Anthony McG

A steel key in an envelope with the hashtag #theisland attached ? We were intrigued. The chatter rumbled on Twitter for the day but we’d get our answer on Thursday when this package arrived on my desk:

The Captain is back and is giving you the chance of being one of the Irish crew members heading to The Captain’s Island (from 9th – 14th October) in the Caribbean and battling it out against 13 other countries for a share of €15,000. So, what do you have to do to be in with a chance? Log on to the Captain’s Facebook and the Captain’s Island app on the left menu. You’ll need to collect 5 keys to be considered for the crew but I’ve given you your first one below (it’s cdamvg82nn):

Different challenges will be posted and on completion of each challenge the potential crew members will earn a key. Keys are also available through a variety of other ways including on promotional packs in supermarkets & off-licenses, in bars, at events and other secret locations. Mena Suvari will also be on hand as Captain Morgan’s official reporter, interviewing crew members and commentating on their progress as they compete in a series of physical and mental challenges for the Captain’s bounty. The closing date for crews to sign up and collect five keys is 18th September 2011. What are ya waiting for? Get going.

The discovery of the message from the Captain. It’s at the end of my road so I’m surprised I didn’t spot it when I got the bus that day.

I’m not sure if I’ve shared this before but I took it on a photowalk through Dublin Zoo. The keepers were feeding the tigers when I snapped this shot and he’s watching a big piece of meat fly over the fence. I really enjoyed our visit and highly recommend checking out the zoo for a day out.

Ryan Sheridan performing at the launch (video courtesy of @darraghdoyle)

UPDATED @ 16:25 05/08 to take account of sold out gigs
Tickets have gone on sale today for the Arthur’s Day 2011 (22nd September) gigs in Dublin, Cork, Belfast and Limerick across studio and pub venues. Earlier today, Guinness announced that, The Enemy, Seasick Steve, DJ Fresh, Labrinth, Yasmin and Maverick Sabre among a host of others have been added to the line up. As well as playing in the studio venues each of the studio artists, such as Stereophonics and Paloma Faith, will also turn up in a pub for a surprise, intimate performance on the night.

Tickets are priced at just €15/£13.50 for studio venues and €7.50/£7 for the pub venues plus booking fee and are available on www.ticketmaster.ie (we’ve got individual links below)

Guinness are also giving bands in Ireland and across the globe the chance to perform on Arthur’s Day. Countries around the world, including Australia, Italy and Germany are currently running their own local talent competitions, supported by national music stars. This amazing opportunity will give emerging talent the chance to share a stage with internationally acclaimed artists like Scissor Sisters, Stereophonics and Spanish pop rock band Pereza in Ireland on 22nd September. Runners up will also be instrumental in the celebrations in their own country, performing in local bars and pubs alongside renowned musicians.

Here’s the full lineup with links to Ticketmaster for tickets:
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I know what you’re thinking: “Why are Guinness running Arthur’s Day again?” I wondered the same myself and the figures for the marketers have probably been very favourable over the past few years. *However*, I’m positive towards the event for two reasons: first of all they’ve given Irish bands a foot up through the Our Thursday’s competition last year and secondly, all of the money from the gigs goes towards the Arthur Guinness Fund which has funded a lot of social entrepreneurs around the country. Last week Guinness drew down on a further €650,000 from the fund, which was awarded to another ten Irish social entrepreneurs. The ten entrepreneurs with each of their unique projects will not only receive financial support but also professional business mentoring over the next two years. Good stuff.

We were invited along to the launch event for 2011 last week in Whelans, Dublin. Aloe Blacc, Paloma Faith, Cashier No. 9, Ryan Sheridan and Bressie all gave live performances and, as you can see, we grabbed some shots (more here). Live footage of the performances were streamed live to the Guinness Ireland Facebook page. You can see a highlights video here. Ryan Sheridan, who I hadn’t seen before, belted out a couple of tunes for us and said: “What a year… performing for President Obama in May and now for the king of the black stuff Arthur Guinness in September. Arthur’s Day was amazing last year, can’t wait to 22nd! Hoping I’ll be rocking up to one of my old haunts on the night… but for now it’s a secret. To Arthur!” Gigs in venues and pubs will take place on the 22nd September in Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Belfast, with full details and tickets available from Ticketmaster on the 4th August. We’ll be around Dublin covering some of the gigs for sure.

The artist list announced included:

Scissor Sisters, Stereophonics, Paloma Faith, Aloe Blacc, Calvin Harris, Ryan Sheridan, Ash, Miles Kane, Ed Sheeran, Royseven, Cashier No. 9, Bressie (see Darragh’s interview here), Keywest, The Kanyu Tree, The Lowly Knights, A Plastic Rose