Julie Jay: Son of a gun — why everyone in our house is suddenly ducking for cover

Back in my younger years, I would always find an excuse to give paintballing a miss. Even though paintballing was viewed as being up there with getting the shift as a teenage rite of passage back in the day, I never gave it a whirl — mainly due to having watched an episode of Byker Grove where Ant McPartlin’s character PJ removed his goggles and subsequently suffered permanent blinding from a wayward paint splash.

The episode impacted me to such an extent that when I accidentally swallowed some acrylic cayenne during an art class, I came home and told my mother I loved her, and to know I died doing what I adored: Capturing a still life of various fruits.

Already a subscriber? Sign in

You have reached your article limit.

Subscribe to access all of the Irish Examiner.

Annual €130 €80

Best value

Monthly €12€6 / month

Subscribe

Introductory offers for new customers. Annual billed once for first year. Renews at €130. Monthly initial discount (first 3 months) billed monthly, then €12 a month. Ts&Cs apply.