Irish Quirks Uncovered

Grand Soft Day.....it's banjaxed.....stop acting the maggot.....day for the high stool ......Every wonder what Irish people are talking about?? Some of our guests here have been putting pressure on us to unveil the meaning of our quirky phrases. we were reluctant as honestly we sometimes enjoy the look of confusion on your faces! but we'll give in ....here's an explaination of a few.......

1. A Grand Soft Day: This is drizzly rainy weather......not enough to soak you but still enough to frizz your hair (disaster!) Something we get alot of in Galway


2. Banjaxed: The object is completely broken.....never to work again.....like when our dedicated receptionist Anna broke the Twister board game there just was no fixing it - and we still haven't forgiven her!


3. Acting the Maggot: To act up or act the eejit ......Barnacles team member Scott does this on a regular basis always getting himself into trouble and all sorts of sticky situations....Check out our flickr page to see


4. A day for the high stool: One of our personal favourites! When it's raining so hard that there is simply nothing you can do but go to the nearest pub and plonk yourself down on a high stool by the counter and have a few beers. .....



What phrases did you come across when travelling in Ireland? Let us and our guests know .... you'll be helping generations of backpackers to come!

You've Been BARNACLED!! - the Barnalces leg of the IHH Around Ireland For Free Trip

Yesterday, Barnacles Hostel took part in the Galway leg of the IHH Around Ireland for Free Trip. The Barnacles Challenge: To Barnacle 15 people by making them do the Macarena dance in Quay Street, Galway. Here's how the girls got on...........

'Today Melanie and I began our journey in Galway. First stop, Barnacles Hostel. Here we were given our first challenge - in order to earn our first night's stay, we needed to convince fifteen people to dance the Macarena in front of the hostel with us. This was no easy task. Armed with our Barnacles t-shirts and positive attitudes, we were promptly rejected by everyone we tried to convince at the Spanish Arch. Clearly folks are not as keen on making spectacles of themselves as we are. Eventually we decided that the only way to get the participants we needed was to lead by example. And so we danced. And people stared. And we danced some more. And the staff took pictures. And we danced, and hollered at tourists walking by, and eventually some folks took pity on our cause and danced alongside us. It took a few goes, and a few starts and stops of the music, and a few perplexed looks and outright refusals, but in the end we got more than the fifteen people required. We rounded off a good twenty minutes of dancing with eighteen participants and earned our night. We retire with the rhythmic beat and awkward gestures ringing in our memories.' Jennifer Mara














Check out more pictures on our facebook and flickr and video of the people the girls managed to Barnacle on the day

Best of Luck Girls from the Barnacles Team

Bloomsday - The Ulysses Challenge

Well everyone Bloomsday has been and gone ……. so what do we all think? For anyone who was in The Meeting Square, Templebar, Dublin yesterday you would now be enlightened to the joys of Ulysses by James Joyce. It was perfect – the sun was out, there was free ice-cream nothing to do but sit back and enjoy the readings of Ulysses.

But I have to ask the question...... how many people have read Ulysses??

I myself have tried to read Ulysses twice already but failed miserably. The introduction alone to the book is longer than most books I have read!! So this is a challenge we’re setting here in Barnacles…..The Ulysses Challenge! To read James Joyces Ulysses (no cliff notes although tempting - it is cheating). Encouraged by yesterday’s readings, we’re going to dust off our copies and try again. This time we’re going to read it in public places like the bus or train or even behind the reception desk – once you start to read a book in public you are committed to finishing it!! What happens if someone you know spots you reading it and then asks you how you got on?? We can’t face the shame of saying it was too hard!! So if you hear the staff at Barnacles spontaneously quoting from Ulysses or suddenly demanding gorgonzola cheese sandwiches you’ll know what we’re up to.

We’re going to give it go - will you?

Barnacles Hostel Staff Save the Day

In an amazing feat of heroics today, Barnacles staff member Leprechaun Lorenzo tracked down and rescued his kidnapped cousin Seamus of the Four Courts Hostel. Seamus was being held captive by none other than evil Barbie who was torturing Seamus to reveal the hiding place of the luggage room keys. Young Seamus fell victim to Barbies evil way and was lured by Barbie by her exotic Irish dancing. Seamus is very grateful to Lorenzo for the rescue as he had begun to fear for his life!! Lorenzo has been working in Barnacles Hostel since 1993 and when interviewed Lorenzo claims he never gave up hope in finding his missing cousin and never thought of the danger he was in as he stormed Barbies hide out. He claims he understands how Barbie fooled Seamus as all Leprechauns have a weakness for Blonde girls doing what he calls ‘lovely irish dancing’. A big session will be underway as Lorenzo and Seamus base themselves in Barnacles Hostel in Galway for the week and get reacquainted with a few pints of Guinness. As for Barbie she is facing charges of kidnap, assault and Irish Dancing fraud.

IHH Travel Around Ireland for Free

It's that time of year again, where hostels in Ireland have come together to show that our famous Irish hospitality is still alive and kicking. We've found two willing volunteers who are ready to take on the challenge. Their aim is to try and complete a trip in Ireland without spending a penny!! They will have to rely on their gift of the gab as they try to charm their way from Galway to Sixmilebridge in County Clare over the space of the week.

Those two girls don't know what they're in for - We're not going to make it easy! We have been warned that they will be heading our way on the 21st of June. With no money changing hands, what is the price of a warm cosy bed for the night? If they want a free bed they must complete a challenge we set for them. But what challenge?? It must involve embarrassment (on their part!), laughs and good oul Irish craic!