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ArcadeCon 2013 – Thank You!

ArcadeCon 2013 – Thank You!

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I am struggling to pull my thoughts together partly because I am still exhausted but mostly because I still can’t seem to process those four days! Four of the most intense, emotional and stressful days of my life! I probably wrote something similar last year but with ArcadeCon getting bigger and bigger every year, the volume of work, the build on pressure and the tension just increases with it and do you want to know something? It is all worth it!

July 4th to 7th, four days that took nearly twelve months to put together! Four days that saw forty-five staff, some new and a lot old combine their talents to pull the show off! Four days that saw special guests, traders and press from all over Ireland, Europe and the world attend! Four days that saw over 2,000 gamers, cosplayers, otaku, geeks, fan boys and girls, furries, trekkies, jedi, predators, fairies and elves clamber into the halls, rooms and foyers of the Ballsbridge Hotel! I couldn’t believe it, I still can’t, it’s insane and it’s all down to the Irish community! It’s all down to you! This magazine, the convention… it couldn’t exist without you! Your support, your loyalty, your time and your energy all of it ensure that the atmosphere over the course of those few days is electrified, is overwhelming and intoxicating! Thank you!

At this stage I’d like to start thanking the people who make ArcadeCon happen! To start it off, we couldn’t give away so much goodies and freebies and prizes without the fantastic support of companies and businesses who even in recessionary times dig deep to provide us with discount vouchers, free samples and more to ensure we can give you the most and in no particular order these are the companies (please click the links and show your support to these folks, please!):


Bubblicity
Dublin City Comics EA Ireland Monster Energy Sub City Comics Teebusters

Nickelodeon UK Kennedys Art Supplies The Warchest BoardGamer.ie

Easons Forbidden Planet Dublin Kigu Crew GetYourLenses.eu Four Star Pizza

Cineworld Dublin Qwertee Reads Printers Merch Zombies Replay Games Irish Retro Gaming

 

As well as these folks I want to take this time to thank the dozens of traders, artists, craft specialists and exhibitors who turned up to ArcadeCon! There are about a million other things these people could be doing but instead they took the time out of their lives and schedules to attend ArcadeCon and cram our Trade Hall full with amazing merchandise, prints and items!
Before I move on I also want to take a moment to thank the panelists, game masters and performers who contributed their time ensuring that not only was their a massive variety of events ran at ArcadeCon this year but that they were of the highest quality as well! From public speakers, free thinkers and theorists, artists, writers, game masters, dancers, singers, musicians, the four days are always an explosive reminder of the talent that we have in this country and ArcadeCon wouldn’t be a 10th of the success it is without you, so thank you for very much!

As well as these guys we were insanely lucky this year to have so many wonderful special guests, Lucas and Jenna aka TwinFools and Nova, Virginia Hey, Simon Fisher-Becker, Gareth David-Lloyd (and his beautiful family), Matt Elliott, Professor Elemental, Roger Yuan, Chris O Neill, The Irish Pubcast, Jet Set Radio, Chipzel, The Radioactive Grandma, Maura McHugh, Darrin O Toole, Stephen Mooney, The Chronic Candies (and sexy guests of sexiness) and Riot Games! It was a diverse, eclectic and fantastic range of guests who travelled from just down the road, across the Irish sea and in some cases the Atlantic to be there! This year could not have been the success it is/was without them and I hope that if any of you are reading this that it was a personal honour to have you attend ArcadeCon 2013 and that in the future you might consider returning once more!

I have to save the longest list for last but that doesn’t mean the people here are by any means less important but I just needed more time to find the words to thank them all and here it goes:

Paulie, Aoibh, Edel, Gary, Stuart, Katie, Marie, John, Ross, Mary, Viktor and Derek, welcome to the ArcadeCon fold, unfortunately you are now stuck with us and there is no escaping!
David P, David S, Chris and Alex, in one of the most popular rooms, in sweltering temperatures you kept your cool and ensured our Games Room was a huge success! Thank you!
Sean B, Danny, Fiona F, Eoin, Michelle and Nathan no one runs around more than you guys! Thank you!
Ally, Dominique, Tiffany and Naomi, the Trade Hall couldn’t have ran without you! Thank you!
Filip and Jennifer, snap happy paparazzi, the photos are still coming and each one brings a smile to my stupid head! Thank you!
Sean W and Orlagh, I don’t know how you survived the crowds but the Library was a total success thanks to you! Thank you so much!
Kae, Louise, Therese and Lucy, VIP and Special Guests haven’t stopped singing your praises and you deserve to know that! Thank you!
Anthony, you kept it all secure! Super secure! Thank you, now go sort out those purple shirt people, rowdy bunch!
Matty, zero b*llsh*t! Thanks for your refreshing attitude on life, love and running conventions! You grouch!
Damien Carey, you are one of the most talented, creative and generous people I know! Thank you for your work on the amazing mascots and for being my friend!
Dan Aherne and Patrick Farrell, the Indie Arcade and the Tournaments were successes because of you too! Gird your loins for next year, I have plans! Thank you!
Bryan and Ryan, missing laptops, stupid mini projectors and long queues…nothing could break your stride! Thank you both so much for managing it all so well!
Melissa, Fiona R and Tendai, you are absolute stars, you made me laugh and smile all weekend! Thank you for running such amazing cosplay events! More next year yeah?
My friends and family, seriously thanks for listening to me rant, ramble and roar!

Juliana, you are truly one of a kind! You have an amazing heart, more energy, life and love to give than anyone I know! Thank you so much for being a part of ArcadeCon but more importantly a part of my life!

Alan, you are my world, I know I probably melted your head these past few weeks and I don’t tell you nearly enough but you mean so much to me! I love you with all my heart and I hope you can forgive my short temper and dirty looks! You are amazing, beautiful and I owe you so much!

Mairead Lyons, what can I say? Thank you isn’t enough! I could say it a hundred times and it wouldn’t even come close! You are a wonderful human being, a brilliant mind with a kind heart, a wicked sense of humour and more patience than I could ever give you credit for! Thank you for making this happen… you ready for 2014 yet?

We are still a very young convention, three years old only! We made plenty of mistakes this year but we learned from last year and we will learn from this year! I promise you! ArcadeCon 2014 is already in motion and if you can, we would love your support once more! For now though, I am signing off from my duties as Con Director and returning to my duties as the Editor of this website!

All my love, respect and geekiness,

Declan Doody
ArcadeCon Director / The Arcade Editor

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