What happens is basically this: he goes out for walks with a little bird-call identification app and wanders through different areas, listening for birdsong, spotting species, recording calls, ticking off sightings… I know it sounds like something your retired neighbour does on Sunday mornings, and yes, we are not exactly young anymore (we’re not old either - we’re in that solidly time of our lives a great friend of mine calls post-youth), but it’s genuinely fascinating. Even more so when you consider the fact that my partner is an environmental scientist specialising in ecology.

And now you’re wondering, dear reader, what any of this has to do with Sir Paul McCartney. My answer: absolutely everything.

I’ve joined my partner on a few of these outings. And I — journalist, marketer, and decidedly amateur writer — can identify almost none of the bird sounds around us. Except one. The blackbird.

— Wait, wait… I know that one! That’s a blackbird.
— Are you sure? Let me check…
— Of course I’m sure. That’s definitely a blackbird.
— How do you know?
— Easy. There’s a Beatles song called “Blackbird” that has the actual bird singing in it. That's how I recognised it.
— …yeah, it is a blackbird. Can you send me that song later?

My boyfriend and I have a lot in common, but we also have some spectacular differences. One of them is that roughly 90% of everything he knows about the Beatles - or about Paul - came from me. The other 10% from his father. He's not interested in music as I am, nor a fan of the Beatles. So it shouldn’t surprise anyone that I was the one who informed him that Paul McCartney has a bit of a thing for birds.

Just look at the discography: Blackbird, Jenny Wren, Two Magpies, Morse Moose and the Grey Goose, Single Pigeon — and several others that don’t have a bird in the title but are very much about birds. The man named his band Wings, people, FFS!

But then I started thinking: it’s no surprise that McCartney has songs about all kinds of animals, given that he’s been a vegetarian and animal rights advocate since the early ‘70s. And with the size of his catalogue, he probably has a song for every single moment in any person’s life.

Because I think of music as the soundtrack to this time we spend in the universe we call life, I decided to challenge myself. Here’s my slightly bizarre, slightly obvious list of five songs for strange moments, all of them written by Sir Paul McCartney.

5 Random Situations with a
Paul McCartney Soundtrack

1 - A pandemic (any pandemic, really): Wings — Band on the Run (1973)

Stuck inside these four walls
Sent inside forever
Never seeing no one nice again
Like yoooou… mama… youuuuu…

Honestly, the entire lyric of this song could closely relate to that period of the pandemic when we were all told to stay home. Here in Ireland, we had a full lockdown, with movement restricted to a specific radius from your house, enforced by law. I know it was wherever you are reading this, but whenever I hear this song, I think of that time. It became part of my pandemic soundtrack.

2 - Falling for the wrong person: The Beatles — You Won’t See Me (1965)

I won’t want to stay
I don’t have much to say
But I get turned away
And you won’t see me

Time after time
You refuse to even listen
I wouldn’t mind
If I knew what I was missing

McCartney has written about forty different songs on this exact theme alone. This one is my favourite of the lot. One of the most absurd things about his genius is that, from very early on, he writes in a way that lets you feel exactly what the other person in the song is feeling. This one is a well of pain and confusion — precisely the state you end up in when you’re in love with someone who couldn’t care less.

3 - Recovering from a hangover: Wings — Picasso’s Last Words (Drink to Me) (1973)

Three o’clock in the morning
I’m getting ready for bed
It came without a warning
But I’ll be waiting for you baby
So drink to me, drink to my health
You know I can’t drink any more

This one has a very specific origin story. At a dinner, McCartney’s friend Dustin Hoffman challenged him: could he really write a song about anything? When Paul said he could try, Hoffman handed him a copy of Time Magazine he was reading, opened to an article about Pablo Picasso, which quoted the artist’s last words: “Drink to me, drink to my health, you know I can’t drink anymore.”

What Hoffman didn’t expect was for McCartney to immediately start humming a melody over the words. The song practically wrote itself that evening. I find this story so wonderful that I had to include it — and yes, it’s the perfect hangover soundtrack.

4 - The vegan protest you’re going to next week: Paul McCartney — Looking for Changes (1993)

I saw a rabbit with its eyes full of tears
The lab that owned her had been doing it for years
Why don’t we make them pay for every last eye
That couldn’t cry its own tears

I cried listening to this song the other day. Again. McCartney is completely direct here: animal testing is cruel, unnecessary, and wrong. Thank you, Paul!

5 - You’re not Irish, but you’re very much a fan of Ireland: Wings — Give Ireland Back to the Irish (1972)

Tell me, how would you like it
If on your way to work
You were stopped by Irish soldiers?
Would you lie down, do nothing?
Would you give in, or go berserk?

This song was banned from every radio station in the United Kingdom when it was released. Written during the conflict known as the Troubles — specifically in response to Bloody Sunday — it reflects McCartney’s position as a British man with Irish roots on the war and the question of Irish sovereignty.

His surname says a lot: Mc and Mac are common prefixes in Irish surnames, derived from the Irish mac, meaning “son.” So McCartney essentially means “son of Cartney.” The Irish part of Macca is, suffice to say, not very fond of England.

I could go on. The 2013 album New alone deserves its own post. Appreciate is perfect for when you want to feel elegant learning a second language, and On My Way to Work is the ideal soundtrack for noticing the small beautiful things on your commute. And I haven’t even touched Chaos and Creation in the Backyard (2005) or the gorgeous Tug of War (1982). The list is endless.

With nearly 70 years of public life and a catalogue that has no real comparison, I’ll leave you with this: do you have a Paul McCartney song to call your own? I hope you do! :)

The Little Recommendations

1 - Paul McCartney, Days We Left Behind: The man is 84 years old. He could have retired twenty years ago and spent his days doing absolutely nothing — and he would have earned it. Instead, he keeps writing, recording, and creating beautiful things like this. His new album, The Boys of Dungeon Lane, drops at the end of this month, and I cannot wait. In the meantime, here’s this gorgeous SNL performance to tide you over.

2 - Merlin, the bird app: This is the app I mentioned at the beginning of the post. Beyond identifying birds by their calls, it records the sounds, logs the species you’ve spotted, and even recommends which birds you’re likely to see based on your location. It’s genuinely fun — and weirdly addictive.

3 - Baixa Fidelidade (a Substack newsletter, in Portuguese): If you’re the kind of person who always has music on, loves discovering new artists, gets nostalgic about old favourites, and appreciates someone with a really interesting curatorial eye — you need to meet Anajuts. I had so much fun reading her posts, loved her reflection on David Bowie, and discovered a new obsession through her writing. Trust me on this one.

That’s all from me. Until next time!

Rakky

The Dreamer was the type who immediately talked about his intentions. Something about my profile caught his eye, and we started chatting.

A couple of days of chats, the busy lives, work, studies, busy streets, and cold weather. We finally met at a pub close to both our places. And he was as bright as gentle.

That could be the beginning of a great story, but, well, not really.

I was absolutely horrible to him. I was “in love” with someone else at the time. Things went wrong, I kind of stopped answering suddenly.

I thought I would be able to cure a love with another. And The Dreamer was basically a dream. Smart, beautiful, bright, funny, the type of person who could make fun of his own tragedies - and just like me, there were a couple of tragedies to make fun of. We had a lot of things in common. And, it was easy to see things might be going right with him after all.

Not much time passed, and I couldn't really deal with it all. And I think I just ran away from him, not really giving him any good reason, I don't think.

This is not in any shape or form a regret letter. It's more like an unsent apology. For all I know, The Dreamer is really happy now, as am I, so things were just supposed to be the way they are. But isn't it funny that sometimes a band can bring you back to a memory of a time that was definitely not supposed to be a love story, but, somehow, happened? Or when you remember that public transport love, a person you fell in love with quickly during the moments you shared together inside an overcrowded bus, subway, or train?

The National reminds me of The Dreamer. That one cursed Oasis song reminds me of The Vegan. That one song by my favorite band that I dislike till this day reminds me of The One Who Wasn't Really Nice After All. Supercut, by Lorde, reminds me of My Real Platonic College Love. And I have a whole playlist somewhere entirely dedicated to the trauma that it was, whatever was happening, during the time I thought I was dating The Gamer.

But then I met my better half.

And a single playlist is definitely not enough. There needs to be a full soundtrack. With the newest rhymes being added every day. And a couple of harmonies coming here and there. And that new obscure German rap band, which reminds me of one of our inside jokes. And that odd little indie group I knew from my childhood, and he heard and recognised the voice of one of its members, who was also part of another little indie group he got to know while traveling around the world.

So yeah, I never really apologized to The Dreamer. But I thank him often for this kindness. I also thank The Gamer for being so awful. And I thank The Paul, my first boyfriend, The Banker, The One I Was Just Musically In Love With, and my other little love adventures who brought me here. Cause there's a lot of love in life that it's not really supposed to happen, or not really supposed to be your happy ending. And, the funny thing is, you'll only really notice that all when you're reflecting on your life, a meter away from your happy ending, on a rainy Sunday night, just listening to old indie songs.

First of all, what kind of person names a bike? A real name, not a puppy one or anything like that. Well, I consider myself that kind of person, whatever that means. All my precious belongings have names. Linda was one of them. She had not only a name but also a personality.

I went on a ride around Dublin with Linda to try to put my ideas and my mind in order. While cycling, I noticed I wasn’t going anywhere in particular — my goal was to chill, reflect, maybe come up with some ideas — so I cycled without a destination, observing the trees, the pathways, people on the streets, nature, all the beautiful things the city had to offer.

At a particular point on my way, I noticed the ride had become more difficult. My pace was slowing down. I was breathing heavily and making an extra effort to keep going in the same direction. When I stopped to catch my breath, I realized it was the wind. I was cycling against it, while it pushed me in the opposite direction.

Thinking about it: I had chosen that way, I was ready, I had all the equipment to do that workout, and I knew how to do it. But I was also free from obligations: I had no place to go or appointments to attend. There wasn’t anything other than my will pushing that way, against the wind. The same feeling made me change direction, letting the wind take me wherever it wanted.

And then the path went back to its natural flow. I was again easily cycling at the right pace, and I even discovered new places around the city. The hard way was behind me; it had given me some beautiful memories, but I wasn’t there any longer. I was following the wind, allowing it to guide me in a new direction.

What are the things that you do naturally? The ones that are so intrinsically part of you in the sense that no effort is needed for you to do them? What are the things that are so genuine in your spirit that are like playing a game or doing something enjoyable? The things you do just because.

Those are the things you should focus on throughout your life. It’s like cycling: as soon as you’ve learned how to ride a bike, you never forget it. It is as natural as your ability to follow your heart when you allow yourself to listen to it: maybe on your way to finding your dream career, becoming a better person, developing a new ability, or even finding a soulmate.

Every time you find yourself cycling against the wind, rethink. Why are you doing that? Do you have any other choice? If you do have another option, take it, as I did. And if you feel lost, don’t worry —we are all a little lost in our own way. Your heart is your wind. Why would you choose to cycle against it?

Listen to it. It’s inside you. Follow your wind. It will probably blow you to a better place.

In this article, I'll share a bit of my experience producing the short documentary "With a Little Help From My Friends", a project I created for my Video Production course as part of my MSc in Applied Digital Media.

The documentary received a good response from my classmates and incredible lecturers, Tania Doyle, Daniel Hegarty, and Vincent McEntee. It was later exhibited at the Griffith College Creative Show 2018 as one of the best pieces created by Digital Media students, so I have many reasons to be proud of it.

A non-professional reason I'm so proud of this little work is that it is about the importance of making friends as an adult and the challenges of moving to another country. I have lightly mentioned this piece in a previous posts, so if you’re an old reader, you might have seen this coming. Also, I had the opportunity to work with my dearest friend Marina, the story's main character, and the owner of this amazing smile.

During the three months of production for this than-five-minute piece, I’ve learned a bit of all you need to know about producing a professional short documentary, starting from the documentation, how to organise a proposal and defend it with the production team, how to put together a brief, how to write a script, manage schedules and stills, recording techniques, editing techniques, you name it.

I also learned that there will be a lot of footage that you’ll never use in the final product.

Oh, schedules. Schedules are never the way we want them to be. There’s always something going on: a dead camera battery, a malfunctioning microphone, someone refusing to sign the filming notice, or a piece of footage you simply can’t get.

But I also learned a bunch of other things that are way more valuable: I learned to trust my gut feeling, accept mistakes as part of the process, look for a job well done and stop chasing perfection, and, most of all, revisited my way of making friends as an adult while hearing and re-hearing the stories of some of my friends’ friends.

This little piece is about to complete eight years, and so is my journey in Ireland. During this time, I've made lifelong friends - including Linh, whose support on the production part of this piece was vital for it to have become something real, discovered a bunch of cool places to go, became vegan, met my partner, moved to eight different houses, had a bunch of informal jobs and two formal jobs in my area of study, had good jobs in my area of study, moved to a different county, and visited almost three-quarters of this island.

Still, looking back at this little thing… how can I not be proud of the person I was when I made it? How can I not appreciate the long road I walked from there to where I am today? How could one possibly forget all of the people who made this short documentary possible, including my friend Marina, her partner, and her friends, now people I can also call friends?

Okay, I think I made myself clear. This text doesn’t have a deep point to make; it’s just a simple observation: appreciate your friends, learn to value them, and keep them close—even if they are miles and miles away!

Here you go, watch it! And let me know what you think! =)

The little recommendations

1 - Video Production, for real this time: if you want to learn something about video production, I think this guide from Adobe is pretty neat for starters. Of course, the promotion of their tools throughout the content is prominent, but, c’mon, Premiere is also pretty neat!

2 - Songs in times of war: We are living in strange times. I have always relied on music to get my life going and, well, it’s a good recipe if you ask me. These suggestions by Tanga are right on point!

And there you have it, short and sweet, and let’s see what we have next time?

I was lucky enough to have one of my dearest friends living in Ireland at the time, and she gave me all of the possible support someone can imagine in terms of how to get by in the new city, the best places for absolutely everything in Dublin, and all of that cool stuff. Still, I was terrified. Would I be able to make new friends as I was getting close to my 30s? Would I be able to maintain my friends from the other side of the ocean? Would I ever be able to connect with someone from another country on the profound level I was able to connect with my friends from back home? How would I make sure that they really get me?

Months later, and with these thoughts still in my mind, I moved to the third house I lived in Dublin. It was a student accommodation, and there were 13 of us living there, and I accidentally bleached all of the black clothes of one of the girls during my first week at the new house. Not a great start, I'd say. But, boy, how things went…

My agenda was similar to that of the girl in question. We'd leave the house pretty much at the same time in the morning and be back around the same time in the evening for dinner. Inevitably, we’ve started to talk. We discovered many things in common. She taught me a lot about Ireland, as she was born and raised here. I taught her a lot about Brazil - gambiarra is one of her favourite words in the universe, and that’s a lot to say about a lady who studied languages for a lot of her life and who writes the most incredible fantasy stories you'd ever read.

In a couple of months, I had the deepest appreciation and care for her, and the feeling was mutual. She'd ask me to do stuff together on the weekends, listen to random bands we'd like, go on walks or ride our bikes to the part, we've created some crazy shit playlists, we’d sit in the kitchen for hours, talking, laughing and drinking tea. Of course, music was a great topic of conversation, and, besides our age difference and the fact that we were teenagers from entirely different cultures, we were introduced to very similar artists and shared hallmark life experiences in similar areas. Religion, and our understanding of it, was also part of these chats. I grew up as a Catholic, she grew up as a Protestant (in the Republic of Ireland, I've touched the surface of the implications in this piece, but I'm definitely not the person to trust on talking about the subject). The thing is, we've grown fond of each other, very nicely and very quickly.

But, ah, our tea talks! In one of these, we promised each other that one day, whenever we had enough money to rent a better place, less crowded, and with just the two of us, maybe with one more person, we would do it. And because of our little tea parties and our mutual appreciation for tea, we would have a whole cupboard in our shared house, full of tea.

Yes, that was our wild dream: a cupboard. Full of tea.

Then I moved to another house. And another. Got a job. And another. She was also moving ahead with her life, including her jobs and studies. We never lost touch; we genuinely valued each other's opinions on things. She reviewed my thesis. She's listed on my appreciation page for that thesis; I wouldn't be able to do it without her.

And then the pandemic hit. We were both living in different houses, with different housemates who weren't necessarily 100% honest about their habits and whether they were following all of the guidelines for health and safety. Other complications arose. In one of our chats, when the local government started allowing park walks and outside visits within a 10km radius of your own house, we mentioned that we should start looking for a place to rent together to make the cupboard dream a reality. And so we did it. And I have proof:

This is one of my favourite things that have ever happened in my life: I managed to turn a dream into a reality. And I share this with a true friend, a sister, someone who knows me better than most. This is a friendship I didn't think possible when I first landed in this country as an immigrant and a student. This lady is going to be around for the rest of my days, and I know that wherever we are, whatever the situation, we will always have a cup of tea to offer each other, and a great story to remember: our little story.

Thanks, my favourite weirdo: I’m forever in debt to your kindness, your compassion, your love of simple things in life, and your friendship. Life would be less fun without you!

The little recommendations

I cannot offer anything else this week that doesn't pay homage to Sebastião Salgado. One of the greatest photojournalists of our time, his death on May 23rd reminds us of his remarkable work in showcasing love, relationships, and power through his photographs. From Minas Gerais to the world, Salgado traveled to more than 120 countries, revealing the reality of our times in images that are so profound they cannot be ignored. I've selected a couple of pieces I found here on Substack - recent and not-so-recent - that are all about his glory, which I highly recommend.

The Crop

Sebastião Salgado

While protest movements often fail to achieve their primary goals (e.g. CND, Anti-Iraq War, Occupy, BLM), the secondary effects can have huge consequences. Take Occupy. A generation of leftists found purpose amid the encampments, galvanising a populist movement that…

Read more

2 years ago · 38 likes · 16 comments · Neil Scott

Church & Street Foto Club

Salgado Is Love

In October 2022, I was nearing the end of a trip to Chennai. To close it off, my assistant and I visited a welfare school to host a kind of picture day for the children. It was—what I often call—photography in service of others. Using my camera as a passport, I was able to meet and connect with people I’d never encountered before, all while making them …

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a year ago · 1 like · Gajan Balan

Tales From the Homestead

The Salt of the Earth

Hmmm, I lost two subscribers shortly after I posted Monday on Ta-Nehisi Coates’ book “Between the World and Me.” Touched a nerve, I reckon…

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5 years ago · 5 likes · 5 comments · Gary Mackender

The silent drama of photography - a TED Talk by Sebastião Salgado

Kneecap is an Irish rap trio formed in Belfast back in 2017. Mo Chara (Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh), Móglaí Bap (Naoise Ó Caireallain), and DJ Próvaí (J.J. Ó Dochartaigh) have been shaking up the Irish music scene (and perhaps the global one too!) with their challenging lyrics, captivating energy, a unique blend of hip-hop with traditional Irish influences, and lyrics in both English and Irish.

The political dimension of the band begins with the simple act of singing in Irish (Gaelic). After centuries of conflict between Ireland and England, Irish independence only happened in 1921, dividing the island into the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. In the six counties of the north, which remained under British rule, the use of the Irish language was officially persecuted and discouraged.

The "Bloody Sunday" of 1972 is just one of many bloody chapters in this conflict. Until 2022—believe it or not!—Irish wasn't recognized as an official language in Northern Ireland. The members of Kneecap grew up in this environment of tension, speaking Irish as a deliberate act of cultural and political resistance.

1 - "C.E.A.R.T.A." (2017)

One of the group's first successful tracks, "C.E.A.R.T.A." (which means "rights" in Irish), set the tone for their entire career. The song addresses police harassment and systemic discrimination in Northern Ireland, presented with biting satire and a hard-hitting beat.

The music video is a barrage of criticism and controversial, featuring Mo Chara & Móglaí Bap walking the streets of Belfast and simulating a police chase, which immediately established them as provocateurs unafraid to challenge authority.

2 - "Get Your Brits Out" (2019)

This is one of Kneecap's most politically explicit tracks, a rebellious call to direct action. The song openly criticizes British rule in Northern Ireland while celebrating Irish identity, with a crystal-clear message: "get your Brits out."

Interestingly, Joe Rogan praised the band on his podcast after hearing the first verses, where they describe themselves as "your favorite republicans." To me, this is a clear example of how different political contexts can cause serious misunderstandings, since being a "republican" in Ireland has completely different connotations than in the American context (or, in other words, how a lack of reading comprehension and seeing the world only through your own circles can make you talk nonsense!). Back to the music, this is one of the songs responsible for Kneecap's reputation as advocates for the revival of the Irish language and republican politics, albeit with a strong dose of irreverence.

3 - "H.O.O.D." (2018)

From their debut mixtape 3CAG, "H.O.O.D." (an acronym for "Hate Outside Our Doors") showcases Kneecap's narrative prowess. The track paints a vivid portrait of growing up in Belfast, mixing humor and hardship as they sing about street life, drug culture, and survival. The verse "Tiocfaidh ár lá (our day will come in Irish) / get the Brits out lad! / A one way ticket, please, I've lost my bus pass" went so viral on TikTok last year that it inspired a series of young people across Ireland to advocate for complete independence (with the reunion of the six counties) and to learn real Irish.

4 - "Sick in the Head" (2024)

This one is pure chaos! And I’m all for it!

The song translates Kneecap's wild and carefree essence as they talk about drug experiences and mental health issues in a self-deprecating way, all with a constant and simplistic electronic beat. It's an excellent example of how the group balances serious themes with humor and provocative reflection.

5 - "Better Way to Live" (ft. Grian Chatten) (2024)

To finish, a gem: "Better Way to Live" is a collaboration between Kneecap and Grian Chatten from Fontaines D.C., and besides showing a more contemplative and mature Kneecap, it connects the band with other local issues. The track reflects on the search for meaning in life and, with a touch of melancholy, shows Kneecap's growth as a band and the guys as artists. It's one of my favorite tracks from the band's debut album, Fine Art, released in June last year.

Kneecap represents much more than just a rap band: they are the voice of a generation that grew up in the echoes of conflicts in Northern Ireland but finds new ways to express their identity and political struggles. They have also inspired the generation that grew up in independent Ireland but had problems learning the language in local schools, reflecting an educational structure still built under English influence.

But hey, before I go, this video can showcase better than all of my words why it is important to listen what bands like Kneecap have to say.

With a unique blend of political anthems, protest tracks, and infectious beats, the trio celebrates Irish pride, political rebellion, and unfiltered storytelling. It's a pleasure to listen to, highly recommended!

An example: video games.

I always hung out with the crowd of people who were either music nerds, tech nerds, or literature nerds. There was a bit of everything, but the one thing I was missing was video games.

Okay, it's not that I didn't engage with them. It's that I didn't have the time, money, equipment, or inclination to actually engage. I played some versions of Super Mario 64, Sonic, and Donkey Kong in the late 1990s and early 2000s. But that was during free time between one computer class and another, some as a student and most as a teacher. Emulators were a huge success at the NGO where I helped teach children the magic of Windows 98, and I can't say I didn't take advantage of it. But I didn't have time to go to a cyber café to play other games. Nor to know, understand, or play Street Fighter and other arcade games. What are those big game machines called again?

Today, I'm not a newsroom journalist, nor do I write about music, nor do I live in Brazil, nor do I visit Pernambuco once a year, like the young woman who didn't have the time, money, equipment, or inclination. But I have a cool job that makes me very happy and gives me support to have other comforts. Like a Nintendo Switch, which I bought at the end of the pandemic to distract my mind with Animal Crossing and later became the platform to play Hogwarts Legacy. And yes, I know, it's a huge bummer to invest money in something that will give copyright money to she-who-must-not-be-named, but it was a little luxury I decided to give myself in honour of my Potterhead past.

Recently, I've started counting all the great privileges I have in my life. Look, moving to Ireland, doing a master's degree here, cleaning pub bathrooms and restaurant dishes, friends, I went through a thousand hardships, yes, sir. But moving to Ireland itself, having the opportunity, by my own choice, to come here to clean bathrooms in the name of a dream was already a huge privilege. And then came other privileges that helped me have the comfort I have today and the luxury of being able to turn off the computer after work and relax. I'm not saying there's no FOMO, no anxiety, and no messed-up moments. But there's also this good moment, which has included new readings, new movies, new series, and, in honour of the Rakky who looked like a gamer in her teens but had no time, money, equipment, or inclination to play video games, playing video games.

Last Christmas, my partner and I gave ourselves a PS5 as a present. I thought it would be a temporary consumer item for me and more permanent for him, but then I started playing Baldur's Gate 3. And besides paying homage to teenage Rakky, who had no time, money, equipment, or inclination to be a gamer, I'm also honouring the Rakky who always wanted to explore the universe of Dungeons & Dragons.

Let's all say a big hurrah to the privileges we've earned! HURRAH!

The little recommendations

A song: Bullseye, from Lucy Dacus's new album, had already won my heart since Forever Is a Feeling was successfully added to my list of best albums of 2025 (and no, it's not too early to start this kind of list!). But then I became aware of this music video, recorded here at the National Gallery of Ireland, and, well, there's no other way to put it. Perfection.

Baldur's Gate 3: it's not because it won Game of the Year in 2023, the BAFTA for Best Game in 2024, and a bunch of other recognitions. Nor because it's absolutely fantastic. It's because I'm in the middle of my second campaign, and I've done so many different things from the first one that I can't even say (without having to play the Dark Urge). It's because it's an experience. And because I've developed an almost emotional attachment to each of the characters. If you can, go there and play it!

A random recommendation: if at some point in your life you've eaten couscous, you love couscous. And since I'm a lady who seeks efficiency in life, I'm here spreading the word about microwave Brazilian couscous, which is ready quickly and is perfect. I've made this recipe several times since I found it, and I'm just recommending it to the world. Okay, this will be better for those of you who read or speak Portuguese, but seriously, give it a try, will you? Text me and I'll send you the recipe in English, if you'd like, along with a list of locations in Ireland to buy couscous and make it! Go for it, it's worth it!

And that's it. See you next time?

Rakky

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First things first: I love Griffith College from the bottom of my heart. Is it something super cheesy to say about a college? Yes, but I don't mind. That's the truth, and I'll keep on saying it.

I'm not writing this to share my love from this over 40 years old college, nor its tradition of welcoming international students from all over the world. I am writing this because of a lot of people (seriously, I'm not bragging or anything) found me to ask me the same couple of questions. How was the experience of studying abroad? How did you found Griffith College? How was the experience of pursuing a Masters Degree in Ireland? How did you find the programme? Well, I can't blame you, I guess people from Griffith College helped you finding me after this, so, that's my time to return the favour and give you some answers. Ready? Set... Go!

1 - How was the experience of studying abroad?
It was life-changing. There's no way I can describe that wording it differently. I arrived in Dublin in September 2017, thinking that I had what it takes to do it. I had the experience and the knowledge required by the programme. Still, I've learned so much and developed so many different skills during my course and way after it finishes, that it would be possible to write a book on those adventures. Don't you worry: this post won't be that long.

2 - How did you found Griffith College?
I wasn't necessarily looking for it, it just happened, really.

I was trying to find a Post Graduate or a Masters Degree course that had marketing, journalism, graphic design and maybe a bit of coding on it. My idea was to mix up different areas of knowledge, having some areas in which I felt safe and others to learn from scratch and develop new skills. Their MSc in Applied Digital Media was perfect. For several days, I'd stare at the programme on the website, thinking that someone was obviously playing jokes on me. Everything was there: skills that I wanted to develop, mixed with areas of knowledge that I already had some experience upon and new and exciting subjects. It looked like a dream, but it was real. Sooner than I expected, I started to save money, get informed about their scholarship offers and everything that I could to get closer to them. Until I finally get it there.

3 - How is the college overall? Which facilities do they offer?

As a Harry Potter fan, the first thing that I noticed about Griffith College was that some areas look just like Hogwarts, which for me was a great win. During my year there, they were refurbishing a series of areas, building new classrooms and students accommodations, but in general, is a very cool place to be. They have a big campus with separated areas for each faculty, but also loads of lecturer areas. A vast library, film, photo and design/editing labs with mostly brand new computers; cameras, lenses, video cameras, microphones and all equipment you need to any sort of activity/assignment. All of that is part of the deal.

Griffith College also offers a good-sized cafeteria and a student union area with a canteen, a game room and convenience spaces. A grand auditorium that hosts a variety of internal and external events throughout the year and diverse areas to people hang-out together. Isn't this everything that a good college can offer? Ah: they also provide accommodation, if you are willing to pay the price (not the cheapest option in Dublin) and an international office dedicated to making your life easier. Thanks so much, Griffith College International Office, you are doing it right! You guys are great!

2 - How's Griffith College reputation in Ireland?

In general, everything that I heard about it before and after being a student at Griffth was very positive. As a private institution, they have loads of internationally recognised undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes. They are also one of the longest established private third-level colleges in Ireland.

I did my research, finding out the goods and the bads. Because of the programme and their excellent reputation related to computer science courses (and the Computing Faculty itself!), I took the risk. Their reputation doesn't go only to the computing courses. In fact, Griffith College maintains a good name in technology, law and communication courses and, by experience, I can tell that they know what they are doing. It was worth it!

My experience with the college is limited to Dublin Main Campus, but they also have other campuses in Cork and in Limerick. I would definitely check it out those two, and they also opened a second campus in Dublin (that I haven't visited yet, but I will! Wait for me!).

3 - How was your course, specifically? It was more like a practical thing, or it was theoretical-based?

I'd say that all modules had both theoretical and practical lectures, but most of them were more practical-focused. If you're up to start in September and willing to go for Applied Digital Media, there are options for both full-time and part-time schedules. Both are a bit heavy in content. If you don't have any knowledge on a specific area, you'll get the material, the lectures with introductions, content and the resources to go and learn more. As expected from a Masters student, you won't have all content given to you on classes. Still, all lectures were extremely open to giving extra orientations any time I needed, including other sources, tips, materials and recommendations.

For modules with both theoretical and practical modes, we would have the theoric lectures on a room or auditorium and the practical on labs. The Mac Labs are mostly used to all Visual Communication and Video Production practical lectures and any lectures that involved design and edition. There's also the Video and Audio labs, used on video production classes, the photography lab, some computer labs for the Game Design, 3D Modelling and Multimedia Programming classes, among others.

4 - Is it possible to get a part-time job while studying?

If you are thinking of enrolling the full-time course starting in September and get a part-time job, think again. In my experience, it was tough to follow up with all assignments and also administrate 20 hours of work per week. You'll have classes both on mornings and afternoons for most of the days in the week and the weekends will be full of assignments too. If you're starting in February, your life will be a bit less complicated, so, a part-time job is manageable.

5 - Did you have any research paper to be done during your studies?
Yes, and this is an essential part of the course that some students (me included) didn't take to seriously initially, but that shown to be very important afterwards. We have a specific module called "Research Methods" and, well... by the name of it you can tell it is not the most fun of all the lectures you will have. But it's undoubtedly important to get yourself in the mindset to do the dissertation and to get things organised accordingly. Another advice: don't be like me and try to learn as much as possible from the first class onwards. I had to catch up at the end of the semester and, well, I did not have holidays in 2018! 

6 - How is the market in Ireland for that kind of course?
Sort of competitive and with a high demand for professionals. It doesn't really matter if you want to pursue a career in Digital Marketing, Graphic Design, Web Development, Content Production or a bit of it all. You will find out shortly that Ireland is a place full of opportunities. There are loads of job fairs during the year, we receive job offers every day on LinkedIn and all other job search platforms, it's gigantic. I'm not even talking only about Dublin. The demand for professionals in those fields is increasing all across the country.

Griffith also helps in that area. They have a career advisor (thank you, Emma, you are awesome!) that can help you reviewing your CV, checking on doubts that you might have about the market, giving tips and even simulating interviews and organising meetings in between you and alumni from your course. Ah, they also have a full platform for you to interact with colleagues and students from previous years. It''s the Griffith Alumni Network (and I know, I should be using this more often!).

7 - What do you have to say about the experience of living in Dublin?

Well... The highest temperature I have ever seen in this place was 25 °. During summer. On a very unusual occasion. That said, this city is generally cold. The average temperature is 8 ° to 12 ° throughout the year. Winter can be quite intense and wind storms are part of everyday life. So, if you are from a warm country, you might need to pack some extra layers, buy new clothing upon arrival, and get used to the cold.

We are also facing a huge housing crisis. Dublin itself has a lot more people than houses or apartments, which makes prices very high. There are landlords who take advantage of the situation and accommodate students in places that do not offer enough structure, charging exquisite prices. If you like to work hard and play even harder, alcohol, in general, costs more here than in many other countries in Europe. There you go, these are all the negative points (in my humble point of view!).

Dublin is a very safe city, flat in most places, small enough to allow you to do a lot or almost everything walking and big enough that you don't get bored. There are parks, museums, churches and art galleries to visit, most of them free or on very affordable prices and restaurants specialised in cuisines from all over the world. You can also find the most different types of pubs, a trade market that appreciates enough local products and groceries with imported products from all corners of the world. For me, another vital advantage is that Dublin has bike lanes that get respect from most drivers and are safe enough for you to ride your bike around the city. Last but not least, the world most famous beer is from here. It also tastes better at home (of course I'm talking about Guinness). I think the positives outweigh - and a lot - the negatives.

I can say that this is all. I think I answered the vast majority of questions. So, did you like it? Leave your comment and let me know if I managed to answer all your questions or send me a message/email telling me if I forgot anything! Really hope this helps!