TED 40?

Speed 4, that’s the title of me blog yesterday. I had a team of pushers from an outfit called Intel. They seemed a bit brainy for a bunch of people who work in a chip factory but Jesus they could push.

Three hours down the N7 and we’re in Naas an hour early of Paddy Power’s sarnies. Then it was off to Mondello where me mate Martin Finnegan and Dermot Morgan’s son Ben, along with some of their biker buddies helped me set the slowest record around the track.

4 Minutes 33 seconds – are you listening Clarkson?  

Not a patch I tell you…not a patch!

Catch up later folks…M*

I had me a rare auld time yesterday. A great team of pushers from Paddy Powers, Garda Reserve and Jim Rock, Dommo and some of their boxing mates got me into town and I felt like Bono as we swept down O’Connell Street with a Garda escort.

Onto Clontarf Rugby Club where they’d laid on a real craic of a reception with some of Dublin’s finest Trad musicians and the gorgeous Luan Parle! Can you believe she was there to see me! I’m getting better in my old age

I rounded off a grand day at the Sugar Club judging the Lovely Girls. I think I could get used to this celebrity business. Bono – get your people to phone mine and we’ll do lunch!

Yours M* 

Bee jeeny lads,

I’m finding it terrible hard keeping up with all these bloggy things. It’s bad enough I’m out of breath from goin’ around Ireland …still I’m not complaining! God no! All the lovely people I’m meeting on my travels and the kids have been my inspiration.

Now let me tell you about Friday first - I’m officially a culchie! (It’s a long story!) Woke up in an American shopping mall, which turned out to be in Dundalk. Marshes, it’s called and the Subway there fed all me pushers for the day. A mad group of feckers from something called Macra. They pushed me all the way to Drogheda and just when I was settling down for a few jars with them there was an almighty racket coming down the road.

Turned out to some old friends of mine - O’Neill’s marching band from Monaghan. Couldn’t resist a bit of a march around the town with them. Then it was off to the Macra Father Ted quiz and it’s there I met Kevin who, apart from having the biggest man boobs I’ve ever seen, is also ‘King of the Culchies’ and made me an official member. Told you it was a long story.

I’ve finally left my friends in the north behind and I’m back over the border. Had a great day in Banbridge - do you know they have the world’s first ever flyover there? Built in the 19th century. hark at me, I’m beginning to sound that Bryson fella.

Then had a good push around Newry before being invited to address some big arse political summit meeting. Gave a bit of advice to Bertie, Paisley and their pals - hope they listen. Ministers from North and South of border were all keen to get a picture taken with me. I chose Minister Dermot Ahern and Minister Margaret Ritchie to share the frame with me.

Afterwards a crew from UTV News tried to “float-jack” me but I refused start my batteries for them!

Little Emily was me passenger for the day and with a gang from Lombard we got up to 21 kmh going down the motorway.

Jesus I thought me top was going to blow off.

Just a quick reminder to everyone supporting the Ted40 MilkFloat Challenge to get yourselves down to Clontarf Rugby Club this Sunday from 1pm onwards. The MilkFloat will be making it’s merry way to the Rugby Club and should arrive at roughly 1.30pm

The gorgeous and super talented Luan Parle will be there on the day to sing us a song or two along with a few other musical acts.

I’m told everybody who shows up will be fed and watered and all in all it’ll be a great day

If you’re from Dublin then this is the perfect opportunity to show your support!

 Lookin’ forward to seeing you all on the day!

Sharon 

Lisburn was where I spent all day yesterday. In fact I was there the previous night having a bit of B&B with my chums at the Fire Station. Then it was down to Stepping Stones for me mid- morning coffee. This is somewhere you have to go. It helps adults with learning challenges get a flavour for employment and it boasts the best two waitresses in the world - Rosie and Lesley.

Then this total bunch of nutters from Freelance Mortgages turned up and pushed me around the town. Quite why anyone would take financial advice from these maniacs is beyond me but they’re fine marchers.

I had a grand nights sleep in Banbridge nick. I’ll see you all in the town today!

Yours

M*

Despite the weather I’m having more fun than you can shake a stick at up here in the north.

After being pushed around Coleraine by the rugby fellas I went on to Ballymena and Antrim where the lord Mayor came aboard. Then onto Belfast where I was asked to be a judge in the Ulster Lovely Girls heat.

I think that Bridie showed a bit too much cleavage than a lovely girl should but I went along with the others. After all she had baked me a fine cake with a jumper inside!  
M*

That nice photographer man Paul Nash from the Coleraine Times took some great shots of me and my friends.

Here I am with the Ballyclare team at the training ground of Willie John McBride - I’m the MilkFloat by the way!

Just a quick note to all my friends, family and fellow Milk Floats.  We are planning to have one heck of a party next Sunday (10 Feb) to celebrate our arrival into Dublin.

It’s all due to kick off in Clontarf Rugby Club from 2pm. Everyone is welcome to come along and join in the fun.  It’s going to be a Sunday afternoon to remember!

See you there

Milk Float

Fair play to all the gang at Boston Scientific who threw their weight behind the Milkfloat on the Galway to Tuam leg of the Milk Float Challenge for Down Syndrome Ireland.

So dedicated are they to the cause that they even took time out to put pen and paper together to write a verse for the Craggy Island song. The lovely Susan Healy came up with the rather poetic verse and we’re sure Father Michael will be singing it in no time!

It goes like this:  

Craggy Island verse.

The Mist it was falling as started to push the Olde Float,

With Michael and Roisin to encourage us along,

We were on the N17 to a place we call Tuam,

We pushed it in relays of 8 maybe 10 the rest of the crew all walking behind,

We chatted and chanted and all made  new friends,

The hills they were tough but our men folk and women folk were all very strong.

No brakes we applied as we made the declines, so we skipped and we ran to try and keep up.

With pride in our hearts and tears in our eyes, we’d done it we’d pushed it along all those miles.

No tea did we have no not one little drop for no milk on the float we did carry.

Fr Frank had supplied us with the  red stuff they call port, so  with hot water we mixed it and toasted a job very well done.