Think forums are just quiet these days unfortunately, used be fairly active on a bunch and really there's only one that I would still consider very very active (and that's super niche).
Must of the discussion has migrated to the likes of Discord and Reddit from what I can see.
Still, love this site and I remain endlessly perusing charts, even if the forum is quieter.
You know anything to do around Galway? I might be in that area this summer for about a week.
Think forums are just quiet these days unfortunately, used be fairly active on a bunch and really there's only one that I would still consider very very active (and that's super niche).
Must of the discussion has migrated to the likes of Discord and Reddit from what I can see.
Still, love this site and I remain endlessly perusing charts, even if the forum is quieter.
You know anything to do around Galway? I might be in that area this summer for about a week.
Galway's a great spot, city is reasonably small, especially by American standards, easy to get around the centre and there's normally a lot of good places for food and markets, etc.
Definitely recommend getting out to Connemara, head west from the city towards Clifden and you'll find loads on the way if you're into nature, geology, etc. Right on the Atlantic coast too, so some good beaches.
I'd get out to the Aran Islands too if possible, Dun Aonghasa especially is worth a visit.
Head south from Galway into Clare and you'll have the Burren and loads of great beaches that are popular with surfers (Lahinch, Doolin), great spot for Irish trad music also, there's a festival in Milltown Malbay every summer.
Oh yeah, and the Cliffs of Moher are down that way too, always popular.
And I'm very biased, but I can't recommend getting to a game of hurling enough, Galway and Clare both have strong hurling cultures and it's the best sport to watch in the world (again, very biased, but it is!) _________________
You get out of the forums what you put into it. The biggest thread here is the single greatest spot for recs on the site...and almost no one uses it anymore. Almost everyone used to post there. It's still a great resource and still could be a central gathering place on BEA, like it once was. It's minimal effort and endless recs (21,000 plus pages).
Just sayin'. _________________ May we all get to heaven
'Fore the devil knows we're dead...
Yeah I think it's just the usual combination of getting older and personal circumstance, considering it would probably be a different story if I was freezing my ass off in New England or Long Island (though it has been unusually milder up there this year and last, though I guess that may be changing now) but now I'm down in South Florida so naturally I don't spend my precious time off shut in like I normally would during the winter. Also to be frank I just haven't really kept up with much new music other than a brief cram not so long ago, so that just gives less reason to really be active here now. Again yes it is very different than when I started, which I mean fuck feels like eons ago since it must have been in the early 10's, when this place was quite bumpin' with a lot of random, interesting threads coming out of nowhere, but also again I think we've all grown older and just preoccupied with other things these days and there hasn't quite been the new class to take over as of yet.
Think forums are just quiet these days unfortunately, used be fairly active on a bunch and really there's only one that I would still consider very very active (and that's super niche).
Must of the discussion has migrated to the likes of Discord and Reddit from what I can see.
Still, love this site and I remain endlessly perusing charts, even if the forum is quieter.
You know anything to do around Galway? I might be in that area this summer for about a week.
Galway's a great spot, city is reasonably small, especially by American standards, easy to get around the centre and there's normally a lot of good places for food and markets, etc.
Definitely recommend getting out to Connemara, head west from the city towards Clifden and you'll find loads on the way if you're into nature, geology, etc. Right on the Atlantic coast too, so some good beaches.
I'd get out to the Aran Islands too if possible, Dun Aonghasa especially is worth a visit.
Head south from Galway into Clare and you'll have the Burren and loads of great beaches that are popular with surfers (Lahinch, Doolin), great spot for Irish trad music also, there's a festival in Milltown Malbay every summer.
Oh yeah, and the Cliffs of Moher are down that way too, always popular.
And I'm very biased, but I can't recommend getting to a game of hurling enough, Galway and Clare both have strong hurling cultures and it's the best sport to watch in the world (again, very biased, but it is!)
Excellent! Thanks so much!
Getting out to a hurling match(?) sounds like it would be great fun, and something I had not thought of.
Side question: does anybody over there actually do "road bowling". I've done that a few times over here with the local division of the Ancient Order of Hibernians (totally real thing I did not make up https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_O...ibernians) and it's great fun. But, I've never known if it was more that "Irish American" kind of thing.
Getting out to a hurling match(?) sounds like it would be great fun, and something I had not thought of.
Side question: does anybody over there actually do "road bowling". I've done that a few times over here with the local division of the Ancient Order of Hibernians (totally real thing I did not make up https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_O...ibernians) and it's great fun. But, I've never known if it was more that "Irish American" kind of thing.
Happy to help! Just an example of one game from last years hurling Championship, game itself starts around the 9th minute, this is the top level, but even lower competitions can produce exciting matches.
It's actually very niche here, it's basically played in limited parts of 2 counties (Cork and Armagh), with a bit played in limited parts of the Netherlands and Germany also (similar sport, different name, but you do come across Dutch and German players in Ireland now and again).
I just so happen to be from one of those parts, even my own wife didn't know what was happening when we came across a game on a road a few weeks back and she's from the same county as me, so it's mad that you've actually played it!
I'm from a small place just outside Cork city, that gave rise to Mick Barry, generally regarded as the greatest road bowler there was.
He's often best know for managing to a loft a road bowl over the bridge in the article below, a bridge that is directly next to the farm I grew up on.
I tried playing myself when younger but never mastered it, spent more time looking for the bowls than bowling. It's still a big thing in those limited areas of Ireland though and you'll regularly come across games on backroads most weekends. _________________
It's really interesting to see hurling in action, because it looks like the way I ran around my backyard and hit baseballs when I was a kid. If I was bored I'd basically throw up and hit anything with the bat. Rocks, walnuts, clods of dirt, etc. The way they're doing that while sprinting though, is greatly impressive to me. In short, I can appreciate any sport which involves the hitting of a ball with some kind of stick.
Yeah, I figured the road bowling had to be a more specific thing, and not a national pastime. It's hard to know what things are endemic to Ireland and what things are "Irish-American". I know that you all aren't eating corned beef and cabbage on St Patrick's Day.
What a throw from that fellow to get over the viaduct. Must have had quite the arm!
You get out of the forums what you put into it. The biggest thread here is the single greatest spot for recs on the site...and almost no one uses it anymore. Almost everyone used to post there. It's still a great resource and still could be a central gathering place on BEA, like it once was. It's minimal effort and endless recs (21,000 plus pages).
Just sayin'.
The problem is most of the posts give you no idea of whether the album is rec'd or is even being enjoyed at all by the listener. Maybe a separate thread would serve that purpose of recs and conversation better. Something like: what album are you listening to right now and enjoying? _________________ Add me on RYM
You get out of the forums what you put into it. The biggest thread here is the single greatest spot for recs on the site...and almost no one uses it anymore. Almost everyone used to post there. It's still a great resource and still could be a central gathering place on BEA, like it once was. It's minimal effort and endless recs (21,000 plus pages).
Just sayin'.
The problem is most of the posts give you no idea of whether the album is rec'd or is even being enjoyed at all by the listener. Maybe a separate thread would serve that purpose of recs and conversation better. Something like: what album are you listening to right now and enjoying?
You are so correct. That thread used to be that way. People took the time to comment and ask questions about the albums. Sometimes, there would be full pages about just one album because people were having discussions about them. Admittedly, it's become a lot less of that over the years. Part of it is because it's an easy way to quick post. Part of it is because most of the people who used it early on no longer post there. I admit...I've done my share of just dropping an album there without saying anything about it. I try now to at the very least include where the album ranks on my charts.
On the plus side of that thread...I use it for recs big time. After having been here for well over a decade, I've got an idea of whose tastes are in synch with mine, so if I see a user post an unfamiliar album but I know the user, I'll be more likely to check it out. The other thing is that if someone posts something that you might be interested in, or want to know what they think...we can always ask. I post there frequently...I could do a better job of that. I think that most of the people there would be happy to share their thoughts...but the questions don't come up that often.
And for example...you. I would love to see what you listen to on a regular basis. What your trends and tastes are day to day. That's what that thread offers in the easiest and most central way possible. _________________ May we all get to heaven
'Fore the devil knows we're dead...
It's really interesting to see hurling in action, because it looks like the way I ran around my backyard and hit baseballs when I was a kid. If I was bored I'd basically throw up and hit anything with the bat. Rocks, walnuts, clods of dirt, etc. The way they're doing that while sprinting though, is greatly impressive to me. In short, I can appreciate any sport which involves the hitting of a ball with some kind of stick.
Yeah, I figured the road bowling had to be a more specific thing, and not a national pastime. It's hard to know what things are endemic to Ireland and what things are "Irish-American". I know that you all aren't eating corned beef and cabbage on St Patrick's Day.
What a throw from that fellow to get over the viaduct. Must have had quite the arm!
Haha, similar to an extent, it's fairly fast moving when it gets going, but I think watching hurling is why I could never get into baseball when I was in Canada, everything felt so static by comparison.
Yeah, very niche indeed, but there's actually a surprisingly large amount of money coming into road bowling in Ireland still though.
As for corned beef and cabbage, not my thing, think our food choices have improved a bit over time! _________________
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
