Ben Cohen

Dublin - Sport Capital Of Europe

Dublin has been named the "European Capital of Sport" for 2010. The announcement was made yesterday at the capital's Mansion House, where a number of the city's top sporting stars turned out to show their support.

Lord Mayor of Dublin, Councillor Emer Costello, said she hoped the award would capture the public's imagination. "It's testimony to the greatness of the achievement by the huge turnout that we've had here today, and the calibre of sportspeople and the different organisations that have got behind this."

"I think that this as an event - Dublin as the Capital of Sport - will capture the imagination of Dubliners, but I think it will also have a nationwide impact"

The title is awarded by the European Capitals of Sport Association, and the GAA, FAI and IRFU will be amongst the major sporting bodies helping to promote sport in the capital next year. Former WBA super-bantamweight champion Bernard Dunne was amongst those on hand to support the announcement.

The fighter is hoping to be involved in promoting the event, and encouraging youth participation. "Dublin City - to me it's my home, and it's an honour to represent." Dunne said.

"If we can promote sport and promote Dublin as a county, not just in Ireland but around the world and encourage kids to get involved in sport that's everything I stand for."

New Kits

Feeding The Gulls

Rest

Ocean View

Dirt Road, Howth

Pool Party

Matt Hughes

Eddie Rockets Of Dublin

Had lunch today at Eddie Rockets with Hamish and his Scottish cousin Seamus. Americans will know this place as Johnny Rockets. Famous for its hamburgers and malt shakes. The Hamish clan are having a family get together this weekend and I have had great fun getting to meet all the family members that have come from Scotland, Wales, and around Ireland.


His cousin Seamus, who is straight, has taken a liken to me and we've become fast friends. He's a big, burly man in his early thirties with a deep voice that sounds like God talking to you when he stands behind you. The men of the family all put kilts on for a family photo earlier today and I have to say this family of men have really nice legs. When they all turned around and bent over and pulled their kilts up and mooned the camera, I couldn't tell if the whites of their asses or the flash of the camera were brighter!


We're at my place right now for a few while I feed my cats before we head out for the evening with several of their family members. Should be a fun night. Wishing everyone else a fun evening and wherever you are keep smiling.

Born In 68 - New Movie

Gordon Darys

Jersey Swap

http://www.adidas.com/campaigns/campaigns_nz/content/popup/index.asp#/video

Autumn Garden

Day One

Gareth has gone. He's in London tonight before they head out tomorrow for South Africa. We talked for about an hour on the phone earlier. A lot of his friends came yesterday to see him off and there we're lots of tears from his friends, but lots of laughs too.



In the end it was me driving him to the airport. I was actually doing good with it all for most of the day until I parked the car and looked over at him. He looked at me, this man of mine who doesn't cry very often and makes fun of others when they do, with tears in his eyes. That's when I lost it. We leaned to each other with tears running down both of our faces and just leaned our heads against each other. We sat in the car for a bit and kissed and just held hands and stared in each others eyes for the longest time, no words being said. I just wanted to keep holding on to him and I would have if time would have let me. But time waits for no one and before we knew it we were walking through the airport. I hung around long enough to watch his plane take off and then drove back home not knowing when I would see him again. I've never loved anyone like this before and watching him leave, letting him go, was one of the hardest things I've had to do.
I didn't get much sleep last night and today at work, the day just dragged and seemed to go on forever. I couldn't really focus much on anything and didn't really get anything accomplished. Found myself staring at my computer several times, lost in thought until someone said something to me and snapped me out of my thoughts. I'm actually looking forward to getting back to sea. I think thats the place I need to be right now.



I came home after work tonight, fed the cats, took a long hot bath, and spent the night looking at photo albums, waiting for him to call when he got in to his room. Spent an hour talking to him. I've taken to sleeping on the couch now, the bed being too big and lonely without him beside me. Eventually I'll get back in a routine, but for now a big dish of Raspberry and Chocolate ice cream and the movie "The Holiday" are going to get me through tonight.

Another Thursday

This weekend is coming way too fast.

Canal

Kilkenny v Tipperary All-Ireland Hurling Final

The GAA Hurling Championship All-Ireland final drew its highest audience in three years, winning a phenomenal 68% audience share.

Luas and Bus Crash On O'Connell Street

About 26 people were injured, three are in serious condition, when a Luas tram collided with a double-decker bus around 3pm Dubline time at the junction of Abbey Street and O’Connell Street in Dublin City centre this afternoon.

The Luas driver and two female bus passengers, who were trapped for 45 minutes, are understood to have been seriously hurt in the collision and had to be cut out of the wreckage by members of Dublin Fire Brigade.


The Mater hospital said 21 people had been brought to its emergency department by ambulances from several hospitals.

Three people were brought to Beaumont Hospital where they were treated for shock while a further patient was transferred from the Mater Hospital with serious head injuries this evening. A further two people were treated at St James.

Other people with minor injuries were treated at the scene by emergency service personnel.

The Luas red line services between Tallaght and Connolly Station were still operating between Tallaght and Smithfield and Luas tickets were valid on Dublin Bus.

Darren Sutherland Found Hanged

Darren Sutherland, a boxer who won a bronze medal for Ireland at the Beijing Olympics, was found hanged at his home Monday. Frank Maloney, his manager, discovered the body of the 27-year-old fighter and was so unnerved he was admitted to a hospital.

Sutherland was unbeaten in his first four pro fights and was to have appeared with Maloney at a news conference Tuesday to talk about his next bout on Oct. 16.

The Metropolitan Police said Sutherland was pronounced dead in the mid-afternoon. Police said his death is not being treated as suspicious, a suggestion that no one else was involved.

Maloney, who once managed former heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis, was taken to a hospital. Tests revealed the 55-year-old manager had a heart attack, but it was not clear if the attack happened before Monday's events. He is expected to remain in the hospital a few days, and doctors are allowing him to work on his laptop.

Sutherland's death is the latest blow to boxing, with three former champions all dying violently in July: Alexis Arguello, Arturo Gatti and Vernon Forrest.

Olympic middleweight champion James DeGale, who beat Sutherland in Beijing, paid tribute to his former rival.

"He had an Olympic bronze medal and his whole life to look forward to," the Englishman said. "He had a great future and my heart goes out to everyone who knew him."

Barry McGuigan, a former featherweight champion from Ireland, said Sutherland had the ability to win a world title.

"It is an absolute tragedy," he said Tuesday. "I would describe Darren as a phenomenal talent. He represented his country with pride as an amateur and I believe he would have become a world champion in the professional ranks one day."

Less Than A Week

Gareth leaves for South Africa this weekend, so we've taken some vacation time so we can spend the last few days we have left together without interruptions as much as possible from the outside world.


Despite the fact that he's leaving soon, we've had great fun this week. We've enjoyed quiet, romantic dinners at some nice restaurants around Dublin. Let me tell you doctors get some special treatment at restaurants. People that work at sea, not so much. We've even spent a couple days in the country just taking drives and holding hands and doing a lot of kissing....and a bit more! But you're not getting details about that. lol We even took a nice hike up a mountain and sat in each others arms and just enjoyed the view and being together and had a nice long talk about all kinds of things.


It's hard to not get a bit depressed during this time knowing he'll be gone in a few days. A few times he's picked up on my sadness and then I notice he starts to get a bit sad, so I try to block those feelings out of my head the best I can during the day and he's trying to do the same so we don't let it ruin the time we have left. They'll be plenty of time for missing him after he goes. For now, we just have to keep making memories to last us while we're apart.

Juan Martin Del Potro - US Open Champion

Anyone who has read my blog knows by now that my last boyfriend is from Argentina. Because of this I have a love for that country and its people and therefore it makes me very happy to see Del Potro finally break through and win a major tournament. This win was huge and celebrated all around Argentina.

I have been following him for the last year now (he's tall, dark haired, good looking, hairy chested, with a cute smile, of course I noticed him) and he always seemed to come up just short of winning. I was beginning to wonder if he would ever get over that last hurdle and not only get to a final but win one and needless to say I don't have to wonder about that anymore.

Wishing him lots of success in the future. Hopefully he'll get to play Novak Djokovic in a match. With the way they both like to get their shirts off, it could be fun to watch!