Monday, August 7, 2006

DANCING UNDER THE DIAMOND SKY

With one hand waving free...

(Because the other was clutching a beer can)

Due to unavoidable  life issues interfering with well laid out plans, it  appeared that I would be attending the Dublin Irish Festival (DIF) all by my  lonesome this year.  Not that I gave it much thought, I knew I would just do it and enjoy it even though I would just be with Me.

Imagine my delight Saturday morning when my husband came roaring into the hotel parking lot, straddling his Honda and looking exactly like the Hero come to save the day. Only then did I realize I was inwardly holding my breath and longing for a companion.

He looked pretty hot too on that motorcycle.

Brilliant. That was the word. Brilliant performers, brilliant new Celtic Rock Stage and area, brilliant sky, brilliant white heat, brilliant crowd, brilliant time. Just brilliant!!

The crowds seemed larger than before, perhaps because we were now cut off from the main pedestrian area and had our Celtic Rock world on the West Side of the Festival. Brilliant move!!

Other than that, everything else was the same. Lots of festival food Celtic style. The melt in your mouth Fish and Chips from the Old Bag of Nails. The same icy cold cans of Killian beer drawn from gigantic chests of ice. Sneaky Pete had a new location directly on the path to the Rock Tent. The Irish Canines also had new digs, under the cover of a canopy of trees. The Capital City Pipe and Drums still made my eyes tear up and bring a lump to my throat. The Irish thunder stage was still a hell like pit that could toast you to a crisp. The baby buggies and strollers seemed to be everywhere. As did Red hair. Tattoos were shown off by many, the real kind and the henna kind. Young girls still strolled around with their hair twisted up in those torturous looking rollers awaiting their big moment to dance the Irish jig. It was still very risky to enter the port-a-john trailers after a certain time...The buses rolled from 8am till 130 am Saturday carrying back to their vehicles the intoxicated revelers and their dedicated drivers. We still sang on the five minute trip. This year it was Hang On Sloopy. We continued to wander around the parking lots, walking in the wrong direction to the hotel. I awoke with a headache on Sunday morning...again.

The Saw Doctors blew everyone away as was expected. Only this year they played before their largestOhio crowd ever! This was Joes first time seeing them on stage. I believe he came away impressed.

A year came and went so quickly. Now I look forward to next year, the 20th anniversary of the DIF!

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good times and good luck thanks to your husband! Sounds like you had a blast!
Tess

Anonymous said...

I am glad your hero showed up :)

xoxo

Anonymous said...

Wish I was there. I need to get in touch with my Irish inner child.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a wonderful time!!!
Connie

Anonymous said...

sounds like a great time and so happy your hubby joined you.

Anonymous said...

Oh the fish and chips sounds so good... and I am very, very Irish so I wish we had something like that around here to go to.  Sounds like so much fun!  I dare not go until I dye all my hair back to my celtic brown.  Hugs,
Lisa

Anonymous said...

I can't imagine doing this all by myself--you're amazing for being willing to do it.  You captured the whole festival, all the sights, sounds, and tastes, in a brilliant paragraph.  
My husband rides a Harley.  I can relate.
*debbi*

Anonymous said...

OH I am so jealous. Is Dublin near an airport? Maybe next year I can make it. :::crossing fingers::::

Anonymous said...

Great entry!  Sloppy sounds like a great companion.
Lori

Anonymous said...

That was great that your husband could make the Festival with you.    It will be a time to remember and look forward to next year.     mark

Anonymous said...

We love Celtic music...Tabby takes Irish step dancing lessons, and then we are historical re-enactors of Scots from the 1760s...