Latest news with #Rock
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Robbie Williams and wife Ayda's luxury Scottish resort stay before Edinburgh gig
Robbie Williams and his wife Ayda have been spending some time in Gleneagles before he kicks off his UK stadium tour at Edinburgh on Saturday. Williams will start his 'Britpop' tour at Murrayfield Stadium and as the capital gears up for road closures and thousands of fans this weekend, he and his family have been living it up one of Scotland's most exclusive hotels, reports The Daily Record. Robbie's wife Ayda revealed they have been making the most of the drink offerings available at the £1600 a night five star hotel. READ MORE: Devastated Edinburgh restaurant owners in heartfelt note to diners over closure READ MORE: Edinburgh man spotted 'with toddler in his lap' while driving along busy streets Sharing some images online, Ayda enjoyed the whisky offering at the resort - a known favourite of Prince William and Princess Kate, John Travolta, Oasis and Sir Sean Connery. Showing off the beautiful gardens where she and Rock DJ star Robbie have been enjoying walks, she also shared pictures of the nearby stream. She then showed off an ice bucket containing six bottles of wine including the non-alcoholic Wild Idol priced at £30 a bottle in shops, making it one of the more expensive non alcoholic alternatives. Ayda joked: 'My drink order just arrived.' She then captured a picture of her table's next order which consisted of four bottles of The Macallan whisky including one Time: Space Mastery 200 anniversary edition that was worth £1200 in the shops and considerably more at Gleneagles. She laughed: 'My other drink order just arrived.' Her celebrations continued with a crepe flambé as she joked: 'There may or may not have been alcohol in my dessert.' Williams recently admitted to The Daily Record that he had come to terms with his status as a cabaret artist. The former Take That singer said he now sees himself as 'cringe' as he prepares to play in Scotland. Williams, 51, said: 'I'm going backwards in time to Tommy Cooper and Morecambe & Wise, Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin with a sweary twist. That's how I see myself now. 'Whereas before, I wanted to be rock 'n' roll and high octane, I'm Robbie from a boy band and I can now be this guy, the creature that I always really meant to be.' Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sentstraight to your messages. He added: 'I'm embracing parts of showbusiness that people don't embrace these days. 'I want to be cabaret, world-class cabaret but with an edge, sweary cabaret I suppose. 'I think that it's cringe for a lot of people and not necessarily a high art form but some of the best people in the world have been cabaret. Count Basie, Liza Minnelli, Tom Jones. 'That's where I'm trying to propel myself and give myself purpose, to embrace this tour and get through it. 'I want to be the best entertainer there is. I don't see anybody trying to carve that lane out for themselves so that's what I'm trying to do. Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox 'Music is healing as namaste as that sounds and nostalgia is also healing. Come and relive those moments that they lived with me in the past. It'll do them good and it'll do me good too. I'm really looking forward to it.' The singer and Ayda have four children, Theodora, 11, Charlton, nine, Colette, five, and Beau, three.
Edinburgh Live
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
Robbie Williams and wife Ayda's luxury Scottish resort stay before Edinburgh gig
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Robbie Williams and his wife Ayda have been spending some time in Gleneagles before he kicks off his UK stadium tour at Edinburgh on Saturday. Williams will start his 'Britpop' tour at Murrayfield Stadium and as the capital gears up for road closures and thousands of fans this weekend, he and his family have been living it up one of Scotland's most exclusive hotels, reports The Daily Record. Robbie's wife Ayda revealed they have been making the most of the drink offerings available at the £1600 a night five star hotel. Sharing some images online, Ayda enjoyed the whisky offering at the resort - a known favourite of Prince William and Princess Kate, John Travolta, Oasis and Sir Sean Connery. Showing off the beautiful gardens where she and Rock DJ star Robbie have been enjoying walks, she also shared pictures of the nearby stream. She then showed off an ice bucket containing six bottles of wine including the non-alcoholic Wild Idol priced at £30 a bottle in shops, making it one of the more expensive non alcoholic alternatives. Ayda joked: 'My drink order just arrived.' She then captured a picture of her table's next order which consisted of four bottles of The Macallan whisky including one Time: Space Mastery 200 anniversary edition that was worth £1200 in the shops and considerably more at Gleneagles. She laughed: 'My other drink order just arrived.' Her celebrations continued with a crepe flambé as she joked: 'There may or may not have been alcohol in my dessert.' Williams recently admitted to The Daily Record that he had come to terms with his status as a cabaret artist. The former Take That singer said he now sees himself as 'cringe' as he prepares to play in Scotland. Williams, 51, said: 'I'm going backwards in time to Tommy Cooper and Morecambe & Wise, Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin with a sweary twist. That's how I see myself now. 'Whereas before, I wanted to be rock 'n' roll and high octane, I'm Robbie from a boy band and I can now be this guy, the creature that I always really meant to be.' Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sentstraight to your messages. He added: 'I'm embracing parts of showbusiness that people don't embrace these days. 'I want to be cabaret, world-class cabaret but with an edge, sweary cabaret I suppose. 'I think that it's cringe for a lot of people and not necessarily a high art form but some of the best people in the world have been cabaret. Count Basie, Liza Minnelli, Tom Jones. 'That's where I'm trying to propel myself and give myself purpose, to embrace this tour and get through it. 'I want to be the best entertainer there is. I don't see anybody trying to carve that lane out for themselves so that's what I'm trying to do. Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox 'Music is healing as namaste as that sounds and nostalgia is also healing. Come and relive those moments that they lived with me in the past. It'll do them good and it'll do me good too. I'm really looking forward to it.' The singer and Ayda have four children, Theodora, 11, Charlton, nine, Colette, five, and Beau, three.
Irish Examiner
a day ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Dean Rock: Win over Armagh will make Dublin 'massive All-Ireland contenders'
A victory for Dublin over All-Ireland champions Armagh in Croke Park on Sunday will make them 'massive All-Ireland contenders', says Dean Rock. Both teams are coming off All-Ireland SFC Round 1 victories and Dublin's all-time record scorer Rock believes Dublin will be in the top three should they back up their win over Galway in Pearse Stadium last Saturday week. 'Galway would never have been a team that Dublin would have feared, particularly in recent years. Of course, they had the win last year but Dublin's record over Galway has been quite good and a lot of those players would have played against Galway quite regularly. 'I was quite confident that they would go down there and get a result. But the big thing for Dublin is consistency this year, so that would be the big question mark going into the Armagh game. If Dublin were to back that up with another win, then you're really thinking of Dublin as massive, massive All-Ireland contenders." Eight-time All-Ireland SFC winner Rock imagines Armagh will embrace returning to GAA HQ having won there three times last summer. 'Coming back to Croke Park is a great opportunity for them to really cement their stamp on things and acknowledge themselves as being All-Ireland champions. If they go up to Croke Park and beat Dublin, it'd be a big statement for them. 'In many ways, it's very strange for All-Ireland champions to be completely written off, or not really talked about as in the top maybe three or four teams. They're kind of maybe just a little bit outside that in many people's eyes, but their squad has probably developed a little bit throughout the league as well.' It's 10 years since the infamous Armagh-Dublin challenge game in DCU, in which Rock's Ballymun Kickhams club-mate Davy Byrne received a broken nose following an altercation with an opponent. Both teams received €6,500 fines and then GAA director general Páraic Duffy criticised them for their omerta as the Central Competitions Control Committee tried unsuccessfully to get to the bottom of the matter. Rock wasn't involved in the game but was there and heard the ruckus before he saw it. 'We had played a couple of days previous in the Leinster final. We had guys who didn't get enough minutes and squad players who were identified to play that game. 'I was doing some frees and we were doing some small bit of a skill session at the time, and then there were a few roars, and then a jog and a sprint up to see what was going on.' Both managers Jim Gavin and Kieran McGeeney attempted to draw a line under the incident. Practice games between the counties have become more regular since McGeeney's former Na Fianna team-mate Dessie Farrell took over Dublin. 'In the last couple of years, there could have been six, seven challenge matches against Armagh,' Rock reports. 'So, there would be a lot of familiarity there and understanding with each other. There has been probably kind of a healthy rivalry in many ways built up, not in competitive games, but off the field and different things.' Rock hails his close friend Ciarán Kilkenny's display in Salthill as one of his finest for the county. "It was probably up there with his 2019 All-Ireland final replay performance. That's probably been one of his better games since then. 'Ciarán would have a lot of family in Galway as well and he has probably always played well against Galway. There are always certain teams that you really play well against and there's extra meaning behind that as well with close family down there and close ties. 'He would obviously have been hugely disappointed with the Meath game and the question marks that were out there about the team and maybe even him himself. He was immense and it was more just his work-rate off the ball in terms of identifying danger and doubling up on Shane Walsh a couple of times. 'He was actually on Paul Conroy for large periods of it and I don't think Paul Conroy really got a kick of the ball. He's [Kilkenny] a fantastic player and it just goes to show there's still plenty of football left in him." Analysing the new rules, Rock likes a lot of them but has reservations for the punishment for a foul after a kick-out mark and believes the two-point free is 'a bit generous'. He says: 'I don't think a lot of the fouls warrant two-points if it makes sense.' *Dean Rock was promoting EirGrid's 'Community Heroes' campaign. Ireland's national grid operator is shining a spotlight on the volunteers who power the GAA community across the country.
The Irish Sun
a day ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Dean Rock reveals Dublin's two biggest foes in ‘most evenly contested All-Ireland in recent memory' if they beat Armagh
PREDICTING a winner in the Sam Maguire race is more difficult than it has been for years, according to Dean Rock. But the eight-time All-Ireland winner reckons a victory over Armagh this weekend will solidify Dublin's place among a trio of front-runners to land the game's biggest prize on July 27. 2 Dublin beat Galway to bounce back from losing in Leinster SFC Credit: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile 2 Dean Rock, former Dublin footballer, pictured at the launch of EirGrid's Community Heroes campaign at Ballymun Kickhams GAA Club in Dublin Credit: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile There were fears in the capital that the glory days had come to an end when they suffered a shock Leinster SFC semi-final loss to Meath. Nevertheless, the Championship last summer . Despite the ending of their 15-year unbeaten streak on the provincial stage, Rock , 35, was not overly concerned about the potential of his former team-mates to recover. The ex-Dublin forward, who Read More on GAA 'Naturally I knew there'd be a massive response from the Meath game and they'd have learned a huge amount from it, in terms of the kickouts and just not letting a team get as big a run on you like Meath did, particularly in that first half. 'All the things coming out of the camp were that players were returning from injury, they'd learned a huge amount from the game and it was all kind of set up for them to really upset Galway in many ways. 'Galway would never have been a team that Dublin would have feared, particularly in recent years. 'Of course they had the win last year, but Dublin's record over Galway has been quite good and a lot of those players would have played against Galway quite regularly. Most read in GAA Football 'I was quite confident that they'd go down there and get a result. But the big thing for Dublin is consistency this year, so that would be the big question mark going into the Armagh game. 'If Dublin were to back that up with another win then you're really thinking of Dublin as massive, massive All-Ireland contenders.' Tipperary GAA star 'had to do live apology on RTE' the day after cursing during All-Ireland interview - Rock expects a strong challenge from a And his belief in Donegal's ability to go all the way was also not entirely eroded by Asked about Dublin's chances of being the last men standing for the tenth time in 15 seasons, Rock continued: 'If they back it up with a win, I think absolutely it's themselves, Kerry and 'Obviously there are question marks over Donegal after last weekend, but if Dublin were to win this weekend I think they'd be the top three in my eyes.' REACHING THEIR PEAK While he places Armagh slightly further down the pecking order, Rock warned that the reigning champions have yet to peak. He said: 'There's plenty of evidence so far this year that the new rules suit what they're all about and I'm sure they're saving up their best for Championship. 'When you win an All-Ireland, you get that bit of confidence about yourself and you're kind of not afraid of the big games any more. 'You relish the challenge of playing in the All-Ireland series and I think Armagh got a huge monkey off their back last year in actually just winning the All-Ireland. 'I think you'll start to see the best of those players from now. Coming back to 'If they go up to Croke Park and beat Dublin, it'd be a big statement for them. 'In many ways, it's very strange for All-Ireland champions to be completely written off or not really talked about as in the top maybe three or four teams. 'They're kind of maybe just a little bit outside that in many people's eyes, but their squad has probably developed a little bit throughout the league as well. 'They've got plenty of options and a huge amount of pace up front. They have a lot going for them and I'd expect to see the best of them in the next couple of weeks.' 'It's the most evenly contested All-Ireland probably in recent memory. There are so many teams who have the potential to win it." A sense of novelty will be attached to the Group 4 fixture on Sunday at Croke Park as it will mark the first Championship clash of Dublin and Armagh since the Sky Blues won a qualifier in 2010. Several league games, such as the Orchard's victory back in March, have been contested since. The sides, managed by former Na Fianna team-mates Dessie Farrell and Kieran McGeeney, have crossed paths regularly on the challenge-match circuit too. One of those encounters was a source of considerable controversy in 2015, when a fracas caused Dubs defender Davy Byrne to be hospitalised with facial injuries. But Rock insisted: 'In the last couple of years, there could have been six, seven challenge matches against Armagh so there would be a lot of familiarity there and understanding with each other. 'There has been probably kind of a healthy rivalry in many ways built up, not in competitive games but off the field and different things. That's just the relationship with Dessie and Kieran.' OPEN FIELD As for the identity of this year's All-Ireland winners, Rock will not be too surprised if there are new entries in his ranking of the leading contenders as the Championship gradually reaches a climax. The three-time All-Star added: 'Arguably seven or eight teams on any given day could all beat each other. 'It's the most evenly contested All-Ireland probably in recent memory. There are so many teams who have the potential to win it. 'Even at this stage last year, you were probably only looking at Dublin, Donegal, Kerry. I don't think anyone would have seen maybe Armagh or Galway being an eventual winner. 'But this year in particular, there are so many teams that can win it. 'Even Tyrone now are massively back in the mix. 'Mayo may have slipped but Mayo being Mayo, they could go and get a result this weekend, you just don't know. 'But that's how I'd see it. It's just kind of on any given day and whoever gets momentum at the right time will ultimately become All-Ireland champions. 'It makes for an exciting couple of weeks.' l DEAN ROCK was speaking at the launch of EirGrid's 'Community Heroes' campaign at Ballymun Kickhams GAA club. EirGrid, Ireland's national grid operator, is shining a spotlight on the volunteers who power the GAA community in Ireland
Irish Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Omerta around infamous 2015 Dublin-Armagh challenge game still holds 10 years on
The Dublin-Armagh rivalry is thin in terms of competitive meetings - but they have found their edge elsewhere. Sunday's clash at Croke Park will be just the counties' sixth ever Championship tie and first since 2010, though they have crossed paths a couple of times in the League in recent years. But a challenge match that they played 10 years ago that virtually nobody got to see and the result of which is long forgotten, is still remembered for all the wrong reasons. Before the throw-in, Dublin's Davy Byrne suffered facial injuries which sparked a full scale brawl. Byrne required hospital treatment and the CCCC investigated but with all parties remaining tightlipped, not much came of it though both counties were hit with hefty fines. The GAA's then director general Páraic Duffy expressed his frustration around the episode in his annual report some months later. 'The efforts of CCCC to investigate the matter followed an all too depressing pattern,' he wrote. 'Even though the name of the player alleged to have been responsible for Davy Byrne's injury was in general circulation, no assistance was forthcoming from the counties in bringing the player to account.' When asked yesterday, Dean Rock didn't shed much further light on events of that day in DCU. 'We had played a couple of days previous in the Leinster final,' he said. 'We had guys who didn't get enough minutes and squad players who were identified to play that game. 'I was doing some frees and we were doing some small bit of a skills session at the time and then there were a few roars, and then turned into a jog and a sprint up to see what was going on.' Armagh weren't regular challenge game opponents of Dublin at the time and they certainly weren't after that, though that has changed in recent times given the relationship between Dessie Farrell and Kieran McGeeney. 'At that time under Jim [Gavin], certainly not,' says Rock. 'Like, we would have played a lot of challenge games probably against Cork and Monaghan and Cavan. They would have been the ones we would have played most of the time. 'But yeah in recent years under Dessie, it certainly would have been Armagh. So in the last couple of years, there could have been six, seven challenge matches against Armagh. So there would be a lot of familiarity there and understanding with each other. 'There has been probably kind of a healthy rivalry in many ways built up, not in competitive games, but off the field and different things. So that's just the relationship with Dessie and Kieran.' Rock, who retired after Dublin's 2023 All-Ireland win, gave his take on Rian O'Neill resurfacing with Armagh last weekend after his self-imposed exile. Diarmuid Connolly made a similar mid-season return for Dublin as they chase five-in-a-row in 2019, which was the source of some discontent within the squad, though Rock says 'I don't see any downside to it'. 'It's another exceptional player coming into the group who's obviously going to challenge other players because he wants to get in and get more minutes and then everyone else has to up their game to prove that they deserve the jersey. 'So I think in that regard, it can only be positive. Look, they're a close-knit group up in Armagh as well, it's not the biggest county, so they've got good relationships up there with each other, I'm sure, and I'm sure they'd welcome him back with open arms. 'I think the best thing for Armagh now is that it's now done and there is closure to it. I mean, he's fully back now, he's back in the mix and there's no question marks hanging over them anymore. So it's now, you know, full throttle now on the All-Ireland pursuit again.' He added: 'The big question marks will be can he get to the level he got to last year? And based on maybe the training that he has or hasn't done, or hasn't been exposed to, that could be a big question mark for him personally. 'But even if you got the best out of him for 45, 50 minutes, it could be the difference in a lot of these tight games.'
