Why, hello.
Thanks for visiting my website. While I rarely get time/patience to update it that much, nevertheless, I do actually appreciate readership.
On these pages you will find the products of many random thoughts and urges. I cannot speak for the quality of such entries, but perhaps you can get something out of them. My entries generally concentrate on my thoughts regarding the following subjects.
- Darragh Murray Reviews Everything - from music, live concerts, books, film, and pastries.
- Terrible Short Poetry - Poetry that is by definition atrocious, succinct and in some kind of verse. Contributions by myself and other fans of the genre can be found littered amongst more serious (but still terrible) entries
- Comments on social, political, economic and historical issues ranging from the relevant to the less than relevant
- Technology related tips and thoughts, usually dwelling on information systems.
A quick summary of myself:
- Twenty something male from Brisbane, Australia
- Consultant in a variety of different fields ranging from information technology and contract administration
- I have a honours degree in history from the University of Queensland
More detailed biography follows….
The Abstracted Darragh Murray
This is the bit where I write a long drawn out head-inflating biography. I’ll spare you the pain, and summarise all the necessary details.
I’m Irish by birth, and Irish-Australian by nationality. I was born in a little town in Co. Kildare in Ireland, called Maynooth, , but immigrated to Brisbane with my family, when I was one. I was lived pretty much exclusively in Ireland in 2004 - in a town called Malin on the Inishowen peninsula in County Donegal.
I attended Indooroopilly State School, Nudgee Junior College and St. Joseph’s College Gregory Terrace, and eventually made it to the University of Queensland. I began a Bachelor Of Journalism/Bachelor of Arts (History, Political Science) in 1999. After certain truths about the journalistic profession were revealed to me during the course of the year, I switched to a Bachelor of Information Technology/Bachelor of Arts (History), dropping journalism and political science. I loved political science, but preferred history. I didn’t miss journalism.
I graduated in 2003 from both my degrees, and threw myself into full time work as a database developer, both in Brisbane and overseas. In 2004, I traveled Europe - visiting England, France, Italy, Austria, Germany, The Netherlands, Switzerland, and Sweden. I stayed for most of the year in Co. Donegal, Ireland, living with my extended family in the cozy village of Malin on the Inishowen peninsula.
In June 2007, I completed my history honours and managed to achieve a high distinction for my investigation into the cultural history of 19th century American phrenologists. I’m currently considering taking up a PHD.
I’m currently living in Brisbane again, working in the construction industry, specifically in dispute resolution and rapid adjudication.
My spare time devoted to doing lots of random things. Most of them revolve around writing and playing music in various musical experiments. I play guitar and sing vocals in a geek-rock band called Geeban! and have several other musical projects in development.
For music, I’m building quite a bit of a collection. I own a Japanese 58′ reissue Fender Telecaster - my most PRIZED possession - which plugs into my 2×12 60 watt Fender ‘Deville’ amplifier. I also have a Epiphone G400SG (Gibson SG copy), as well a magnum acoustic, and a home-made electric made from pine. Ohh, and a tin whistle AND a melodeon!
I’m pretty much obsessed with music. Irish band The Frames are my favourite band (as I’m sure all my friends would know - as I never stop talking about them!). Other bands I love include Doves, Belle and Sebastian, The Magnetic Fields, Teenage Fanclub, The Clash, The Kinks, Josh Rouse, the Lemonheads, Tool, The Shins, Queen, The Beatles, Radiohead, The Smiths, The Cure, New Order, Joy Division…and HEAPS more. Recently, I’ve been digging Aberfeldy, the Decemberists, Art of Fighting, Camera Obscura, Jens Lekman and Angus and Julia Stone.
I’m also a sucker for really bad films like ‘ZARDOZ’,’ROBOT MONSTER’ and ‘THE STAR WARS HOLIDAY SPECIAL’ and ‘DR GOLDFOOT AND THE BIKINI MACHINE’ (I draw the line at ‘Plan 9 From Outer Space’ - it really is beyond terrible. Hellish, or torturous is more appropriate). On a more serious note, ‘Mar Adentro’, ‘Life is Beautiful’, and ‘Amelie’ are foreign movies of choice, and I’m a fan of ‘The Beach’, ‘High Fidelity’ and ‘The Bank’.
I’m sure there some more stuff I could add, but I think I will induce head implosions if I continue!