The Apprentice – Cork Style. A mighty Team Building Event

November 18, 2008

 Well I do like to experience the events and venues that I suggest to my clients so on Friday I arranged a fun team building event – a very fun version of  “The Apprentice” for the BNI Cork City Chapter.  It is the brain child of John Fitzgerald from Fun Ireland and he was the acting “Bill Cullen” or “Sir Alan Sugar” which ever TV version you are most familiar with.   The difference being that John is mighty craic and has a laugh at what the teams got up to all the way through it.   I partook in the event myself and my cheek bones were sore from laughing come 9 o clock Friday night.  It was a fantastic night and there has been great feedback since.

“A BIG CONGRATULATIONS TO Ciara for organising what can only be described as one of the best social events we have ever had in BNI. A great night was had by all”

Of course, not everyone agreed with the Judges (John from Fun Ireland’s) final decision on the winning team  ….

objections

objections

“ true for what my learned friend(paudie) has said ,it was a great
night , but as you know,that down through history there has been many miscarriages of justice.for example….  

             1 the nailing of jesus to the cross.
             2 nelson mandela(30 years).
             3 the guilford four.
 now i think we can safetly say we can add another one to that growing list ,yes you have guessed right my friends……last night…..it was on par with a guy standing over a body with a smoking gun and getting off scot free…..team farting were clearly not the winners ,their storys had more holes in it than a teabag,we of team fe*K$rs are the true champions..watch this space……..?”

The night started and ended in the pub.  The Chambers Inn in Cork  . We all met up for a half hour, were divided up into our teams (of 10 or so), given our challenges pack, appointed a team leader and we went from there.  We had to complete about 8 challenges ranging from getting a photo taken with a chef  or Garda  

Friendly Cork Gardai

Friendly Cork Gardai

to “acquiring an Irish Cottage or Sheep”. 

bni-the-apprentice-photos-blow-up-sheep-029

Some creative thinking was done on the sheep challenge where a blow up sheep was purchased in Ann Sommers and that started a whole other round of slagging.  We all had to be back to the pub for 7.45 where we had a recap on the challenges and did a quick presentation on our results.  This was nearly the best part of the night as the competition between the teams heated up and the serious slagging started.    Two teams were fired and the controversial winning team announced. 

The controversial winners - there are sore losers in the group

The controversial winners - there are sore losers in the group

 

What was best about it for me was I looked around and everyone was laughing, there was an immediate buzz and atmosphere and we all saw and learned a different side to at least  a few members of the team.  As a networking group, that was very important and signalled the success to the evening for me…
 In anycase, I would highly recommend it as an event for a group of people.   My next event to try out will be breaking  Santa out of Jail in Cork Jail (Goal) – the historical jail that is… 

For ideas and tips on arranging an event and finding the perfect venue – contact Ciara – Ciara@findaconferencevenue.com.  353 (0) 26 21015.


San Francisco Ballot Poll has an unusual voting issue…

November 4, 2008

 

Ballot Poll in San Francisco has an hilarious voting issue…. Votes being cast today to rename Sewage Plant after George W Bush.…  love it.

http://www.nowpublic.com/strange/san-franciscans-vote-rename-sewage-plant-after-george-w-bush.

In a city where only 9 percent of voters are registered Republicans, organizers of the tongue-in-cheek idea had little trouble gathering 12,000 signatures to put Proposition R on the ballot.

Ciara Feely- Ireland’s Venue Finder


US Election – Bush Street renamed…

November 4, 2008

For the day that is in it…….          

Bush Street renamed in San Francisco ..
Vandal successfully renamed a number of streets in San Francisco  –  I use to live close to this street and found this amusing..

http://sfist.com/2008/11/03/bush_street_renamed.php

Ciara Feely – Ireland’s Venue Finder