Hi all fellow skirt wearers

[dressedbrewer]

Hi to all,
Great to have a forum for like minded people who enjoy wearing skirts irrespective of gender.
Based in Ireland, not sure if many others from this part of the world hanging around here but don't see many make sorry wearers around.
Wear shirts at home with supportive SO but not around kids, and not outside. Or at least yet, might cross that bridge down the line!
Thanks for having me!
DB

[denimini]

Welcome to the cafe DB. There are members here from your part of the world and many others at your stage of the journey so it is great that you found us and for us to have a new member from Ireland.

[Rokje]

Welcome @ the SkirtCafe DB

[dressedbrewer]

Thanks for the welcomes!

[Faldaguy]

Welcome. Yes, there seems to be a number from your part of the globe on this forum -- enough so that there are occasional meet-ups nearby. Needless to say, there are a vast number more who have not yet ventured out in public, but share the desire to find the courage to step out. As you read through the posts, old and new, you will find many tips and stories from those who have gone from the "closet" to all manner of public venues -- sometimes in baby-steps, sometimes in great leaps. For now, jump into the forum, read, post and share, it will warm the cockles of your heart.
Pura Vida, from Ticolandia

[Fear i Sciorta Dubh]

Hi dressedbrewer

Welcome! I too am a recent member of Skirt Cafe and also from Ireland. Given my first skirt by my wife nearly 15 years ago and now the proud owner of over 20 mainly black skirts (hence my moniker), all from the womens side of the aisle.

I am a strictly an at-home skirt wearer both because my wife does not want me to venture outside but also I’m not sure I would fancy bumping into anyone I knew whilst skirted. I am happy to keep my skirt-wearing on this basis as it is simply the wearing I enjoy and this can be achieved to my satisfaction indoors. In fact spent all of St Stephens day at home winding down after the festivities in the comfort of a black midi skirt.

Was a lurker here for many years but decided it was time to contribute albeit on a relatively infrequent basis.

There are a number of other Irish members most notably Kirbstone who is one of the absolute stalwarts of the café, a very witty and very interesting frequent poster.

[Big and Bashful]

Hi there, Welcome!
I am in the West of Scotland, just retiring over the break. I have never visited Ireland however I fancy the idea of a visit to Ireland sometime next year! Maybe a chance for a meet, you never know!

[Kirbstone]

Hi FiSD and B&B, Good idea.

Over here we are reliably informed that within 6 months the days will be long and balmy (ahem!) and the great thing about this little island is that you can travel from one end to the other in a matter of hours....on land, that is. Water is something else though, Cep'n Boydseye.

Tom.

[Big and Bashful]

Hmmm, Ireland and watery bits, there's a thought!. This year due to one of our regulars getting a knee welded in May, it looks like we will be down to a crew of three for our annual boat trip, not really enough for canals in our decrepit states! Is there scope for a weeks cruise in Ireland that doesn't involve many locks? Might be hard work trying to drag my mates away from real ale, guinness is a different kettle of fish but they keep raving about plum porter, maybe they would like a week on the Guinness for a change! I have had to stop drinking so it doesn't make much difference to me! Just an idle late night thought!

[Kirbstone]

Hi Cep'n Boydseye,

The best stretch by far with just a few large locks is the Shannon/Boyle river from Boyle (top) to Killaloe (bottom) In a stretch of some 150 miles there are only six locks and there is no heaving of gates. They are all electric.
Best to hire from a crowd that allow a one-way passage so the next hirer(s) can do the reverse trip & so on. I haven't gone into this yet, but a few buttons pressed on a laptop would supply a plethora of info.
Last time I was down the Shannon was in a two-man Canadian canoe with an old rowing friend. We had a third bloke come along with a RIB to accompany us along the big lakes (Ree & Derg) as they can be mighty dangerous. As it happened we hit glass-calm weather for a week and our RIB friend pottered off to visit interesting islands in the lakes while we two slaved away headed South. We made it to Killaloe/Ballina in 7 days, doing B&Bs on the way. The trick is to park a vehicle at the intended daily destination, so you're mobile to get to a good B&B/Hotel.

That wouldn't apply of course if one was in a cruiser/barge/narrow boat.

In 2019 we tackled the Barrow from Monasterevin to St Mullins (60 miles), portaging the canoe round most of the locks. On that river (very pretty) all the locks are old-fashioned manual plus a couple of drawbridges and the locks are every few miles, so there are an awful lot of 'em, so it was hard work. Our last pre-Covid trip.

Tom

[Big and Bashful]

Thanks Tom, sounds really good! we were discussing another trip on the Broads on our last Skype session- We used to call these sessions our virtual pub nights, however that was before I knew what state my liver is in, now they drink and I drink water until I get bored, not quite the same! I will suggest Ireland as an option, if we are down to a crew of three it will be easier to find a boat with a cabin each- hopefully!

[dressedbrewer]

Hi all,
Thanks for the additional info and warm welcomes.
Agree regarding the Shannon, six electric locks make it easier than the canal. I think the Shannon Erne waterway is also electric but it is 20+ years since I was on it so a check would be needed.
That is some rowing trip Kirbstone, fair play.

[Kirbstone]

Hi DB,
Yes, The SEW or Shannon-Erne waterway has all locks operated by smartcard, but the number of locks makes progress along it a slow business regardless of the ease of operating individual locks. On the Shannon with 20-30 miles between locks things are much freer.

That trip I referred to and the Barrow also were at the request of my mad rowing friend from Belfast, who happens to possess a Canadian canoe. The great thing about canoeing is that you can see where you are going. Rowing, which has been my lifetime sport since I was 19 and a student, requires you to go backwards, so either someome is coxing you or you are rubbernecking...an exercise that gets exponentally more difficult with advancing age.
Some elderly rowers, mostly American have invested in a cap with a little flat mirror on a stalk a little to one side, which affords them a view forward without twisting round.

That aforementioned mad friend from Belfast keeps a Hobie-Cat sailing boat at Lockros Point near Ardara in Donegal and with two of us aboard out on trapezes flying through the surf on Mackera strand we pitch-poled, burying the leeward hull in the sand and we went end-over-end....Now that's a young man's game!

Tom

[shadowfax]

That trip I referred to and the Barrow also were at the request of my mad rowing friend from Belfast, who happens to possess a Canadian canoe. The great thing about canoeing is that you can see where you are going. Rowing, which has been my lifetime sport since I was 19 and a student, requires you to go backwards, so either someone is coxing you or you are rubbernecking...an exercise that gets exponentally more difficult with advancing age.
Some elderly rowers, mostly American have invested in a cap with a little flat mirror on a stalk a little to one side, which affords them a view forward without twisting round.

Tom

There is a mirror which clips around the side arm of sunglasses and some spectacles. It sticks forward from the glasses.
It is called, "Take A Look".
https://takealookactive.com/
It has been in production for many years.

[Uncle Al]

There is a mirror which clips around the side arm of sunglasses and some spectacles.
It sticks forward from the glasses.
It is called, "Take A Look".
https://takealookactive.com/
It has been in production for many years.

Cycling enthusiasts have used this concept for 30+ years
Great for anyone who enjoys riding a bicycle, rowing and hiking

Uncle Al