Friday, December 30, 2011

2011 IN REVIEW

Wow – what a year it has been! The best thing I did was – the first thing I did – I wrote (with my family and a friend) a bucket list for the year. I am so pleased that almost every single item on that list was accomplished, sadly the one I really should have achieved, as it was the simplest did not manifest itself – but hey – there is always 2012!
So personally I got to play the role of my life in March with the fantastic Ranting Rebels Theatre Group here in Waterford – the blind and alcoholic Richard Harkins in Conor McPherson’s superb play – “The Seafarer” – The first thing on my bucket list ticked! Just prior to this I had the privilege to take part in the premier of Paul Barry’s first play based in the iconic Waterford Crystal factory – “The Glass”, sell-out crowds and critical acclaim on both of these – happy days!
In April and May I got to the second item on the list – record and release and album. “What Quay are We In?” by Compass Point was the culmination of eighteen months of hard work. Although things didn’t work out for us together, the experience of the group, the gigs and the recording will endure. I am particularly proud that two of my own songs made the cut, “A New Found Land” and “Tall Ships Came Sailing”. We got to play many places from the Langesund International Sea Shanty Festival in Norway to the Tall Ships Festival in Waterford, via Rosses Point in Sligo! Even got to sail on a Schooner in Norway for a day.
Job done – number three – take part in Oxfam’s Trailtrekker  Event in September! Well I did it – but had to change to the 50k from the 100k – as I did not wish to die just then! Great team and wonderful support crew got me through it. Two more plays rounded off the year – a new piece of short writing from Fergus Cooper (premier) called "The Wicket Gate" and a re-run of “The Glass”. 
Other than that I fell in love with Twitter (@thisisgerry) and now have only a passing acquaintance with my old pal Facebook!
A huge thank you to everyone who made this year a success for me!

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