Yup! Mayor Read-End sure know how to beat his own drum!
Ouch. Tweed cap or football helmet? Always a difficult sartorial choice.
I played an 11-hour gig at a reasonably nice Mexican-Irish restaurant with a high, tin-covered ceiling and a sound system that made the tinny acoustics even tinnier.
Celebrity sightings: 0
Green beer sightings: 0
Fascinating green margarita sightings: infinity plus one
Fascinating green margaritas consumed by me: 0
Annoying drunks indoors: 1
Creepy bandanna-wearing local putting the moves on me during a break: 1
Iterations of Unicorn song: 1
Iterations of “Danny Boy” by relentlessly cheerful guest harpist: 1
Iterations of “Summertime” by relentlessly cheerful guest harpist: 1
Sets accompanied/spoiled by random percussionist who wandered in at 10:30 pm with carryon suitcase containing mini-autoharp, shaky egg, spoons, bongos, bones, and (I kid you not) coconut shells: 2
Chances I will do the whole eleven hours again next year: @#%$**&@#%!!
KAD
MTGuru, Elaine, and I played a little company concert for the rest of the engineers at my office, a good time was had by all…
“Sets accompanied/spoiled by random percussionist who wandered in at 10:30 pm with carryon suitcase containing mini-autoharp, shaky egg, spoons, bongos, bones, and (I kid you not) coconut shells: 2”
Dude, that sounds like a guy who used to occasionally show up at an Edinburgh session. Well, maybe he still goes and I don’t, but if Scottish musicians are lucky, he’s moved to your side of the world. If we’re all unlucky, there’s more than one.
Did an hour on the local public radio station in the morning, a couple of lunchtime sets at the only pub in town, an hour gig at a retirement home, and then a two-hour (no break) set for the rich folk at the country club. All solo, dry air with the reeds’ pitch wandering about like four drunk punters in a fog.
Hay Paddy,
Watched the vid. yer famous!!! Did ya cut yer hair lad?
Joey looked very dignified. Good on you all!
Mayor Costello really liked my pipes if ya must know.
As far as descending order goes…I had a blast and made loads of money, so there. A nice relaxing and enjoyable St. Pat’s week for sure this year for me.
Really doesn’t matter who the audience is as long as they are enjoying the music.
Cheers! Richard
Uilliam, dare I ask why they’re sporting orange ribbons and banner?
Cos its traditional I suppose.I don’t know who exactly decided on the regalia for them as I wasnae around in 1872.Whit with the Peace Process an all, being Irish encompasses many traditions
…still I think it is betterer looking than the insane outfits worn by many in order to promote bonhomie (excuse to get alcoholic poisoning).eg the ridiculous Guinness hats or the false leprachaun ginger beards et al .If there ever was a hope of the Irish stereotype being banished frae the collective Anglo Saxon conscience then these ridiculous bafoonery costumes in all shades of green certainly have put paid to it.The eejits all o them.They just don’t get it or appreciate the troubles we went through to get awa frae all o that in the 70’s and here they are tossing it all back…for shame.
Peace and Lurve to ye all 
Wow, that is pretty bad. I mean, at least our leprechauns have climbed into the 1980s. :where’s the eyeroll when you need it:
LOVE the green white and gold Union Jack! That is hysterical 
Patrick.
Now that I think about it, one could argue that it aligns with Kentucky’s ‘official’ position in the US Civil War.
Accidental irony, or … ?
… Nah. Couldn’t be.
It’s really becoming more and more like Mardi Gras
…Paddy Gras?
Coined here first!
T
Fat Pat?
Liam, were those pics taken in the Weedge?
First one looks like an Orange March. Lovely.
Hi SS
The Orange walk photo is most likely Airdrie, even though they are held in Glasgow. In fact there are quite a few all round the west of Scotland.
David
For everyone else’s edification (if you don’t already know):
Orange marches (the dudes in Liam’s first pic) are basically the continuation of the sectarian nonsense that we still have in this city, which has it origins in the religious and political divisions in Northern Ireland. From the late nineteenth century to the early twentieth century, lots of Irish people, both Catholics and Protestants, emigrated from Ulster to Glasgow to work in the factories and live in the slums. They brought their political baggage, if you will, with them. Additionally the predominately Protestant population of the city wasn’t too happy about all these Irish Catholics coming in. As a result Glasgow has suffered more than its fair share of sectarian violence, though not to the degree of Northern Ireland. Orangemen trace their roots to the unionist Protestants of Northern Ireland and their marches don’t seem to have any other purpose than announcing that they (still) are anti-Catholic and showing support for the Union of Northern Ireland and Britain. They also seem to be an excuse to get drunk and riot and cause general mayhem, which is why the Glasgow City Council occasionally toys with the idea of banning them (to the cries of, “But it’s tradition!”). The colour commemorates William of Orange’s victory over the Catholic James II in the Battle of the Boyne in 1690.
The flag Pat D’Arcy posted is ridiculously politically charged. That Union Jack, coloured like the Irish flag, is a flagrant symbol of the sectarianism that has lead to a lot of violence. It’s not that funny if you’re familiar with the problems it’s caused in Glasgow and the worse problems in Northern Ireland. You couldn’t pay me enough money to fly a flag like that anywhere in Scotland or Ireland.
I agree with all SilverSpear has said.
I also think SilverSpear has said it very well.
Well done SilverSpear.
Peace, beloved.
Pipewort.
Time to sabotage my own thread!!
In fact, the original battle commemorated on July 12 was the Battle of Aughrim in 1691.
Absolutely! I was quite shocked myself at the casual use that was made of it in the video of the Def Leppard cover band. I had never thought of such a thing - Irish colours on the Union Jack! No Flippin’ Way! It was something my imagination would not permit - the fact that someone thought to do it is rather funny to me. I saw it as an Irish invasion on England rather than the other way around… it may have actually happened already, we just aren’t telling anyone. I was taken aback by the shere balls it would take to do that. I think the parade was filmed in America, it wouldn’t be as politically charged to the general public over here in the States, especially considering the context of it being Def Leppard’s logo (The Union Jack) in a St. Patrick’s Day parade!
Patrick.