DarrenByrne.com

While I’m away, why not enjoy the video of our last trip to New York, four years ago. You’ll excuse the less-than-perfect quality.

I‘m not even sure where to begin when it comes to summing up 2008 for me. It was huge – the biggest, busiest and best year of my life.

When Darragh dragged me along to the nerd fest that was the Blog Awards 2008, I could not possibly have imagined how big and important blogging (and, more specifically, Bloggers) would be to my life. Over the past year I’ve met so many and become great friends witha number of them. I am very grateful to have Anthony, Rick, RP, Maybury and many others in my life.

2008 has been a huge year for me for music. I’ve been to a record number of gigs, attended my first ever festival and I went to great awards nights (such as the Meteors and The Choice Music Prize) along with some questionable ones (such as Vodafone’s Bright New Sounds night). Musically, 2008 was fantastic for me – I discovered new sounds from the likes of She and Him, One Day International and dEUS, while I was thrilled to hear new music from some of my favourite artists, such as Jack L and, at long last, Portishead. Indeed Portishead’s Third was possibly the most anticipated albums in years and it did not disappoint.

And did I mention I attended the greatest gig of my life in 2008? Oh yes! I saw Tom Waits perform at the Ratcellar in Phoenix Park. We were six rows from the front, dead centre. I. Was. In. Awe.

Oxegen – my first festival – was magic. I think I may be the only person to have ever attended Oxegen and had no negative things to say. From the second I arrived (thank you again, Little Miss, for putting up both tents) to the final act (the fresh-from-the-Oscars Swell Season), it was an experience I’ll never equal.

2008 was a year of fun movies – Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Wall-E and the amazing Dark Knight. There were also a few great surprises in The Wackness and The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas. In the theatre, I was lucky enough to see Blood Brothers again, along with some fabulous amateur productions of Little Shop of Horrors and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead. Brilliant!

2008 was also a year where I hit a deep low, only to come out the other side feeling better than ever, finding an inner peace, happiness and, most importantly, a renewed enthusiasm for whatever comes next.

So, before I get too engrossed in 2009, a year full of possibilities, I’m going to raise a glass to the great year that just was.

And now I’m off to New York……