Good morning… it’s quarter to 3 on a Wednesday, and I’m doing that thing where you question every life choice that led you to setting an alarm at a time normally reserved for bakers and the clinically unwell.
This one’s a Day in the Life of the Cherry Picker Man spanning a few days, with a twist: there are no cherry pickers involved. Instead, I’m heading to Dublin with Geoff Smith (The Roofing Outlaw) for Lava 20 training… and it turns into the sort of trip that starts as “education” and ends as “why am I still in an airport?”
If you want the full story with all the banter, the pubs, and the shenanigans, this is the perfect moment to watch the full video.
The Mystery Truck and the Early-Morning Meet-Up
I roll up at about 4am, early (because I’d rather be early than late), and I spot a truck in the darkness.
Whose truck is that?
I ask the audience to guess… while fully admitting his face is probably already in the thumbnail, so the mystery lasts about half a second.
Mystery over: I’m meeting Geoff Smith, better known as The Roofing Outlaw. We’re going to Dublin for Lava 20 training, which is not exactly my usual “load up the spider lift and sort a chimney” routine but that’s what makes it interesting.
Most of my week is spent doing real-world roof repair work across Nottinghamshire and beyond, solving the kind of problems you only notice when water starts appearing where it absolutely shouldn’t. (If you’re dealing with leaks, slipped tiles, or storm damage, this is the sort of thing I handle day-to-day: roof repairs )
But for this trip? It’s airport mode: early start, half-awake travellers, security queues, and the optimistic plan of “get to Dublin in one piece.”
Dublin Arrival: Cold Weather and Roofers Being Roofers
We land in Dublin and immediately Jeff spots lads working on a roof.
That’s what you get when you travel with a roofer even on a “training trip”, the eyes are scanning rooflines like a heat-seeking missile.
Proper Irish weather greets us too: freezing and not especially green (at least not yet). The Irish are tough for a reason.
Meet the Cast: Marcus and Wayne (and the World’s Smallest Taxi)
We don’t head straight out. We wait at the airport for Marcus, Geoff’s business manager, who’s flown in from Germany after bouncing around Europe doing what can only be described as Outlaw “empire building”.
He also brings along Wayne, a new recruit meeting Jeff in person for the first time. First day. First meeting. No pressure.
Wayne’s a Geordie, which leads to the usual affectionately delivered trades banter and then we all squeeze into what I can only describe as the world’s smallest taxi. I asked for a small one. We got something that felt like it was designed for two Labradors and a Tesco bag.
The First Proper Irish Guinness (and the Gravediggers)
Once we’ve all met up, Jeff has one priority:
A proper Irish Guinness.
Not just anywhere either we go to John Kavanagh’s “The Gravediggers”, the kind of pub that feels like stepping back in time. Weathered wood, old fittings, and floorboards that have absorbed generations of stories (and probably a fair amount of Guinness too).
It’s my first Irish Guinness, Wayne’s as well, and yes… it absolutely lives up to its reputation. A cracking start to the Dublin adventure.
The “Special Delivery” That Turned Into a Roofer Reunion
We haven’t even done any training yet. We’ve “arrived and settled in” (translation: we’ve been drinking all day).
Then comes the mission: a special delivery of Roofing Outlaw merch to a chap in a pub.
We meet Derek, who’s picking up an Outlaw hat for his retired roofer dad fair play, supporting the trade and all that. What starts as a quick pint and merch handover turns into an evening of stories, laughter, and… a few more Guinnesses than planned.
Then it grows again we end up meeting more lads, including franchisees from the Swansea branch of the Outlaw shops, and suddenly it’s a full-on gathering of roofers from different corners of the map.
There’s something about tradesmen in pubs:
- The stories get bigger
- The laughs get louder
- And it feels like you’ve known each other for years
“Professional networking,” as we call it. Very corporate. Very refined. Definitely not chaos.
Day Two: Lava 20 Training Done Properly
Thursday morning arrives. Breakfast is required not for enjoyment, but for damage control from the previous day.
Then it’s time for the reason we came: Lava 20 training at a warehouse setting, and straight away you can tell it’s a serious session. People have travelled from all over England, Ireland, Portugal, and various parts of Europe.
The training is run by Vinnie, whose family has been behind the product for decades, and it shows. Proper depth, no rushing, no waffle.
We get:
- A full walkthrough of applications
- Where Lava 20 works and why
- How to apply it correctly
- Practical demonstrations showing real performance
It’s a long day half nine until well past four but you leave feeling like you actually understand the product properly.
And for anyone who’s into trade standards and doing things right (especially when you’re dealing with roof junctions, seals, and long-term durability), this sort of training matters. It’s not unlike the mindset behind a lot of the work I do back home when you’re sorting chimney maintenance or tricky water ingress points, it’s the details that stop call-backs later. (chimney maintenance and repair services )
The Brazen Head, Irish Music, and Why Karaoke Was Rejected
After training, there’s really only one logical thing to do in Dublin.
Go for a Guinness.
This time we’re with Vinnie, who becomes the official local guide, taking us to The Brazen Head, famously described as the oldest bar in Ireland, sitting right in a historic part of the city.
It’s everything you’d hope for: traditional Irish music, packed with character, and a proper atmosphere.
Wayne suggests karaoke.
That suggestion is politely declined.
Apparently traditional Irish music and Geordie karaoke don’t quite mix. Who knew.
The Mad Dash Home… and the Missed Flight
Friday morning: early again. I get a phone call from Geoff.
“Danny, we’ve got an early plane. I’m trying to see if you’re out of bed.”
Cue the mad dash: throw everything in a bag, get downstairs, find the Outlaw feeling a bit “hanging”, and head to the airport.
We nearly make it. We’re moving like Olympic sprinters with tool bags.
And then… we miss the flight.
Again.
We end up spending an extra eight hours in Dublin airport, which sounds painful but it actually gives me time to properly talk with Geoff about the roofing industry and his view that standards have slipped in places over the years.
Whether you agree with him on every point or not, one thing is clear: he genuinely cares about improving the trade, making it safer, and pushing better products and better standards.
And honestly, that part of the trip was worth it.
(If you haven’t already, this is another good spot to watch the full video it’s got the full story, the laughs, and the airport aftermath.)
Final Thoughts: Absolute Mad House… But What Fun
So that pretty much concludes my time in Dublin with Geoff.
It was an absolute mad house. But what fun.
If you enjoyed this sort of behind-the-scenes travel, training, and trades banter (with occasional accidental life lessons), keep an eye out these trips tend to happen when you least expect them.
And if you ever need specialist access for awkward jobs the kind where scaffolding is a headache and you want it done efficiently that’s where I’m usually in my element, using access using a cherry picker to get to the work safely and quickly: https://dji-uk.co.uk/cherry-picker-hire
Leave a comment and tell me: What’s the earliest you’ve ever started a job… and was it worth it?
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My workwear is sponsored by Granite Workwear, and all of the clothing I’m wearing in the video can be purchased on their website: Workwear Clothing Supplier | Protective Safety Clothes
About the Author
Danny Iwanejko is the editor and publisher behind Dan the Cherry Picker Man, sharing real-world roofing, chimney, and high-access jobs from across Nottinghamshire and beyond. As the owner of DJI High Access Services, Danny documents the practical side of the trade the wins, the problems, the lessons, and the occasional chaos to help homeowners and fellow tradespeople understand what’s involved and why the details matter.
