Adventures WorldRace SethBarnes Sponsorship Giving

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So Galway is a very interesting place. I really love it here, it has so much character and life flowing through it, and that leads to creativity in near overabundance.

With that being said, I want to introduce you to some of the regulars seen on the streets of downtown Galway. These are people that you are SURE to run into if you spend any amount of time here, like a day. There are WAY too many to list them all, but I’ve picked my favorites.

Nora Ward/Warts/Barnacles-  Nora Ward is probably the most famous of the cast. She’s an older woman that can be seen roaming about Eyre Square and shop street. She is probably in her 60’s or 70’s, and has come to her nickname because her face is covered in moles, or bumps or something like that. She even has one on her tongue, which you can clearly see because she will get right in your face and say: “Can I get a fag? (Fags are Cigarettes here) Have you got a fag? Blah blah blah”. . . sticking her tongue out obnoxiously. Our contact, Jimmy, does a great Nora Ward impression, and so we knew her immediately when we first saw her, consequently, on the bus. She’s so popular that supposedly she has her own Facebook Page, and people try to take pictures of her to post on that page. The only bad thing about that, is that Nora is a fighter, and has been known to chase people down to tackle them and take the camera out of their hands. Rumor has it she smacked someone with a heater, and even punched a World Racer once because he dared to capture a picture of her with his lens. Be warned!
Nora Getting Her Groove On here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apV8F0WP37Q
 
The Angry Dwarf/Wee Man/Seamus- Aptly named because he is a “Little Person” and when he’s drunk, look out. He’ll chase you down and kick you in the shins. I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting Seamus, but some of the Youth of Galway that I was ministering to told me about him. Apparently he goes around and finds great sport of popping little kids balloons to make them cry. Unfortunately, the other people in Galway like to antagonize him JUST to make him angry so that he’ll chase people. Someone threw a beer can at once and hit him in the back of the head, and apparently some shin kicking ensued. Some of my teammates said they saw him, and sadly, were disappointed, for they told me he wasn’t that short, and appeared to be having a really good day.
Really poor video of this guy here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzaj49mkDao&NR=1
 

Tye Dye Jamaican- Don’t know too much about this guy, but he is a very tall man with long dreads and an Indiana Jones hat. He can usually be seen near the little cathedral closer to the docks. Don’t worry, you won’t miss him, because he wears a denim jacket and jeans, all tye-dyed the same bright red and blue.

Sub Par Cover Band- They usually hang out in the middle of Eyre Square Park, singing mediocre versions of nearly every 80’s metal hair band hit known to man. Or Americans. Not to be confused with the FANTASTIC cover band that hangs out on Shop Street.

Jack Duval- “The Well Respected King of the Bums” -THIS Guy. I think I may be a bit biased, because I met this guy under false pretenses. My teammates Jonathan and Stephanie met him one day, and raved about him. Dressed in the nicest suit you’d ever see, with a green felt fedora and a brown trenchcoat, carrying a bag full of champagne, I was told he looked like (and I quote): “Someone who walked right out of a book. This guy is SUCH a character, I can’t even begin to describe him. You have to see him.” And he wooed Stephanie with a kiss on the hand. Imagine my excitement then, when Jonathan and I spotted him in the park the next day, and I asked Jonathan to introduce me. After a brief introduction, and some heckling from his band of brothers/bums, he asked me and Jonathan to follow him. Thinking I was about to get a grand story, it turned out that Jack needed a “Favor,” and preceded to ask us if we’d be in Eyre Square tomorrow.
“Probably,” we replied.
“Well, then, I need you both to bring me a Euro.”
Me: “You need a Euro? Tomorrow?”
Jack: “Today.”
Me: “. . .”
Jack: “I’m well respected.”
Jonathan.  (who, let me remind you, is our team’s finance person. The one who is supposed to have ALL the money.) “Uh. . . uh uh… I don’t have a Euro.”
Me: Hands Jack Duval a Euro and he walks off. I got bamboozled. Well respected my foot.
 
Contact Juggler- He usually stands on the corner of Shop street in nothing but a woven vest and bright orange gypsy pants. This guy is VERY talented at contact juggling, which involves twirling a crystal ball around on his hands. He also likes to ride the public transportation bus, but he does so with a jacket on, so be sure to look for the bright orange pants if you think it might be him.
The Galway Contact juggler isn’t quite the same as the guy on this video, but you get the idea.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWFbVuLW77M
 
Bugaloo Burger Sign Holder- Found in the direct crossroads of Shop Street, usually next to Lynch’s Castle. Everyday. I don’t know what a Bugaloo Burger tastes like, but the sign makes them look AMAZING.

Hot Pink Hair Tin Whistler- She wanders all around downtown Galway. Can’t miss her either, she has THE BRIGHTEST hot pink hair I’ve ever seen. . . and usually is accompanied by one or two tiny dogs on a leash. Most of the time you can see her trying to raise money for feeding her pooches by playing the tin whistle on the bridge near the Spanish Arch.

The Silver Running Man- Verdict is still out on this guy. He can be seen near the Professional Graffiti Wall. I think he’s trying to pull one of those “Living Statue” things, but he’s not very good at it. He is painted in all Silver, and his clothes are a little too tight for him, and he’s bent down like he’s about to take off for a 100 meter race.. but he’s cheating.. because he’s sitting on a bucket. And when you put money in his little tip jar, he stands up, runs in place, and throws his arms above his head like he won, which unfortunately lets you see his silver painted beer belly. . . I’m just embarrassed for him. Though I have to give him props, because kids come along and try to get him to blink/move/whatever, and he doesn’t crack. So I guess that’s good.

Disappointing Angel- I think she’s trying to be a living statue too, but she doesn’t do ANYTHING at all. She just stands there, on a box, in a little angel outfit with her hands tied. Almost as if she’s trying to take some political stance or something, but there isn’t a sign or anything, so I have no IDEA what the point is. Her face isn’t even painted. Like I said, disappointing.

The White Witch- Now THIS is how living statues  are supposed to be! She was painted all in white, and looked kind of like the white witch from Chronicles of Narnia, but she is a PRO at street performance. She stands perfectly still, arms outstretched, holding a basket, and when you put change in HER bucket, she very robotically (yet gracefully) hands you a fortune or something out of her bucket, and stares you down until you take it, and then robotically resets herself. I only saw her once, but that was enough. Apparently she’s on a postcard, so you know SHE made it!

Acid Man- He wanders around talking to himself, supposedly the victim of a very bad trip. Kind of intimidating.

The artist- Brian. . . do you mean, musician? He came up to us one day and asked me to see my artwork in my sketchbook, then went on about how he’s painted a ton of murals in shop street. . . but honestly every time I see him he’s banging on a jimbe. He didn’t ONCE mention to us that he was a musician.

Sand Art Guy- This guy makes sand carvings in front of the Graffiti wall on Shop street. . . but there is a question to his legitimacy. Nobody EVER sees him actually START a sand sculpture, and ALL of his creations have the same body. . . sometimes it’s a cat, sometimes it’s a lion. . .sometimes it’s a dog with a baby. Same body, different heads. With some sand scattered about on the plastic sheet to make it look like he was busy working.

Lynyrd Skynyrd Lover- I saw this guy a couple of times before we had an encounter. I saw him walking around in a drunken stupor, with a sport jacket that I never saw him wear, and he’d randomly SCREAM obscenities at people. So when he came up to Alex one day in the park, I got really concerned that he was about to freak out on him. But Alex actually had a great conversation with this guy, and debated on the issue of whether or not to like Lynyrd Skynyrd. This guy found out that Alex was from Alabama, so now, every time he sees Alex he shouts: “Sweet Home Alabama!” I think it’s cute that Alex is acquiring pet names from the locals.

Angry Rainbow Nun- She will usually stand outside of the mall entrance and yell at people about how they have offended God. The first time I saw her she was wearing a very colorful shirt and carrying a picture of the virgin Mary. It is kind of sad, really, because of all that we have learned about Ireland, and how the people here are SO fed up with the organized church, and she’s just giving them another reason.

The Religious Americans- If you’re wondering who these people might be, well look no further. It’s us. We realized that we have slowly become a part of the cast of characters here when an older gentleman ran into our circle, yelled “Jesus Christ is the Devil!” then ran away and jumped on our bus. We’ve been asked many times if “We were the ones cleaning graffiti in the orange vests,” or even the one time I was walking in a COMPLETELY different part of town, and a young girl pointed at me and yelled: “Hey! You’re the girl who walks around the square and talks religion to people!”

 

So that just goes to show you, do anything consistently here in Galway, and you’ll become your own street character. Kind of cool, it is. Hopefully one day I’ll be able to come back and continue to minister to these people.