Sunday, September 16, 2007
Blue skies, temperatures in the mid seventies, downtown Indianapolis at Military Park and we are Irish for this day. We eat a wonderful breakfast of eggs, soda bread, potato cakes, sausage and bacon. There are lots of men in kilts, lots of singing, bagpipes, guitars, flutes, fiddles and the wonderful hand drums. Music seems to be everywhere and everyone seems to be having a great time including us. The songs are mostly pub songs with rousing choruses that we join in on. There is lots of stuff to buy proclaiming Irish heritage from flags, blankets, and jewelry to clothing. All kinds of wonderful things to eat and drink are available, most connected somehow to Ireland.
The highlight of the day is the wonderful dancing. The dance represents a time of repression by the British. The British frowned on Irish dancing, so many dances required dancers to hold their arms at their sides and dance in place so they could disguise what they were doing. We see all ages of girls and boys do the soft and hard shoe dancing. The music is wonderful and the girls look great in their beautiful sequined and satin dresses. The fast feet and beautiful smiles make this a great experience for us. To top it off, in the advanced dancers, we see Carleigh, 16 years old. She is a 1965 CGHS grads daughter. TPO, or Pat, the guy who wore all green always at CGHS on St. Patrick’ Day is very involved with Irish dancing and travels all over for his daughter to compete. We see Pat and Mrs. Pat and they are busy helping to make all this run smoothly.
Carleigh performs with the Richens/Timm Academy of Irish Dance. Nestled in the trees of Military Park this event happens once every year. It is always in September and I recommend it if you are ever here at this time. Mrs. Hawk
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11 comments:
Oh, I love those Irish Dancers. Every year I've tried to go to Irish Fest but haven't been able to get there for one reason or another. I didn't know we had "one of our own" dancing....I know her father is very proud of her. I wonder if he can do the "jig" a wee bit himself.
Good to hear you had such a beautiful day and saw TPO'B!
Bo
Bo - Maybe several of us could go together next year. It really is a fun time....a little like being in Ireland again! Ah...the singing in the pubs is so fun. The homes in Ireland are generally very small. The whole family, kids and all, go to the neighborhood pubs in the evening. No family rooms and only one or two TV stations available. Pubs are packed every night. Mrs. Hawk
That sounds like a fun day to me....let's try to do that.
Bo
Great!
I too think "WE" should plan for that!
TD, Cinders, Sara Jean, and I had hoped to drop by and check on the festivities, but time and logistics got in the way.
We did drive by, and the crowd was impressive. We did see lots of folks in kilts... just not the one I was hoping to see.
(By the way, some naughty gal suggested I take my camera phone and place it strategically so as to solve the age-old mystery...
know what I mean, Vern?)
Sounds like a plan though... let's get the ball rollin' for an Irish mini next year!
Another bit of interest...
four-or-so blocks away there was another festival, devoted I think to Hispanic education. They also had a large crowd.
Beautiful day for all concerned!
I asked a man what was worn under his kilt and he said, "why, nothing at all is worn under my kilt; it's all in perfectly working order."
Just so ya' know.
Bo
I saw a Scottish lad wearing a kilt on TV walking away from the camera and suddenly a gust of wind came and I can tell you, he was in his birthday suit.
A fresh breeze and clean air will make almost anything grow, won't it GH?
;>)
yep
Well, That seems to have done it. Cinders says that we will go next year.
Next Fall, we will plan an Irish mini to coincide with Irish Fest. The Indy Irish Mini - the wearing of a kilt will be optional, but, greatly encouraged. For all!!!
PTO - is that appropriate? Or do you have to be Irish to wear a kilt?
O'TwoDogs has a nice Celtic ring to it....Don't you think?
I thought ya had to be a Scot to wear a kilt. Anyone got the 411 on that?
Thanks
O'Tabby
Great! AN "O'MINI" WE will go and stay all day! Generally Saturday has the most going on. I love the whole event, but the dancers, both children and adults, are my favorite. There are 4 stages(far north south east and West edges of the park) that have scheduled singers, music and dancers. As you said GB, there probably will be another festival of some kind going on at the same time. Last year the Colts were playing downtown. We had to leave a little early to beat traffic. They played again this year, but in Tenn.
O'Hawk and I went right downtown from church Sunday and walked the canal (about 1/2 block from the Irish Fest). That is also really nice. The people awarded the Medal of Honor have their names on a monument on the canal. That is something to see also.
We will get with TPO to find out dates for next year. Top of the Morning to you all :>) !!!!The O'Hawks
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