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Lifting the spirit

No, I am not talking about pints of Guinness (although if they made a non-alcholic version I would be a very happy camper.) No, I am talking about going to a 200 year old pub for an evening of song and chat (craic.)

 The Barony of Gaultier sponsored the evening and for €5-00 there were hamburgers off the grill and sausages and corn on the cob (can't do corn on the cob anymore per strict instructions from dentist), and a cash bar. The pub is small and very old, very basic. When I first arrived there were only these three men sitting at a table and a young fellow behind the bar. When I asked if I had the right night for the BBQ (the time had said 7:30 and I arrived at 7:35) they smiled and said "Ah sure, they're just after getting the barbecue set up now." 


People continued to trickle in so that by 8:15, when the food was pronounced ready, we had a nice little crowd, the room was full. I was glad I had found my seat tucked into the bay window at the front of the pub. A very nice Irish-Anglo couple named Eunice and Kevin sat beside me and we chatted through most of the evening. The burger was delicious as were the chips (aka fries) the non-alcoholic beer was good. The band finally got their instruments out at 9:30 and then things really started to get lively.

 We sang, we clapped, we laughed at the funny stories and jokes. It took me back to my 20s and nights out at the Peel Pub, the John Bull and the Churchill on Guy Street in Montreal. Suddenly all of the stress that I have been feeling with our upcoming move back to the United States melted away. I felt so happy. They played and sang almost all of the Irish songs I love so well--Dirty Old Town, Galway Girl, Wild Rover, Wild Mountain Thyme....

 I stayed until the very end, the first time I have been out past 11:00. And then I drove slowly down and up the hill back to the house. Going to do this again!






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