Broken Down Nissan Skyline

Oh dear.

Where Are They Now? Sean Thornton

He's only just turned 24, but it seems like Sean Thornton has been around the football scene for years now.

He started his career at Tranmere Rovers but it wasn't long before the highly-talented youngster was quickly snapped up by Sunderland. In his debut season, he was regarded as one of the few positives in the dismal 02/03' season where Sunderland scored what was then a record low of 19 points for the season. The high point of the season for Thornton came when he scored this cracker against Chelesa while still only 18 years of age.


After an impressive first season, his form dipped badly and he was eventually off-loaded to League one side, Doncaster Rovers. It was clear that then manager, Mick McCarthy was tired of his off-field boozing. Here's a few choice quotes about Thornton from the Sunderland forum, readytogo.

• "Loads of talent and potential but threw it away. He was spotted in the Hollymere, slumped over his pint with a baseball cap pulled over his face."


• "He still owns the house next door to me. Our other neighbour looks after the gardens. Really nice lad, loved Sunderland AFC and the local people/area. He just couldn't keep off the drink."
  
• "He once tried to nick a staff taxi off me when I worked at the Derry. He told the driver he'd pay him double to take him to Liquid, he was sound with me like)."

Despite putting in a Man of the Match performance to know Aston Villa out of the League Cup, he soon fell back into bad habits after a promising start at Doncaster. He's now at his present club, Leyton Orient where the now married Thornton was spotted on the razz in Ibiza.

(Didn't even take the ring off the finger!)

RTÉ Cock-Up Katy French Report.

Disgusting, and completely insensitive.

Drivingtest.ie Collapses Under Huge Strain

25th of October 2007: The Irish government announces a clamp-down on provisional drivers who driver unaccompanied. Other tough new measures are introduced in order to reduce the 400,000 provisional that are on Ireland's roads.

26th of October 2007: http://www.drivingtest.ie/, the website for booking driving tests in order to qualify for your full licence collapses under the strain of worried provisional drivers booking their tests.

Ireland - A False Economy

We're constantly subjected to a PR barrage from the media/government about how we're "moving up the job value-chain" and "becoming a knowledge-based economy". When little nuggets like the following comes out, our tenuous position as a hub of multinational investment is exposed. SanDisk, who recently established an office here in Dublin reported revenue of $955 million, nearly half of SanDisk's global revenue of $2,300 million. Since the company employs 1,083 people worldwide, you'd expect that since the Irish operation would contribute a significant figure (hundreds of workers at least) to that workforce.

Infact, SanDisk only employ 4 people in Ireland.

House Prices Falling In Carrigaline.

Buying a house in Carrigaline or the surrounding area? Well buyer beware, because prices in the area have stalled and in many cases, have fallen. Not only that, but the inventory of properties on myhome.ie has increased almost two fold, a similar trend is being repeated at local auctioneers such as Dennehy, Daly and McNamee. With even more developments to come online on Castle Heights and a 100 acre site at Shannon Park being earmarked for development, the property boom in Carrigaline may very well be coming to an end. With job losses in nearby Pfizer and speculation about the removal of Stamp Duty for first time buyers, I think there's scope for further price drops. However, if you must buy right now, don't be afraid to play hardball with auctioneers. I recently viewed a property in the area that was on the market for €400,000, the auctioneer was quite open about accepting an offer as low as €381,000 (the stamp duty threshold).

12 Carrig Avenue, Carrig Na Curra, DOWN €10,000.

€350,000

€340,000

19 Dun Eoin, Ballinrea Road, DOWN €42,500 (price dropped twice!!)

€360,000

€350,000

€317,500

29 Highfield, Ballinrea Road, DOWN €40,000

€340,000

€320,000

€310,000

€300,000 (Sale Agreed)

9 The Close, Waterpark, DOWN €50,000

€350,000

€300,000

30 Waterpark Green, DOWN €20,000

€400,000

€380,000

90 Mount Rivers, DOWN €20,000

€300,000

€280,000

Archella, Ballinrea Road, DOWN €120,000

€720,000

€600,000

6 The Brambles, Heron's Wood, DOWN €30,000

€330,000

€327,000

44 Silverhill, Heron's Wood, DOWN €5,000

€345,000

€340,000

7 Weston Heights, Ballinrea Road, DOWN €5,000

€600,000

€595,000

12 Spring Lane, DOWN €35,000 (price dropped twice!!)

€415,000

€395,000

€380,000

New price drops as of 8th of March!

No. 1 Shrewsbury Park, Fernhill Road DOWN €25,000

€800,000

€775,000

73 Wrenville, Kilmoney Road DOWN €15,000

€360,000

€345,000

14 Kinalea, Nohoval DOWN €2,500

€317,500

€315,000

33 Highfields, Ballea Road DOWN €10,000

€325,000

€315,000

58 Glen Rua DOWN €10,000

€340,000

€330,000

106 Spruce Drive, Ballea Road DOWN €3,000

€298,000

€295,000

Ballea, Forrest Road, DOWN €30,000

€425,000

€395,000

37 Rockboro Heights, Waterpark, DOWN €10,000

€325,000

€315,000

42 Liosbourne, Upper Kilmoney, DOWN €40,000

€415,000

€410,000

€400,000

€375,000

1 The Grove, Herons Wood, DOWN €20,000 (price dropped twice!!)

€325,000

€315,000

€305,000

New price drops as of 8th of March!

30 Dun Eoin Meadow, DOWN €10,000

€350,000

€340,000

27 Kilmoney Heights, DOWN €11,000

€370,000

€359,000

34 Elm Drive, Westwood, DOWN €15,000

€355,000

€340,000

36 The Green, Herons Wood, DOWN €10,000

€335,000

€325,000

It's also interesting to note there are now 10 pages of entries for Carrigaline on daft. Many of the properties that have been listed above are still on the market despite a price fall.

Make what you will of that.

Purgatory Nightclub Outting

Weary of the typical club and late bar scene of Cork City, a friend and I decided to give the alternative club in the Cruiscin Lan a try! Good almosphere (if you're into band t-shirts, long hair and jackboots), reasonable pints (served in plastic glasses though, boo!) and friendly enough folk (expect to be picked up if you take a tumble while moshing). One quibble was that the smoke machine had been set to ape-shit mode, giving an ominous Gorrilla's in the Mist ambiance if you were half-cut like I was.

I snapped this bare chested young go-getter in the process of trying to rip the railings from around the stage.



In the interests of bias, I sought an opinion from another Purgatory regular. I received a resounding, thumbs up! So there you have it!