Stick it in Cork...

Day two of my Irish sojourn and we drive down (?) to Cork for a gig at Brian's City Limits comedy club. A stage I haven't graced in about 12 years. All of us are a tad fragile from the previous evening's drinking so in an effort to stem the problem, I wander into a fake 50s diner called Eddie Rockets to eat chips and drink a malt while trying to pretend I can read The Times in my near weepy state. The others, being pragmatists are merely throwing more booze at the problem over the road in a pub called The Myles Breen. Their approach to hangovers is therefore not unlike Gordon Brown's approach to economics.

You may wonder what glamorous things we get up to during such tours, but I can assure you the rhythm of the thing adheres doggedly to a 'drive, drink, do show, drink more, do it all over again' template. We played to an enthusiastic crowd of about 300 who came up with some really good suggestions for scenes, so the gig was a real laugh.

Our hotel isn't quite what we expected, and we find ourselves sharing "apartments" which make us all feel like ex-pat Polish chippys. The Welsh youth hostel circa '74 decor does nothing to lift our moods. However, when in doubt, drink. So we decorate from within and the rooms seem a lot less bleak after a few Cuba Libres and White Russians.

Very shortly we'll be assembling to go for our 1.00pm breakfast, and then will be flying to Belfast for the gig at the Opera House. I have to get hold of some blank CDs in preparation for tonight's deejay set at Lavery's where I can guarantee the crowd some solid gold floor clearers...

Dance, bitch!