Jake swaps turkey and Baileys for a beach BBQ!
One of the “only good decisions” Jake Cooney ever made after a night out in the Thatch pub in Rahan was to move to Australia earlier this year!
The DCU graduate and native of Blueball, just outside Tullamore, is currently living in Sydney where he works as a boom lift operator filling in cracks on the newly-constructed M4 tunnel.
As he prepares for his first Christmas away from home, he says the weather is “certainly different” and rather than layering on jackets and hats he is applying aftersun as he is quite burnt. “Christmas in Australia revolves around BBQs on the beach rather than turkey and Baileys,” he laughs.
Aside from missing his family and friends, he says one of the hardest things about being abroad is missing his cat, who has the unusual name of Microwave. “I really miss Microwave” says Jake.
He is really enjoying living with all his friends in Sydney, and working together. Among his other friends from Offaly who made the decision to move to Australia is Greg Galvin from Cloonagh East, Ballard, on the outskirts of Tullamore, and Daniel Britten and Paul Luby from Rahan.
Jake plans to spend Christmas Day on Bondi beach “cooking a mean BBQ” and says one of his favourite memories from Christmas at home is when his stepdad, John Mooney “left the Christmas turkey unattended and it was eaten by our dog on Christmas Eve”.
He describes the build-up to Christmas in Sydney as “a bit underwhelming” and says Australians place more emphasis on celebrating New Year's Day. “It's also strange to be worrying about sunscreen in what should actually be the coldest part of the world,” he points out.
When asked what his favourite festive tradition is since he moved to Australia, Jake Cooney says Australians have a tradition known as 'shoe-y' whereby they drink beer from their shoes or work boots after a long day at work. “I won't confirm or deny I have participated,” he jokes.
He will ring in the New Year at the firework display and celebrations in Sydney Harbour beside the Opera House and would love to send a big hello and Christmas greetings to all the Cooneys and McEvoys in Bunaterin and Lowertown.