Taking Flight – Part Three
My father was an Air Traffic Controller for 40 years. Starting out in Shannon Airport in the early 60’s, he moved to Dublin, where his ambition and drive forged the way for him to become one of Irelands leading ATC instructors. In 1993, he accepted a position in Luxembourg, where he became Head of Training […]
Sweet Dreams are made of…
Good morning readers, I’m back with an ACTUAL blog, not a shameless self-promotion announcing ‘I’ve just been published’. (Although those are always so fun!) Brace yourselves, but don’t get too comfortable. It could quite possibly lull you off into a sleep before you get to the end of it. Enjoy! And as always, your comments […]
The Octopus Within
Good morning lovely readers. Brace yourselves for something a bit different today. For many years, more than half my life, I’ve struggled with mental health issues. My brushes with psychiatric wards are documented in these blogs: https://orladoherty.com/a-pint-of-heineken-and-a-shot-of-lithium-please-part-one/ and https://orladoherty.com/a-pint-of-heineken-and-a-shot-of-lithium-please-part-two/ I always used laughter to get through. I consider myself blessed that my natural disposition beckons […]
Do Ye Fancy a Dance?
I’ve spent the last year living in Prague, with my partner and her two teenage kids. One, an almost 18-year-old girl, was out with her pals the other night and came home an hour later than the time she was told by her mom to be home. I’ve never been a parent, but I found […]
In a Nutshell…
Good morning beautiful blog-readers! For many of us, the great and mighty Covid has caused us all to take a step back and look at what we’ve been doing with our lives. For some of us, Covid has even forced us to take a long, hard look at whether or not it’s time to change […]
Can you hear the school bells, Fernando?
There are lots of significant pieces of news flying around the world over the last week. Some very serious and very political, some not so much. I’ve been trying my hand at writing with a bit more depth lately. I thought I’d tackle some of the more prominent and important things I’ve been reading. But […]
Hakuna Matata – The GOLDen Age
I haven’t been feeling too well this week, as I had a lupus* flare up a few days ago and just needed to lay low. Social media has taken a back seat and my normal sleep hours have multiplied by two-fold in the last 48 hours. You know how thoughts pop in and out of […]
A Pint of Heineken and a Shot of Lithium Please – Part Two
Note to reader: This is MY STORY. I place zero judgment on anyone reading this who is taking anti-depressants or any form of medication that helps you get through your day-to-day life. I am simply sharing my experience and my opinions are my own. Let me be clear that when I use the term ‘crazies’ […]
Ille-Gay-ly Homosexual – The Finale
It was 1990 and I was almost 19 years old. I had no choice but to agree to give Stacey a squash lesson. I was absolutely shitting myself to be alone with her, fearing that my secret would be revealed. I was petrified to be exposed. There was a balcony above the court where everyone […]
Mastering the Art of Squash
Irish Times article 27/02/2020 On her way to victory in a Masters Squash tournament in Malta, Orla O’Doherty spotted her childhood coach standing with Irish fans. “You’re still playing,” he said, “and you’re smiling. I’d never have expected that.” Telling the story now, she shrugs and says he has a point. At 48 she is […]