural materials such as pine, oak, leather, wool and rattan used across the furniture and accessories with attention paid to the handmade in the form of mouth-blown glass vases and handmade rugs that should last many years if cared for properly. While most of the collection is neutral in keeping with the timeless appeal, some of the colourful pieces in the collection also caught our eye including the brown, blue and white rug (from €345), the pure wool cushion covers (€18) and the green cabinet with brass fittings (€399). Clare O'Connor's unique hand-painted side tables. Clare O'Connor. Clare O'Connor. Clare O'Connor's abstract art side tables Clare O'Connor is a multidisciplinary artist and designer from Co. Meath who has created a brand of wearable art and homewares. She uses a dynamic juxtaposition of organic and organised forms, complimentary and contrasting colour and stripes to create vibrant and colourful pieces designed to bring joy to people's homes. Clare has just launched a new range of hand painted colourful side tables (€550). Made with acrylic, collage and resin each dynamic piece is completely unique. Joanne Mooney has collaborated with Turkish rug company Torug Rugto to create her Picnic Parade design. Joanne Mooney x Torug Rugto Irish influencer Joanne Mooney featured in our last Alliance Home Magazine but we had to include her again this week as the Irish woman has just launched her first ever rug design in partnership with Torug Rugto – a brilliant home decor brand based in Istanbul, Turkey. Joanne's 'Picnic Parade' rug design features squiggly edges, a gingham pattern and plenty of colour – all very characteristic of Joanne's personal style and is made in India from 100% New Zealand Wool – the first piece in what will surely become a world of colourful home accessories. €147.95 to €755.95 depending on size.
