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Image / Editorial

IMAGE Kisses: We Remember The Good, The Bad and The Ugly


By IMAGE
06th Jul 2017
IMAGE Kisses: We Remember The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

For the day that’s in it, The IMAGE crew share their lip locks past and present. They’re sure to spur your own memories of discos past, Irish college and heady romance. Get ready to swoon and shudder in equal measure.

 

Sophie White

First kiss:1996, aged 12, in the local green with a boy who’d just eaten a bag of cheese ‘n’ onion crisps – it put me off cheese ‘n’ onion crisps and kissing for years.

Best kiss:The first time I ever kissed my husband was deadly. It was in Iskander’s kebab shop on Dame St cuz we are pure classy.

Last kiss: I kissed the back of my baby’s neck this morning and it was delicious.

Worst kiss: My worst kiss was in 1997 with a guy who insisted on adopting a Liam Gallagher pose – remember Liam used to clasp his hands behind his back to sing into the microphone? That’s how this guy approached the kiss. Hands off and off-putting.

 

Niamh O’Donoghue

First kiss: Shoved into my neighbour’s bedroom with his best mate who gave me the aulwashing machine. Needless to say, it was the worst and sloppiest/wettest kiss of my existence.

Best kiss: The first time I kissed Jake, obviously *butterflies*.

Last kiss: My doggo, Molly. This morning before leaving for work.

Worst kiss: See first.

 

Melanie Mullan

First Kiss: Under the table in senior infants. Myself and my then true love used to hide from the teacher and share a moment. He would later save me seats in class so he could stab me with pencils. Cute or what?

Best Kiss: I came home from traveling on the day of one of my really close friend’s 21st birthdays and I hadn’t seen him in about four months. By the time I got to his house I was so late that he was trying to be annoyed with me but I was so excited to see him I just kissed him. He sadly died a few months later but I still have the photo taken of us that night in my room.

Last Kiss:I do give my housemates kisses most days, especially when I’m needy but the last proper smooch was a guy that was so much younger than me. My best friend has now labeled me as his confirmation sponsor … he was over 18, I swear.

Worst Kiss: My worst kiss was followed by me smacking my head against a wall, passing out in the toilet and being three hours late for work the next day with a lump on my head … and then a message to tell me we had kissed.

 

Holly O’Neill

First kiss: On the top floor of a hotel on holidays while my cousin Amy waited for me downstairs. She made me do it.

Best kiss: It’s a toss-up between sloppy kisses from my baby cousins, when yer Da kisses your head goodnight and face-licks from all dogs.

Last kiss: [redacted]

Worst kiss: I can’t recall one! Good job, everyone I’ve kissed.

Clodagh Edwards

First Kiss: On holidays aged 14, I kissed the ‘hot’ pool boy. I ran up to my mum and she was as giddy as I was.

Worst Kiss: Waiting for a taxi to get the hell away from a date I DID NOT FANCY ( there was zero attraction or chemistry.  I turned to say goodbye and he planted one one me and shoved his tongue down my throat.
Best Kiss: After about six weeks of wooing me and sweeping me off my feet, my partner kissed me, it was magical, romantic and I was head over heels in love. That was 14 years ago. Fast forward to today and after 10 years apart, we’re back together.
Last Kiss:  This morning when he handed me my lunch box packed with the Donal Skehan meatballs we slaved over in the kitchen making yesterday. I still get butterflies 🙂

Meg Walker

First kiss:I was at summer camp, and a boy one year my senior planted one on me right in front of the camp counsellor. She kindly pretended not to notice.

Best kiss:I’d like to say it was my husband, but kisses from my children have since beaten his record.

Last kiss: This morning as I drank my coffee and my husband left for work.

Worst kiss: I’ve blocked it from my memory.

 

Alec Ward

First kiss: I was age 10 in my old conservatory in the back garden. It was 4th class and we were playing hide and seek! My friend and I went in behind the couch and wondered how long we would be there, so we decided to kiss to pass the time…

Best kiss: Ios, Greece 2008: blonde haired girl, 3 am, about 10 strawberry daiquiris in, it was a good one.

Last kiss: Friday night.

Worst kiss: When one of the lads has had a little one too many he likes to kiss whoever is around him at the time…

Ellie Balfe

First kiss: Alan? Neil? I’m gonna go with Neil… circa 1992 in Wesley, whilst ‘slow-dancing’, but that just meant going around in circles with hot, heavy arms around me, slightly freaked out and thinking, ‘will this song EVER end’. Felt jubilant afterwards though, because I got ‘the shift’, and the deed was done!

Best kiss: A guy who a friend and I both kissed in the space of a few weeks in college days. He must remain nameless, as we both still know him (and his wife!), but my friend and I still rhapsodise over much wine about our experience with him – only kissing, but God it was magical!

Last Kiss: My daughters’ faces – the sweetest thing. The feel of their skin, the smell of them…bliss like no other.

Worst Kiss: A guy who used to be my friend when we lived in London in the nineties – he swore his undying love in a beautiful letter asking could we be more than mates, sent flowers and a gift to my work and I swooned… We went on a real date and kissed after dinner. It was so awful, that we didn’t see each other since. That sense of being eaten alive, if anyone relates? We became Facebook friends a few years ago, but almost 20 years on, I still shiver…

Grace McGettigan

First kiss: I was 13 and on my first proper date to the cinema in Blanchardstown. It was awful. We were both so nervous and the awkwardness was made ten times worse by the fact that ‘cool kids’ from our school were sitting behind us. The kiss itself involved a lot of teeth clashing and slobber. But a girl’s gotta start somewhere.

Best Kiss: With my boyfriend, Stephen, of course! The kiss after the first time we said “I love you,” is up there. Or the one we shared on the plane before our first holiday. No more of my 13-year-old teeth banging, thank God.

Last kiss: My dog, Clifford, last night before bed.

Worst kiss: See “first” above. I also had a woeful kiss with a guy in a nightclub when I was about 19…his stubble gave me a face rash and he also accidentally bit my lip.

 

Brenna O’Donnell

First kiss: My best friend’s older brother during a game of Truth or Dare. He as 15, I was 13, in his NASCAR-themed bedroom with cardboard cutouts of race drivers watching from the corner. So strange, so American.

Best kiss: I had an awesome summer fling before my last year of high school. The first time we kissed sent sparks flying. I’ll never forget it!

Last kiss: My roommate kissing me on the cheek after a crazy hike in Glendalough this weekend.

Worst kiss: Any kiss where the tongue has been introduced too early.

Photo Credit Element 5, Unsplash