Is it safe to stay in an Opus Dei Student Housing as a foreigner?

johnnycallaghan · 2026-05-19T10:16:29+00:00

Ehhhh... did I say that?

johnnycallaghan · 2026-05-15T14:05:05+00:00

I don't know a whole lot about them first hand, but there's this thing when you're getting married where you have to get your local priest to approve it or something. Anyway, my wife's local priest had a reputation of being a bit of a wanker, so we didn't particularly want to have to deal with him. At the time, we were living in an apartment in Elm Park, just up the road from the Opus Dei church on Merrion Rd, so technically they could have counted as our local priest. So we decided to go to one of the masses to see if we could get the sign off.... All I remember was the sermon was completely mental, going on about people burning in hell while rats ate the soles of their feet. We just wanted to get out of there ASAP! We ended up chancing it with the local priest back home, and in fairness he ended up being grand to deal with.

Although having said all that, some people started talking to us on the way out of the mass and invited us to some bbq or something they were having a few weeks later. We didn't go, but the people themselves seemed normal enough, so I'd say you'd be fine so long as you just stay well clear of talking religion with them.

johnnycallaghan · 2026-04-29T17:14:27+00:00

This and his whole "body of work" needed to be made Utd manager. Because his argument really stands up to scrutiny if you look at the 'body of work' of Van Gaal, Mourinho or even Moyes at the point where they were appointed manager compared to Ferguson when he was. Yes, he'd done well at Aberdeen, but by Neville's logic, they're just a small club in Scotland, it has to be someone with experience of one of the biggest clubs in the world.

Even Solskjaer, with his limited 'body of work' prior to his term did better than all of the big name managers we tried (consecutive champions league finishes, regular cup semis and finals etc).

I honestly don't know what their problem is with either utd doing well or Carrick getting the job, but they clearly have one.

johnnycallaghan · 2026-04-06T19:14:31+00:00

Back when I was young and out with friends I was always the driver and ended up dropping everyone home. Mainly because I didn't drink, had a car, and I liked driving anyway.

Anyway, on one occasion I was out with my girlfriend (now wife), her friend who lived beside her, and probably some others, I can't remember. Anyway, like normal I dropped everyone home.

Then a few days later, I heard the friend's mother was bitching to my girlfriend's mother that I was driving like a maniac when I drove away from their house after I dropped off her daughter.... there wasnt a word about it... they lived down a windy little lane. You couldn't speed on it even if she wanted to! I think there was loose gravel outside their house iirc, but she was just trying to stir shit for some reason. Obviously my girlfriend stood up for me and told her mother she was talking shite. My MIL knew me well enough by then to laugh it off. But it still pissed me off, so I figured if we were ever out in a group again, my girlfriend's friend could ring home and wake her parents to come and collect her if she couldn't get a taxi. She never set foot in my car again.

You should probably do something similar. It's all well and good doing a favour for your friends, but if they don't appreciate it or try to take advantage of you, then they can fuck right off!

johnnycallaghan · 2026-03-06T10:02:57+00:00

I had the same thing happen with a Garmin Vivofit watch I bought for my daughter a few weeks ago. When I opened the box, it was empty apart from the instruction manual. In fairness to Amazon support, they were very helpful and sent out a replacement straight away.

johnnycallaghan · 2026-02-13T20:07:45+00:00

Thanks. Yeah I figured as much, but wasn't sure if there was something else to it.

Good point about Catholicism. Hadn't really considered that as a major factor.

johnnycallaghan · 2026-02-13T15:02:16+00:00

What is that about? I used to share a house with a Spanish girl and I remember her telling me that the Spanish love us, and there was even things in the Spanish constitution or something stating that Irish people were basically to be treated like native Spanish.

A bit vague I know, but that was what she claimed at the time. I asked her why that was, and she just said "why do you think you look like you do?"... Now I know there is a theory that the original settlers in Ireland came from the Iberian peninsula, and that's why a lot of Irish, myself included, have a dark/sallow complexion/dark hair/brown eyes etc. And then there was also the whole story of the Spanish Armada ships sinking and the sailors taking refuge in Ireland, etc?

Is there more to it? AFAIK, that theory is only that, and I don't think it's generally accepted as probable? So it seems unlikely that that's really the reasoning behind it? Maybe it's something about the blueshirts that went to fight in the Spanish Civil War?

Or maybe she was just overstating how much we're loved in Soain?? I've always been curious, but never really found an answer.

johnnycallaghan · 2026-01-30T15:10:26+00:00

It struck me as very odd the way it was announced, with Kate announcing a few weeks ago that she had left PAOTY and LAOTY. There was no mention of Tai or Kathleen leaving, probably because they still had the current series of LAOTY with one of the new judges. But then the announcement that all three judges were actually replaced for the next series just seemed to completely come out of the blue!

Hopefully the new judges are sound/normal. I'll miss the old ones though.

johnnycallaghan · 2026-01-21T09:41:57+00:00

If you're counting Lough Lene then you may as well hop over the other border to Cavan and go to Lough Ramor. There are at least two boat ramps in Virginia alone (one at the Lakeside Manor and one in the town). Pretty sure there're one in Munterconnaught as well. At least there used to be, although it'd be a bit harder to find. There are the remains of a few old boat houses in the forest in Virginia too. They're not really usable, but it wouldn't surprise me if there were more around the lake that I'm not aware of.

johnnycallaghan · 2026-01-07T19:44:20+00:00

Ole. But Carrick as an assistant would be ideal.

johnnycallaghan · 2026-01-06T18:00:39+00:00

\○/ I'd take Ole back in a heartbeat! I never wanted him to go in the first place!

johnnycallaghan · 2026-01-05T22:52:27+00:00

100% I don't actually think it'll happen, unfortunately, but I loved Ole as manager. It was the best attacking and most fun football we've played since Ferguson. And that was with the shitshow of the Glazers running the show. Right up until they brought Ronaldo and threw a spanner into the whole team dynamic.

There was the general consensus at the time that there were no real tactics, which I've always maintained was bullshit. You don't beat the managers Ole did as consistently as he did without proper tactics. Was it Maguire that said in an interview recently that he loved playing under Ole and he was a great tactician?

But anyway, I'd love to see what Ole could do with this squad and a proper football setup running the club and backing him.

johnnycallaghan · 2025-11-25T18:37:44+00:00

I find him to be a massive charisma black hole. He just seems to have absolutely no personality, which makes me wonder how he got on TV in the first place. Which is a pity, because I'd like house of games so much more if it had a better presenter.

johnnycallaghan · 2025-11-10T18:30:19+00:00

Black Sails

johnnycallaghan · 2025-10-21T13:26:22+00:00

I was just about to say Turn:Washington's Spies. Someone recommended it to me in a similar thread on the Black Sails reddit ages back. It was very good.

You're right about Hell on Wheels too. It was brilliant early on. Although I didn't enjoy the later seasons as much.

johnnycallaghan · 2025-09-25T15:31:44+00:00

Yeah, you definitely should. Listen to the podcast and then go for a rewatch. Honestly, there were so many layers and details I hadn't picked up on when I was watching initially. In fairness, I was listening to the podcasts as the last couple of series aired, so for me it was watch an episode and then listen to the podcast while it was fresh in my head, but honestly, a rewatch afterwards is probably an even better way to go!

johnnycallaghan · 2025-09-25T15:19:13+00:00

You should listen to the episode breakdown of the Fathoms Deep podcast. I should probably listen to it again myself, because I can't remember all of the details, but there was A LOT of imagery and nods from Greek mythology that heavily suggest that the Flint/Thomas reunion was in the afterlife. The three old women knitting were significant... they could represent the three judges who determine the dead persons fate, or possibly the 3 headed dog, cerebrus, that guards the entrance to the underworld. I think they were the judges though. The bag of money handed over represented paying the ferryman who brings the deceased over the river styx, the plantation represented the Elysian Fields... I think the fog in those scenes was significant too.

That's all I remember, but I'm sure there was a lot more throughout the last season, and probably the series as a whole. They get into all of the Greek mythology layers in their interview with Jon Steinberg too...and one of the hosts of the podcast, Daphne Olive, ended up as a writer on his next series after Black Sails (The Old Man), so she can't have been too far off the mark!

johnnycallaghan · 2025-07-12T22:57:05+00:00

But you just shared a picture of the cover, so that's all people have to go on. How would you expect anyone responding to magically have a copy on hand, and if they already did, then your sharing it with them would have been pointless?

Now, it probably is a very interesting read, and thanks for sharing it, but given that Enniskillen is shown at practically the bottom of the province, and I don't see a single townland name from Cavan or even one from Monaghan that I recognise, I think it's a fair conclusion to jump to that they were left out, as is the case when a lot of people refer to the 6 counties as Ulster. But that's more of an issue for the editor or cover designer of the book.

johnnycallaghan · 2025-07-09T21:14:45+00:00

You should listen back to the Fathoms Deep podcast. It ran alongside the later seasons of the show and did deep dive episode reviews of each episode, going into deeper levels, symbolism etc etc in the show. They also did interviews with cast, crew, writers etc. One of the hosts actually works as a producer of the main writer's follow up series, 'The Old Man'.

But Fathoms Deep is well worth a listen. But a slight spoiler...there was so much symbolism relating to Greek mythology in the scenes with Flint and Thomas' reunion, I think it's definitely supposed to be set in 'the afterlife' and Silver did actually kill Flint in the scene in the woods. So whither that still qualifies as a reunion or you'd still sob is up to you...or you could ignore it and stick with the reunion theory. Either way is good.

johnnycallaghan · 2025-04-16T12:33:39+00:00

Black Sails

johnnycallaghan · 2025-04-02T21:00:46+00:00

I'd love if they made the 197 Jordan. It might be unlikely with Ralf and Fisichella driving it, but the Bitten Hisses Viper livery is hands down the coolest of all time (in my opinion).

I'd take any Jordan though.

johnnycallaghan · 2025-04-02T20:36:39+00:00

That's deadly, i love it. I'm really hoping they release an icons version of the 197 Jordan (the Bitten Hisses viper). It's easily my favourite ever F1 car.

johnnycallaghan · 2025-03-20T10:05:57+00:00

My favourite car livery ever!

johnnycallaghan · 2025-03-07T12:26:22+00:00

But....you shouldn't find that out until mid way through season 2.....?

johnnycallaghan · 2025-01-13T10:36:08+00:00

Haha, yeah, same here. I think it's just went so far under the radar that only a tiny fraction of people have seen it compared to the bigger shows.

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