All I want now is to be left in peace; to smoke my pipe and to enjoy an odd pint of stout. Of course, that is now illegal, just about anywhere in Ireland, but at least our village has the sense to apply laws that are reasonable, and to ignore all those petty little regulations that are designed to save us from our own natural inclinations to enjoy ourselves. Grandad is an ordinary bloke. He's sane. He even has a certificate from his psychiatrist to prove it. He says that he is making great progress. Grandad's only problem is that he is getting old. That has a good and bad side. The good side is the good looking girls don't feel threatened any more, he can pay for things with small change when there is a long queue and people will only mutter. The bad side is that he is increasingly grumpy and even little things are driving him mad.Grandad has lived an outspoken blogging life since he first started posting in 2006. Building on the success of HeadRambles.com, Mercier puts in print some of his finest and funniest posts.
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About the Author
Richard O'Connor is a Wicklow-living, tourist-hating malcontent. He worked for many years at a RTE and Cablelink before retiring and setting up his own business which keeps him busier than he'd like. He lives in a beautiful house (except for the neighbours) with Herself, enjoys the odd pint of Guinness and blogging.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
The book, "Headrambles", is the product of Grandad's blog, Headrambles.com. I have been reading his blog on a regular basis for a few years now and reading his book is like going to visit an old friend. He has a way of seeing the world around him that brings both humor and a persective of truth to our crazy world. I am a bit concerned that on my next trip to Ireland I may be taken for a tourist and 'sent to the bogs'. Grandad likes his sport of hunting tourists. The chapters in this book range from the laugh out loud hilarious to the love a grandfather has for his grandchildren to his take on all the silly laws the councils seem to be passing these days. It's a great, pleasurable and well written read, so go buy it already!
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
5.0 out of 5 stars
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Ireland's most cantankerous auld fella
3 Nov 2009
By The Irish Book Review
- Published on Amazon.com
Grandad is Ireland's most cantankerous auld fella. His problem is that he's getting old, increasingly grumpy, and even little things are driving him mad.
To get things off his chest, Grandad started to write posts on his blog, head [...], and in this book he offers readers some of the best and funniest of those daily messages.
What makes Head Rambles such an entertaining read is it's wit and honesty. The random stories and rants of Grandad, aka Richard O'Connor, are a thoroughly amusing look at the Ireland of today, through the eyes of a man too advanced in years and too short in patience to find a polite way of expressing them. O'Connor's blog has gained impressive popularity, and a host of dedicated followers the world over, even gaining him nominations for the Irish Blog Awards. He speaks in a comfortable and conversational tone, injecting a wit that can only be gained from years of living in rural Ireland.
O'Connor's stories are not an attempt to preach about the large issues, but instead an amusing social commentary on the idiosyncrasies of everyday life in Ireland.
Expressing his annoyance at the urbanisation of his country village:
'If you want to build here, build something that is keeping with the area. If you ant a housing estate, then live nearer the city. If you want a five-bedroom house, then build it where there are other five-bedroom houses. You will feel more at home there. After all, the people who live in the city sometimes want to go for a drive in the country. At this rate the are going to end up in Connemara before they find it'
Dealing with visitors to the countryside asking for directions:
'The village was packed with people looking for directions. As you probably know, I get my revenge by sending them all up to the bogs where they can get totally lost.
Yesterday though, I was nearly caught out. I was stopped by a bloke driving a souped-up Golf that had purple lights underneath and made a noise like a Boeing 747 on full take-off power. I hate them. But this bloke actually wanted to know the way to the bogs! I had to think quickly.
"Carry on this road," says I, "and take the fourth turn to the right. You can't miss it. It has and old ruined cottage on the corner."
He thanked me and roared off like he was contesting the Round Ireland Rally.
The road that I directed him to is a nice little road. It is quite straight for a bit and then there is a slight bend. Immediately past that bend the road ends suddenly at the top of a 200-foot cliff into a quarry. There's no warning. You've seen Thelma and Louise? Like that!
I wonder if he stopped in time?'
Head rambles is a delightful read which makes you stop and laugh at the small things that make Irish life unique. The random order of stories and topics makes the book feel how it was meant to; like a witty, grumpy old man venting his frustrations about everyday life to the world.
You can almost see him sitting at the laptop with a cup of tea and his pipe. Highly recommended.
To get things off his chest, Grandad started to write posts on his blog, head [...], and in this book he offers readers some of the best and funniest of those daily messages.
What makes Head Rambles such an entertaining read is it's wit and honesty. The random stories and rants of Grandad, aka Richard O'Connor, are a thoroughly amusing look at the Ireland of today, through the eyes of a man too advanced in years and too short in patience to find a polite way of expressing them. O'Connor's blog has gained impressive popularity, and a host of dedicated followers the world over, even gaining him nominations for the Irish Blog Awards. He speaks in a comfortable and conversational tone, injecting a wit that can only be gained from years of living in rural Ireland.
O'Connor's stories are not an attempt to preach about the large issues, but instead an amusing social commentary on the idiosyncrasies of everyday life in Ireland.
Expressing his annoyance at the urbanisation of his country village:
'If you want to build here, build something that is keeping with the area. If you ant a housing estate, then live nearer the city. If you want a five-bedroom house, then build it where there are other five-bedroom houses. You will feel more at home there. After all, the people who live in the city sometimes want to go for a drive in the country. At this rate the are going to end up in Connemara before they find it'
Dealing with visitors to the countryside asking for directions:
'The village was packed with people looking for directions. As you probably know, I get my revenge by sending them all up to the bogs where they can get totally lost.
Yesterday though, I was nearly caught out. I was stopped by a bloke driving a souped-up Golf that had purple lights underneath and made a noise like a Boeing 747 on full take-off power. I hate them. But this bloke actually wanted to know the way to the bogs! I had to think quickly.
"Carry on this road," says I, "and take the fourth turn to the right. You can't miss it. It has and old ruined cottage on the corner."
He thanked me and roared off like he was contesting the Round Ireland Rally.
The road that I directed him to is a nice little road. It is quite straight for a bit and then there is a slight bend. Immediately past that bend the road ends suddenly at the top of a 200-foot cliff into a quarry. There's no warning. You've seen Thelma and Louise? Like that!
I wonder if he stopped in time?'
Head rambles is a delightful read which makes you stop and laugh at the small things that make Irish life unique. The random order of stories and topics makes the book feel how it was meant to; like a witty, grumpy old man venting his frustrations about everyday life to the world.
You can almost see him sitting at the laptop with a cup of tea and his pipe. Highly recommended.
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