A touch of the Irish

At the Dublin Irish festival.  A friend of mine from Hungary, who knows Celtic (how cool) and sometimes has come over the ocean to recreate life in the emerald isle, wasn't able to be there this year.  Nonetheless we went.  On Sunday morning, there are several worship services, and if you bring canned goods, you get in free.  That's $70.00 off for us.  So we went.

We chose a "Traditional Mass", only to find out that the traditional adjective was, alas, in comparison to a Celtic Mass being held at the same time.  It was, well, very 'mega-church evangelical', as is much of the modern Catholic movements.

From the Mass, we went out to enjoy the fare and the fun.  But boy the people.  When we first went back the year our third boy was born (14 years ago), it was crowded.  But not horrible.  But this year? It was shoulder to shoulder.  You couldn't move that you had to invite four strangers with you.  Not that crowds bother me.  But when you're trying to shuffle a family of six around, including a five year old, that makes it tough.  We did have a chance to take in a bagpipe lesson.  I know, it's close enough.  I've actually thought of bagpipes, and my soon to be sweet sixteener thought of taking them up, until we heard the price.  For a small basic instrument $800.00.  $2200.00 starting for a large set, and that doesn't include the extras.  Whew.  So much for our dreams of piping.

We tried to shop around, but those crowds.  You just couldn't move.  Plus, as my boys noticed, there seemed to be a bit more gratuitous drinking this year than in years past.  Sure, it's been about five or six years since we were there.  The last time a severe storm swept in and everyone was forced to seek shelter in some nearby buildings.  But it was tough to do, plus expensive (as all such things are).  We did get a souvenir  hand-carved stone.    And some fun times together.  And that is worth all the whiskey in Ireland.

That's real.  And the bagpipes are real, too. 

A pot of gold is what you need for those prices.

I'd like to think when the last vestiges of Western Civilization have been swept away, bagpipes will still be awesome.

We dined at an American restaurant disguised as an Irish Pub.  I like the lighting effect.