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Hi all, please see this major site announcement: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058427594/boards-ie-2026

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas Off Topic Chat

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Comments

  • #22412
    Loughc
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 27,334 Mod ✭✭✭✭Loughc


    🥳 New 1,000 Capacity Venue ‘The Hive’ Announced for Winterval 2026 🤩

    Winterval has announced an exciting new addition for the 2026 festival with the introduction of The Hive, a brand-new 1,000-capacity events venue set to host a series of top comedy and live music performances throughout the festival season.

    Designed to provide a comfortable and vibrant entertainment space, The Hive will be a heated, seated and fully floored venue, ensuring festivalgoers can enjoy an unforgettable night out regardless of the winter weather. The venue will also feature a separate foyer and bar tent, creating a welcoming space for guests to gather before and after performances.

    The Hive will bring an expanded programme of high-quality comedy and music acts to the Winterval line-up, offering visitors even more reasons to spend an evening at Ireland’s favourite Christmas festival.

    Festival organisers say the new venue will play a key role in enhancing Winterval’s evening entertainment offering and providing a dedicated space for large-scale performances during the festive period.

    Further details, including the first act announcements and ticket information, will be revealed soon ✨.


    Great news for the winterval festival. Offers another opportunity for something else to do while there. Great idea.

    The lifeboat has set sail



  • #22413
    Posy
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 28,243 Mod ✭✭✭✭Posy


    Are the hotels in Waterford like Dooleys, The Tower or the Marina handy to stay for Winterval?



  • #22414
    A cup of te
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 278 ✭✭A cup of te


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124323024#Comment_124323024

    Definitely! I always stay in The Granville and you're right in the heart of the city where the stalls are. There's the ice skating and Waterford Eye across the road. There was this fab garden full of lights in the city centre this year too. Always take a spin out to Tramore too while there. So Dooleys or The Tower would be perfect too I'm sure. One year we ended up being there during a storm so had to sit in and eat really and the lounge in the Granville is just perfect. The likes of The Tower has a swimming pool which would be handy if there was a storm going on and you couldn't go out! I can't picture the Marina but must look ot up.



  • #22415
    Jude13
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,045 ✭✭✭Jude13


    Thank you all, we got out an hour before the airport was hit again. I am trying to discuss with the better half that she and the little one stay in Sri Lanka whilst I go back Saturday, she wants to go back.



  • #22416
    Cork Lass
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 7,330 ✭✭✭Cork Lass


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124323863#Comment_124323863

    Glad to hear that ye are safe Jude, it’s the most awful predicament to be in and a tough decision to have to make.



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  • #22417
    Loughc
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 27,334 Mod ✭✭✭✭Loughc


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124324804#Comment_124324804

    It really is, it really makes you appreciate how lucky we actually have it and how trivial some of our problems here are.

    Glad you made it out @Jude13 hopefully things settle down soon.

    The lifeboat has set sail



  • #22418
    BK5
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,952 ✭✭✭BK5


    Glad to hear you are all safe @Jude13 . As others have said, when we hear of people with real trouble it puts trivial matters into perspective.



  • #22419
    BK5
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,952 ✭✭✭BK5


    On a much more light hearted matter, tomorrow is the Spring Equinox.



  • #22420
    CheerLouth
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,837 ✭✭✭CheerLouth


    Glad to hear you and the family are safe, @Jude13.



  • #22421
    Loughc
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 27,334 Mod ✭✭✭✭Loughc


    Well that was a quick week! Thank feck for long weekends, I could get use to a 3 day working week I tell ya.

    The lifeboat has set sail



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  • #22422
    L1011
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 75,477 ✭✭✭✭L1011


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124327429#Comment_124327429

    Two more four day weeks imminent for many (I know not everyone gets Good Friday off).

    I've had to take a few days off for parent care, which were incredibly tiring, but have meant I've done no more than a four day week for over a month now - next week will feel odd at five!



  • #22423
    Loughc
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 27,334 Mod ✭✭✭✭Loughc


    I haven’t had a Good Friday off in years. 😭😭

    The lifeboat has set sail



  • #22424
    L1011
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 75,477 ✭✭✭✭L1011


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124327586#Comment_124327586

    I've worked nearly entirely for Irish or French firms so almost always had it

    One Irish (well, NI) firm was bought by yanks and they swapped out Good Friday and the 3 Christmas gap days for 5 extra days leave. Which everyone too on those days mostly, so basically one extra day off for no change!

    Also converted a load of reaaaaallly dodgy allowances in to proper salary too.



  • #22425
    DvB
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 12,148 ✭✭✭✭DvB


    Don't think ive ever worked a good Friday, even back in the early 90s in my superquinn days.

    "I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year" Charles Dickens


  • #22426
    SCOOP 64
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 5,922 ✭✭✭SCOOP 64


    It's a bank holiday in the UK but not here.



  • #22427
    antimatterx
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,102 ✭✭✭antimatterx


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124327843#Comment_124327843

    Well here's an idea for the government

    Screenshot 2025-07-11 at 14.32.42.png

    Subscribe to keep boards.ie alive



  • #22428
    Princess Calla
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,662 ✭✭✭Princess Calla


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124327843#Comment_124327843

    It is a bank holiday here. It's not a public holiday.



  • #22429
    Sunrise_Sunset
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,323 ✭✭✭Sunrise_Sunset


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124322692#Comment_124322692

    I'd never heard of this festival. Have I been living under a rock? Definitely going to look into this for our Christmas jaunt.



  • #22430
    Loughc
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 27,334 Mod ✭✭✭✭Loughc


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124331191#Comment_124331191

    Ireland’s largest Christmas festival, and now the European City of Christmas, will return to Waterford in November and December.

    It’s a fairly big thing these days.

    The lifeboat has set sail



  • #22431
    Loughc
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 27,334 Mod ✭✭✭✭Loughc


    Such a beautiful day today. There was heat in the sun.

    The lifeboat has set sail



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  • #22432
    Posy
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 28,243 Mod ✭✭✭✭Posy


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124331191#Comment_124331191

    Honestly, yes you must have been. 😂



  • #22433
    Posy
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 28,243 Mod ✭✭✭✭Posy


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124331225#Comment_124331225

    Oh wasn't it lovely. I was roasting just chilling out in the back garden today. ☀️



  • #22434
    appledrop
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 7,873 ✭✭✭appledrop


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124331229#Comment_124331229

    We were the same, bring on the summer😎



  • #22435
    SCOOP 64
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 5,922 ✭✭✭SCOOP 64


    I actually stayed out in the garden and watch the sun go down, good sunny weather just makes you feel better.



  • #22436
    Heroditas
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,176 ✭✭✭✭Heroditas


    I had planned to cut the grass and clean the trampoline today. Instead we got that bloody drizzle for about an hour so the grass is soaked again. 😭



  • #22437
    BK5
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,952 ✭✭✭BK5


    Got into some old clothes today and spent 3 hours in the back garden with the pressure washer and cleaned everything. Washed the deck, patio furniture and the patio area. Even power washed the artificial grass, must have looked like a real weirdo doing that to the neighbours 😄

    Back garden looked so clean and bright when I was finished so roll on the Summer. Got showered and then went for dinner in a local hotel to round off the day, had a lamb shank which was lovely.



  • #22438
    gidget
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,110 ✭✭✭gidget


    Nice afternoon here, had my nana over for dinner today. She'll be 95 on Wednesday, so we did a roast dinner and surprised her with pressies and cake in view of that.



  • #22439
    DvB
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 12,148 ✭✭✭✭DvB


    We had our football feile finals yesterday and it ended up being a long day. Had to be over at the hosting club for 9.00am, parade before the games start and then had to wait around for our semi final at 11am, thankfully won that but meant hanging around for the final at 2.30pm, that went on until 4pm and unfortunately the lads lost a tight game and were very disappointed. Brought them all for food afterwards so didn't get home until 5pm, and was knackered, had a bite to eat, watched the Peaky Blinders film & was in bed at 9.30am.

    We actually had rain yesterday between the games, and the sun only came out for about an hour for the final.

    "I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year" Charles Dickens


  • #22440
    CheerLouth
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,837 ✭✭✭CheerLouth


    Sounds like everyone made the most of the weather over the weekend! Saturday was just glorious here, yesterday was overcast but mainly dry so all good. We enjoyed being outdoors for most of the weekend - feeling hopeful for a good spell of weather in the next few weeks.

    Kids finished on Friday for their Easter Hols - Term 2 has flown past, feels like they were only back from the Christmas Hols last week.



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  • #22441
    Jude13
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,045 ✭✭✭Jude13


    Raining cats and dogs here and after a few weeks of loud booms the thunder isnt helping. Wife is teaching online in the office room I am usually in, I am helping the youngest online in the sitting room and I am working in the kitchen.

    This weather is very Christmasy so I am roasting a chicken for dinner.

    We flew in yesterday and landed about 3am, our flight was meant to 1.5 hours shorter however we had to circle over Muscat until the sky was clear of projectiles.



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