A day in Skerrie

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sTuesday, 12-August-2025


As an unemployed post-graduate with an MBA, networking seems to be the name of the game.

I’d been applying online, of course, but Ireland seemed to be focused on talking with people. Getting to chat, getting to know them, and then being introduced to the next person who would be worth chatting with.

To give voice to my frustration – it felt very similar to what I called “The Collins Shuffle” from my last job. That dance you’d follow where one person would send you to another, who would send you to another, and on and on in perpetuity… always one step away, until you end up right back where you started with no new information, leads, or opportunities… except for the time spent dancing the shuffle.

On the good side, though, it did give opportunity to branch out of town, see the seaside, and get to have a coffee with some interesting people in a lovely town I may never have otherwise have seen.

And lunch with some lovely birds (literally, flying buggers) who I otherwise wouldn’t have been able to photograph.



We’ll see. Only time can tell what the best way to find engineering roles here in Ireland is… but as of yet, time has been keeping its lips tightly sealed.

A quick stop at The Shed distillery

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Saturday, 09-Aug-2025


We swung by a semi-legendary distillery as a quick stop-off on our drive back from glamping in Sligo – Drumshambo, also known as The Shed, and the maker of one of my favorited brands of Gin here in Ireland.

Unfortunately they didn’t have a tour available, but they did have a lovely garden cafe, with lovely tea cups for gin tastings. And some pretty neat scenery to enjoy!

Disorientation

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Weekend from Thursday, 07-Aug-2025, through Saturday, 09-Aug-2025


When I started the MBA, we went to Orientation.

So, logically, now that the MBA is over, we should go to Disorientation, right?


I mean, I hadn’t considered the concept, but one of my classmates did, and planned a getaway, and invited everyone. And I’m definitely not someone to say no to the chance to get out of town and do some camping / escaping / enjoying the not-city.

So… Disorientation!



The plan was simple – I rented a car, we picked up a few of our friends, and we headed out toward Sligo on the Northwestern corner of the island. Our small group was aiming to arrive a day or so earlier than the rest – to set up and get oriented before we got disoriented with the whole group!

In the end, our planned group of 15+ turned into a small cadre of 7, give or take… a bit frustrating, to be sure, but it made for a really fun small-group adventure. We cooked, we walked around, and we went to a local traditional music night at a nearby pub. I lost my ring, I found my ring (after like 6 hours of searching), and much rejoicing occurred.

I even got to fly the drone a bit; both for my own enjoyment, and as a thank-you gift to the owner of the glamping spot we were staying in!