A is for Air Travel

Let’s face it: Irish climes are hardly the most desirable for sun-hungry holiday makers, so if you’re heading for brighter skies this summer, make sure you check out the following websites…

www.cheapflights.co.uk specialise in last minute deals to every major airport in the world. The only catch is that you’ll have to travel from the UK, which is where www.ryanair.com come in. The ‘Low Fares Airline’ feature ridiculously cheap flights to most major cities in Europe, including several airports in the UK. www.flights4less.co.uk is another good ‘un, offering discounted air fares. www.lastminute.com boast a ‘five star lifestyle at three star prices’. Finally, the old reliable www.aerlingus.com frequently offer knock-down prices on travel from Ireland.

B is for Banana Daiquiri

Fruity cocktails are without doubt the beverage of choice for the summer months. We’ve compiled a selection of the finest tipples to get your mouth watering and your head spinning…

Banana Daiquiri – Tequila, rum, a banana and ice. Blend!
Margarita - In measures: 3/4 tequila, 3/4 triple sec, 3/4 lemon juice and 1/2 crème de fraises
Tom Collins – 2 oz gin, 1 oz lemon juice, 1 tsp sugar and soda water
Dirty Martini – 1 1/2 vodka, splash of olive juice and dry vermouth
Mojito – 2 parts white rum, 1 part lime juice, top up of soda water, 10 mint sprigs, 1 part ice cubes, 1 tsp sugar and a lemon slice (for decoration)
Cosmopolitan – 2 parts vodka, 2 parts cointreau, 1 part cranberry juice and a dash of lime
Enjoy!

C is for Championship fever

The GAA season is upon us, as Ireland prepares for the clash of the counties…
Will Waterford develop as a new hurling superpower? Will football produce anything like the sheer fucking poetry of Armagh’s 2002 title triumph? Whatever way it goes, the most gripping field games in the world are back, mostly in the new lush Croker. Load up on hats, flags or headbands, bring a friend from abroad – and watch as an Adrian Fenlon daisy-cutter scares the piss out of them.

D is for DJ

Seasonal anthems provide the soundtrack to many a music lover’s summer. Here’s the Hot Press definitive 20-song track listing for the ultimate summer compilation, in a convenient CD case cut-out …

1. Here Comes The Summer – The Undertones
2. 99 Red Balloons – Nena
3. July – Mundy
4. Summertime – Fresh Prince of Bel Air ft. DJ Jazzy Jeff
5. Steal My Sunshine  – Len
6. Drinking in LA – BranVan 3000
7. I Wanna Be Your Dog – The Stooges
8. She Bangs The Drums – The Stone Roses
9. In The Summertime – Shaggy
10. I Get Around – The Beach Boys
11. Hot In Herre – Nelly
12. Boys Of Summer – Don Henley
13. Peaches – The Stranglers
14. the dock of the bay – Otis Redding
15. Sunny Afternoon – The Kinks
16. Summer In The City – Lovin’ Spoonful
17. Gooday Sunshine – The Beatles
18. Brown Eyed Girl – Van Morrison
19. Alright – Supergrass
20. Up With People – Lambchop

E is for Euro Qualifiers 2004

It’s football mania again, folks, as the clock ticks down to Euro Qualifier time…

Drinking at 11am To “Prepare For The Match” syndrome kicks in again this summer, as Brian Kerr’s Ireland continues their quest to qualify for the championships in Portugal. Adding a little extra sparkle to the Irish side are Robbie Keane and Damien Duff, both of whom will be hoping to continue the flying form they showed this season. Meanwhile, Manchester United wonderkid, John O’Shea – who’s rapidly developing into the new Paul McGrath - will (fingers crossed) be on form when Ireland take on Albania on June 7 and Georgia on June 11, both games at Lansdowne Road.

F is for Freebies

Stuck on a student budget? Fret not! There’s plenty of summer fun to be had, even for the economically challenged…

Lazing about in the park may not be the most exciting way to pass the afternoon, but add in a couple of €2 water guns from the pound shop and it’s laughs a-plenty (Hint: wait until an unsuspecting friend dozes off before dosing their crotch with a healthy squirt of water – harmless fun at its cheekiest). Another suggestion for the light-of-wallet is to make the most of Free Admission. Historical sites, art galleries and walking tours beat off the boredom blues, allowing you to feel like you’ve done something productive with your day and gotten a dose of culture in the process. Bike rides, picnics and sexy Spanish tourist spotting also serve as good ways to pass the time. But, if you want to have a laugh and make a few quid in the process, busking is the way forward: either pick up your guitar and hit the streets, or join forces with a musical friend, adopting the role of tambourine player/money counter (for a 50/50 split, natch).
You never know: you might turn out to be the new Glen Hansard!

G is for Galway Arts Festival

Without a shadow of doubt, the annual Galway Arts Festival is the country’s leading arts extravaganza.

Featuring exhibitions, theatre, music, comedy and lectures, Galway’s two week jamboree has become renowned internationally for good reason: the whole city rocks! Running this year from July 15 to 27, the highlights include the June Bug Symphony in association with HB Ice Cream. See you there!

H is for Hot Press

The summer is shaping up to be one of the hottest in Ireland’s live music history. Let Hot Press be your guide…

This summer sees Ireland playing host to some of the greatest live acts in the world: Red Hot Chili Peppers, The White Stripes, Foo Fighters, Metallica, Robbie Williams, David Gray, Linkin’ Park, Coldplay and Eminem to name but a few. To do justice to the mother of all summers, we’re taking it upon ourselves to keep you up to date with first hand reports, backstage gossip, probing reportage and priceless competitions. Keep those peepers peeled to hotpress and hotpress.com for exclusive news, features, reviews and loadsa free stuff.

I is for Ice Cream

Nothing screams ‘summer’ more than an ice cream on a stick…

Ireland’s summers may not be as hot or as humid as those in countries closer to the equator, but Irish people, ever the optimists, still manage to consume more ice cream per head than anyone else in the world. It’s white, it’s creamy, it’s cold, it’s… mmmm. And as for Magnums, Tangle Twisters and Cornettos – form an orderly queue folks!

J is for Jackass

Without a doubt, this summer’s hottest craze has to be skateboarding. Chaos-chic ahoy!

The ginormous success of stunt show Jackass has heralded a renaissance in the art of skateboarding. Not only has the sport itself seen a massive surge in popularity, the style which accompanies it – baggy trousers, giant trainers, hoodies, beanie hats, wallet chains etc – has experienced growth of an equal magnitude. Sported predominantly by teenagers, for aficionados skateboards have become an accessory almost as ubiquitous as a mobile phone, except twice as cool (but only if you know how to use ’em).

K is for Kitesurfing

Let the HB Shakedown Tour take you for a ride…

The latest adrenalin sport, kitesurfing has taken off with a bang in Ireland. As the name suggests, a surfer stands on a board which is attached to a flying kite. The kite is controlled by a bar which the surfer grips onto as s/he is pulled across the water. The increasing popularity of the sport is reflected in the success of last year’s HB Wind Addiction Tour. This year the HB kitesurfing team (inset) will be on display as part of the HB MTV Shakedown Tour.

L is for Lavigne

Avril has done things for neck apparel that’d make the folks at Tie Rack foam at the mouth. Meet 2003’s top summer fashion icons…

Justin Timberlake has got to be one of the most stylish men on the planet – he’s got the urban-street-chic thing down pat, with a sexy collection of chunky trainers, baggy trews and leather jackets. Now that’s what I call stylish.
The White Stripes’ Jack and Meg may not be overly comfortable with experimentation in the colour department, but we think their bold red/white/black combination makes them one of the most visually striking bands of the era.
The Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ Karen O takes punk stylings to a whole new level: red lippy, a bright yellow dress and green sandals are nothing out of the ordinary for this rock chick.
Avril Lavigne, meanwhile, has inspired the younger generation and major clothes retailers alike, with her inspired championing of ties, sweat bands, shanks and wallet chains. A trendsetter of the highest order, Ms Lavigne is the contemporary style queen.

M is for Marshal Mathers

Loud mouth Eminem is the biggest selling rap artist in the world and this June, he brings his first ever Irish show to Punchestown…

God fearing parents will be saying an extra Hail Mary this coming June, when rap superstar Eminem arrives on Irish shores for two back-to-back dates at Punchestown Racecourse(26 and 27). With a support bill that includes such luminaries as D12, Xibit, Obie Trice, Cypress Hill and 50 Cent, tickets for this gig are hotter than Shakira in a vat of vindaloo. It could be the gig of the summer.

N is for Nightspots

We give you a taster of the best clubs countrywide to dance away those summer nights…

Finding a decent nightclub is never easy - they’re always either too packed, too empty or not letting you in. However, help is at hand. If you’re in Dublin, indie kids would be recommended to check out Whelan’s late night clubs from Wednesday to Sunday. Those in search of dance should try Spirit, PoD or the newly opened Metropolitan. R’n’B and drum ’n’ bass generally operate as individual club nights, so the safest bet is to check the hotpress Club listings. If you’re in Galway, the GPO features pop, chart and classics throughout the week, but concentrates on dance at the weekends. For Belfast, Milk (dance, disco and R’n’B), The Front Page (d’n’b and rock) and The Limelight (classics, indie and chart) all come highly recommended. Last but not least, Cork’s Savoy covers indie and R’n’B, while the Half Moon looks after the alternative end of the market.

O is for ‘Oh Christ It’s Hot’

It may only be for a fleeting moment, but looking after your skin while the sun is blazing is hugely important…

Anyone who attended Witnness last year will recall with horror the sight of people attempting to cool their blistering sunburn with cold, wet mud. They will also recall the screams of said people half an hour later as they attempted to peel the quickly-drying mud from their scorched, flaking skin. It was not a pretty sight – even less a pretty sound! To avoid any such future calamity, always remember to pack as much anti-sunburn equipment as you would rain-proof – that means for every brolly, an SPF 20, and for every woolly jumper, a tub of aftersun. You’ll thank us for the warning.

P is for Parties

No summer is complete without a gargantuan knees-up. Let’s partaaay…

If the Italian connection gets your juices flowing, then a Sopranos party is the one for you. Food consists of the obligatory pizza/pasta combination, and is best complemented by a selection of cocktails – Bada Bing style. The dress code is fairly simple. Guys: dress sharp with slicked back hair, water gun tucked in holster and two malteasers stuffed in your lower lip. Girls: either frumpy Italian housewife or sexy pole dancer. Fake Italian accent is obligatory. However, if guts and gore are more your cup of tea, then howsabout a Dead Celebrity party? The concept is thus: dress up as your favourite dead celebrity – or if the fancy takes you, make like how your favourite celebrity would look if he or she were dead. Prizes should be awarded for the most original cause of death. Alternatively, you might re-live the golden Guys and Dolls era – boys-next-door in blazers and slacks, rebels in tight blue jeans and leather jackets, girls with high ponytails/bouffant dos in tight sweaters, taffeta skirts and pumps. As for the soundtrack? Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Ella Fitzgerald and Bill Haley and the Comets. Twist and shout!

Q is for Queens Of The Stone Age

Our hot tips for the bands most likely to upstage the headliners at this year’s festivals…

Royksopp: This Norwegian duo proved the surprise hit of the live circuit, when they descended upon Spirit in 2002. Fusing dance, electronica and a hefty dose of melody, this duo are a force to be reckoned with onstage – do not miss at Witnness this July.
Queens Of The Stone Age: Josh Homme and co’s Ambassador gig last year was one of the most explosive live shows in recent memory. If that performance is anything to go by, the Red Hot Chili Peppers had better watch their step at Slane in August.
The Streets: Having brought his Original Pirate Material album from studio to stage amid a wealth of critical acclaim, Mike Skinner looks set to blow Coldplay and co out of the water at Witnness, with his inimitable live show.

R is for Romance

So you fancy yourself as a bit of a Casanova, eh? You ain’t seen nothing yet. Here are our top tips for whiling away the summer nights (and mornings) with your squeeze…

Summer is the sexiest of all the seasons: less clothes and longer evenings make for saucier encounters with the boy/girl of your dreams. However, it takes a bit more than a tub of strawberries and a glass of Chardonnay if you want to really impress. Romance doesn’t get much sweeter than a sunrise Champagne breakfast, especially if it’s served on the isolated beaches of Dalkey Island. Boats can be hired to take you out and the panoramic view of the Killiney coast, coupled with a glass or two of the fizzy stuff, is enough to get anyone in the mood. Although not for the faint of heart, skinny-dipping in the Atlantic Ocean off the Clare coast is another novel way to revitalise your sex life. Aside from working up a considerable appetite, it’s a great aphrodisiac – or so they tell me! Camping is oft overlooked when it comes to seduction. True, mosquitos and a lumpy sleeping bag may not be most people’s concept of bliss, but the promise of morning swims in nearby lakes (decorated with floating candles), hot cocoa and sex beside the campfire should be enough to convince any unwilling party. Just be careful not to burn your legs.

S is for Shakedown

The HB and MTV Shakedown party tour in association with 2FM is the search for Europe's best and worse dance talents in all their glory!

The party kicks off on July 12 in Tramore and continues every other weekend over the summer in Galway, Tralee, Sligo and finally Dublin.
The HB MTV Shakedown is a major Saturday night dance party in a specially chosen night-club, in each of the selected coastal towns and cities and are followed, the next day, with the mother of all beach parties!
There’ll be loads of give-aways and spot prizes with the HB Kitesurfers on display. 2FM will be there with their DJs broadcasting live from the Roadcaster throughout the day.

T is for Tennis

Wimbledon remains one of the greatest sporting events in the world. And it isn’t just the strawberries and cream that make it special.

One of the summer’s greatest glories is without a doubt is the vision of (Tiny) Tim Henman attempting to win a tennis tournament. It’s remarkable. Every year, the same thing... just as England begins to get herself in a lather about “a winner at Wimbledon”, we settle down with strawberries and cream, and chortle as the UK’s tennis dream invariably falls apart. Will it be Agassi or Sampras? Or will Lloyd Hewitt once again reign supreme? One thing’s for certain: Henman won’t. Still, chin up Tim, the lord loves a trier. Of far greater appeal is the women’s tournament, with the great Williams sisters Venus and Serena likely to dominate again. The circus around Anna Kournikova will be as dumb as ever, as the ‘Sexiest Woman In The World’ struts her stuff – for a round. If you’re looking for an outside bet, though, try Jennifer Capriati. She’s been known to steal things before.

UV is for Ultra Violet Rays

Protect your peepers in the sunshine by investing in a decent pair of sunglasses…

Over-exposure to UV light can damage the retina in your eyes. Although most sunglasses nowadays block UV light, some of the cheaper ones don’t, and since the size of your pupils increases when you’re wearing sunglasses, you’ll actually increase the amount of UV hitting your retina – even more so than if you weren’t wearing sunglasses at all. It’s also important to make sure that your glasses fit you properly – wraparounds are the most protective, and should always be worn close to your face, not half way down the nose: a 6mm gap at the forehead increases UV exposure by up to 10 times. It’s also important to make sure that the glass or plastic in your lenses is not distorted – this can be tested easily by holding the glasses up at arm’s length and eye level, and looking through them at a vertical line ahead of you. Move the glasses from left to right and if the line moves, the lenses are distorted. (Don’t do this at home with the light out – Ed.)

W is for Waxing

The things we do for fashion: check out the latest in bikini-line couture…

Armpits, chests, backs and bikini lines are not the most appealing parts of the human anatomy, especially when they’re covered in a winter’s worth of hair. Or so the cliché goes. Well if that’s what you think, there’s a remedy. Waxing has become a bit of a fashion statement of late – well, for bikini lines anyway. Last year’s Brazilian trend – consisting of a thin strip of hair up the middle of a lady’s bits – has been upstaged by the Hollywood, which renders the waxee totally bald down below. Personal grooming has never been quite so excruciating!

X is for Xtreme Sports

Get the adrenalin pumping this summer, with incontinence-worthy Xtreme Sports…

Mountain biking is becoming increasingly popular in Ireland. Although there are currently no designated trails here, progress is being made by the Federation Of Irish Cyclists in the drive to provide such routes for fans of the sport. The best way to get involved is to join a club, information on which can be obtained from the Federation’s website www.cyclingireland.ie or by calling (01) 8551522. For snowboarding and skiing, look no further than Kilternan dry slopes. Kilternan is ranked among the best in Europe, and is home to the Ski Club Of Ireland. Check out the website www.skiclub.ie for more information. Skydiving and parachuting are also on the increase, with the Irish Parachute Club (www.skydive.ie) offering beginner’s lessons, right up to international standards. So go on – take a dive. But don’t try placing bets on the outcome.

Y is for Yuck!

Summer’s not all sun, fun and frolics! Here, then, are five summery things that rub us up the wrong way…

Hayfever is the bane of many people’s existence and there’s nothing more irritating than being forced to spend the few sunny days we do enjoy cooped up in the house with a tissue stuck up your nostrils. Pollen: we hate it. (For the record, sneezing 13 times in a row does not equal an orgasm – I speak from personal experience).
Perhaps the foulest of our summer pet-hates, sweaty patches under the arms, run rife during the summer months – particularly among the less hygienic males of the species. A word of warning, fellas: deodorants do not cover up sweat. You’re just gonna have to wash.
Another summer gripe is the lack of decent stuff on television, with programming on our national stations going right down the toilet the second the sun comes out. TV Execs: just because it’s slightly warmer outside doesn’t mean we’re about to abandon our beloved box. We are not that easily swayed. (Well, some of us aren’t.)
And finally, nothing is more effectively designed to make summer depressing than a total lack of the things that constitute summer; namely, sun, heat and no rain. Judging by the gloomy skies outside, and the ominous forecasts, summer hasn’t arrived yet. But it will. IT WILL!

Z is for Zoom lenses

The paparazzi may be the bane of the existence of stars and celebrities – but the voyeur in us would give his (or her!) right arm to catch a close-up glimpse of these babes on the beach…

Colin Farrell: Those smouldering good looks, that cheeky smile, that ever so sexy voice; there’s no doubt that the sight of Farrell in a pair of trunks would do unspeakable things to a woman’s mind (not to mention other places).
Kylie Minogue: Girls want to be her and guys want to be with her. It’s a win-win situation for the pint-sized pop princess, whose perky ass has as much to do with her chart success as the quality of her music. Not that anyone’s complaining!
Orlando Bloom: Anyone who’s seen Lord Of The Rings can appreciate this one: the perfectly constructed face, the poise, the cockiness… Even without any hair, he’s still a god.
Liv Tyler: Those luscious lips and long hair make Liv one of the hottest women in Hollywood (but only if she keeps her ears on).
Johnny Vegas: Just for the craic, like (no pun intended).