I like quizzes. My field of knowledge might not be very deep but it is quite wide. I know things others amongst of my peers aren’t remotely interested in which earns me looks of admiration during University Challenge or at the pub quizzes I used to go to.
The Scór is a competition run by the GAA and I’ve had great fun taking part in those but years ago I also appeared on RTÉ radio on their Irish language quiz show hosted by Cathal Pórtéir.
On the team with me was Pól Mac Fheilimidh and Diarmaid Ó Tuama.
We managed to gwt through a couple of preliminary rounds to reach the final and took the train to Dublin before heading to the RTÉ studios in Donntbrook where we were severely trounced at the final hurdle by a much more knowledgeable team.
It is in no way a mitigating circumstance that we had decided to walk to D4 from Connolly Station, stopping on the way at an unremembered number of hostelries for some liquid refreshment. It was a lovely sunny day and the craic was similar to that on the Isle of Man as we burrowed through the work of Myles na Gopaleen, recalled Dublin GAA greats and every dirty foul ever commiteed by the Boys in Blue (with special reference to Kieran Duff) and pondered the capital cities of Namibia, Colombia and Kasakhstan in case they would come up. (Windhoek, Bogotá and Astana if you must know)
I remember at one stage, stopping to merrily sing a song because the street sign jumped out at me and demanded I sing its name. However, Luke Kelly does a much better job.
Take it away, Luke ….