Happy St.Patrick's Day

Happy St.Patrick's Day to you all! I hope it's a great day where you are! Today,I have gone to the bog, sea and to the Listowel St.Patrick's Day Parade. Be good to yourself!

Joy to the World.

Hello boys and girls!! Let's smile a little more... hold doors for others....make people feel as though they count....help strangers..help friends... find old friends...love the dogs that eat your jeans "...for they know not what they do..." To quote a friend of mine.." Try to leave a room happier than when you entered it."

This is a great day.

Love , Peace and Joy and Health to YOU!!

'tis the season to be boggy!

We live in interesting times. Get your wetsuit out and go to the Bog Snorkelling World Championships! They are being held in Llanwrtyd-Wells, Wales.

When?

Sunday August 28th 2011.

Rawhide!

Well folks, things happen, situations change and unfortunately I have to inform you that there is no Wife carrying representative for The Principality of Hutt River this year. A freak accident has left me with second degree burns about 20cm x10cm but I have next year to look forward to. catch you soon!

Carrier Confirmed.

Mr. Mauri Zahkna of Estonia has confirmed his wish to carry me at this year's World Wife Carrying Championship in Sonkajarvi, Finland. Mauri has carried me before in 2009. I will be representing The Principality of Hutt River.

Incommunicado.....

Tomorrow, I will attend my only Goddaughter's First Holy Communion. I hope it is sunny and I hope she smiles! I am thinking back to my own 'day out' 33 years ago. Outside my bedroom door in the hallway, the photo hangs, Dad, me and Mum. Mum is the only one smiling, myself and Dad wince in the May morning sunlight, Mum nudges me and through her teeth (like a ventriloquist) tells me to smile too. Too late, no digital re-takes! An eternal grimace.

I've not been up to much recently, I hope to be in Finland in July for Wife Carrying. It looks like I will only be a spectator...there's a drought of strong thirsty men in the world....!!But as a Finnish Champion Wife Carrier once paraphrased to me "YUUULIA! Laife's laike a bux of chukolaites.....!!"

It Rained On My Parade...!

It was March 19th, I was in Singleton attending a fundraiser for The Children's Cancer Institute Australia. The evening was a great success, the family and friends of the late Tom Kirkwood had gathered in his honour.
I had had a thoroughly good time and had met some inspiring people. The most inspiring had to be Mr. Kurt Fearnley, a Gold Medal Olympian (too much for me to even try to attempt to describe his achievements maybe you should do a wee search for yourself). http://kurtfearnley.com
I probably had about 40mins sleep before getting up to travel to the Sydney St.Patrick's Day Parade and Family Festival. I was so excited! I was to assist at the commentary of the St. Patrick's Day Parade. This was to be a major bullet point on the "Galvin Bucket List"...but it was not meant to be... from Cessnock to Sydney the rains were tropical and consistent...like what you'd find on Beale Strand on a balmy August day... a downpour. Then the inevitable happened..I got a phone call from President Ger Ryan.. this was around 8.20am and a strange maturity soon replaced the disappointment...Yippee!! I could go back to bed!

Here's The Juice...!

I left Orange. And I spent a week in Lithgow in the shadow of the Blue Mountains and indeed we must have been in the shadow as it was lovely and cool about 18c. It suited my Irish complexion very well. My friends took me to see the THREE SISTERS rock formation definitely worth a viewing.

After hanging out in Lithgow for a week I headed once more for the big smoke of Sydney, there I met up with some old friends Kevin and Tanya they are the proprietors of the Sydney based fashion house "Minty Meets Munt" http://mintymeetsmunt.bigcartel.com/

I also got dolled up and attended The Benji Marshall Foundation Ball in aid of the Children's Cancer Institute Australia. http://www.ccia.org.au/ a good night was had by all.

The following day I headed for Singleton NSW and that's where I am now meeting up with a few old friends from the wife carrying scene.

Next week I will attend a Memorial Evening for our friend, Singleton's Tom Kirkwood that had he young life cut short by cancer. I am sure he'll be with us all in spirit.

East Coast and New South.....

I am in Orange. The one in N.S.W. and I am happy, the weather has been cold and cloudy... and it suits me just fine!! I will be M.C at my friends' wedding in March and my speech has been composed by me and approved by the bride....phew!

Last week, I left Adelaide by plane to Sydney. I (foolishly) decided to stay in a suburb called Tempe, next to a highway under the flightpath to Sydney International Airport ..I know I don't sound enthusiastic.... No sleep! It was torture! On a plus side, during the day, it was very interesting...as soon as the first A380 wakes you up at 0.6.30 it's a case of "if you can't beat them , join them!" and it is quite amazing to see these jumbo feats of engineering and physics just glide by a few metres away from the balcony. Let's say..one trip to Tempe was enough.

I then went by a very dirty, icky, dirty train to Lithgow...what fantastic scenery through the Blue Mountains...Those I recommend! Stunning scenery! A single ticket to my final destination of Orange was just 26$AUD..not bad at all....!

I've come a long way baby! Greetings from the Goldfields of Kalgoorlie, W.A.

Well folks, I have left picturesque yet sunless Finland, my life in Saariselka as an Elf is well and truly over. It was fun but tough. I made lots of friends and even more memories.

Here I am on a very humid Summer night in Western Australia. I have just checked my flag counter and my latest visitor is from Iran and I had those mixed feelings that must strike every lazy blogger. Pride and Guilt, Proud that somebody from a new country has clicked in and the Guilt of not writing often or well enough.
To all of you that check in on me and my exploits, I thank you, it means a lot...!

I reached Perth in the middle of the night 2 weeks ago and overnighted in a motel. Motels are strange places that always stink of men, I don't know why and I'd rather not know why! The first thing an Irish woman does is check the surroundings for spiders and pull the bed away from the wall in case my arachnoid buddies climb up the wall and into my ears during the night.

Next, check the toilet for more creatures. Bang the lid, flush and check toilet roll holders for reclusive spiders.
Then, see how low can the air con go! I had been in Finland 2 weeks previously at-34c . Australia is far too hot for me but it's a chance to see old friends and make new ones.

I had an interesting week in my next port of call Geraldton where I was the guest of the very hospitable people of the City of Geraldton Greenough. I spent time doing radio/ TV interviews and having a very nice time. I was honoured to help them with their Australia Day celebrations, I was MC for their inaugural Wife Carrying race.

I finally had my dream come true! I went on a return visit to The Principality of Hutt River, there I was greeted by H.R.H Prince Leonard and H.R.H. Princess Shirley and their son Crown Prince Ian and his wife Princess Annette and Sir Steve Baikie ADC and his wife Dame Chris Baikie. I got across the border whilst enduring +43c with the help of Geraldton-Greenough P.R.O. Sue Chiera , together we all entered the Chapel at Nain and went though a ceremony bestowing me with my Damehood "for my service to the State for International Sports". I am now Dame Julia Galvin of the Serene Order of Leonard. It was all very formal, the sword came close to my ears but here I am to tell the tale.


All good things come to an end, I flew back to Perth and experienced city life with friends before flying to my Australian H.Q. in Kalgoorlie. Here, I have the advice and friendship of Ciara and Aaron who help to "ground" this old foreigner and "re-group the troop" and assist me in my next campaign...S.A. and the East!

I have been practicing for my bog snorkelling events here in their lovely garden swimming-pool and watching on the TV the terrible troubles of the people of Queensland, you are in my thoughts and prayers.

Many thanks to all that are making my trip so memorable.....2 weeks down...! Beautiful Adelaide next!