I like trying new things wherever I go, and to immerse myself in genuine culture when travelling. I'm a musician and a barmen, two things I think that fit an outgoing conversationalist. I also love cooking, and I'm always happy to feed my hosts.

I feel I'm an easy going person, and understand that when travelling that hosts have their own schedules to adhere to, something I explain when hosting. It'd be cool to hang out and for you to show me whatever it is that you feel makes your area great, but I can also respect a home without being babysat. I'm clean and full to the gills of common sense.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Mostly because of travelling on a budget. Meeting natives, walking around residential areas to get a feel for a place, observing the day-to-day idiosyncrasies of places all make for reasons to be on CS.

Interests

My biggest love is music. It's an expansive taste, something I'm not prepared to pour out here, but my focus is on singer-songwriter/folk music, and all its many derivatives.

I'm a fan of most sports, and can carry a conversation and involve myself in most. Personally, golf and snooker are my favourites, but am well accustomed to most contact, water and other types of sport.

I've worked as a kayak tour guide in Santa Cruz, California for the past three summers. I loved being on the water everyday, as it was a great place to be regardless of where I was, what I was doing and until what time I was up until the night before. I saw humpback and grey whales, sea otters, dolphins, seal lions, seals and a lot of different types of birds everyday. It was phenomenal, and thus far, the happiest time of my life.

• birds
• culture
• cooking
• walking
• traveling
• billiards
• music
• folk music
• guitar
• kayaking
• sports
• golf
• tourism
• snooker

Music, Movies, and Books

So hard to narrow down anything to any favourites, but I'll give it a shot.

I think it's probably easier to pick a favourite album rather than a song, so I would have to choose Van Morrison's Tupelo Honey or St. Dominic's Preview. Other contenders would be Simon and Garfunkel's Bride Over Troubled Water and The Beatles' Abbey Road.

My favourite film is also tricky. I would think it would be between The Big Lebowski or The Great Escape. Not as similar as my favourite music choices, but they're both classics for completely different reasons.

As for books, I tend to get into books that are set in the place I'm living. Naturally, John B Keane, Patrick Kavanagh and other Irish Interest authors are some favourites, but I also went through a lot of Steinbeck's novels while living in California, and did some bits and pieces of Kafka when on holidays in Prague.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

After working in the kayak shack in Santa Cruz for 3 months, I travelled with some friends down to San Diego, taking the PCH the whole way down. My return flight to Ireland was deliberately bought from NYC, and I wanted to see America properly. I met a lad called Eric on the craigslist who was moving back home to Montreal from San Diego and driving the whole way, and I joined him, splitting petrol costs and sleeping in his car the half the time, and sleeping in hostels when in our landmarks of Austin, New Orleans and Nashvile. Although we had only met online hours previously, we had an amazing 11 days together and saw so, so much.

Teach, Learn, Share

Happy to give a few guitar lessons or start a session of pass the guitar.

I'm well practiced in the making of delicious roast potatoes.

If you live near the water, I'll be happy to bring you out kayaking if there's any access to some equipment!

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Canada, Czech Republic, England, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Scotland, Spain, United States, Wales

Countries I’ve Lived In

Ireland, United States