Black Eye Friday

                                                                         All end in beers

What can I tell you about the curiously named "Black Eye Friday" that you can't actually surmise from the title. After a beer or several the residents of the town usually end up brawling. So what's it all about then?

Once a year this strange phenomenon happens, the last main pay day for most folks before Christmas a little earlier than usual. Now most of us are used to being relatively civilised and seem capable of going on a Friday night, let your hair down pub crawl, end of the working week type of thing we normally do. Costumes, hats whatever maybe worn week in week out. So no change there. Black Eye Friday though all hell breaks lose, and the younger folks tend not to be the idiots involved. Oh no, it's those middle aged men who go out once a year, can't hold their beer, miffed at their lives who are fully intent on causing a brawl....ending up with mass punch ups, a few smashed windows, pubs barring people and probably more arrests than for the last six months. Also the next day you will pass these shame faced idiots sporting the badge of dubious honour....the black eye.... hence the name "Black Eye Friday." Thankfully this idiotic behaviour occurs once yearly but does make me wonder is this sort or event unique to our island?

Fireman and flooding, Theme Day, Worker

                           All in a days work

Earlier this year, the town of Ramsey and other parts of the Isle of Man suffered from high tide flooding. No amount of sand bagging the doorways of local business can completely save the properties from the tidal deluge and ensuing damage. The town was easier to canoe round than walk round for a day. In fact some people did canoe home with their shopping. This is Market Place, right near the harbour. The fireman and crew were busy not putting out fires, but pumping the tidal flooding from the local corner sweet shop (pictured) and other business premises along there, such as the local nightclub, cafe, and pub on the corner. All in days work for the local firemen. Thanks to the fire brigade and other services, most businesses were up and running within the week, though some suffered and closed until refurbishment work had been completed.

Image part of CDP theme day, and Our world Tuesday others around the world can be seen here and here

The Mitre Hotel, pub with a view

                                Beer and boats


The Mitre Hotel has recently undergone a refurb, but the great harbour view remains. Not many pubs can claim a view straight onto a quayside. Another place where you can find locals belting out karaoke, charity nights for worthwhile local causes, carveries and varied food themed nights upstairs. Downstairs, you can hire the private rooms for functions, or listen or to the local folk and Manx music groups. You can even join in at open mic sessions, or for those musically gifted can take their own instrument of choice and join in. Pub bands are also a regular feature. Something for everyone here, can be found at the Mitre. Even if that something is a quiet pint and an evening sunset.

See here for a night out at the Mitre in aid of a local good cause