Day 3 and the wedding party comes to a close.

It was a late start on Sunday morning and breakfast, always my favourite meal of the day, was perfect.  We then spent the day catching up with people as they woke up and made their way to the open fires and large sitting areas scattered around Lisloughrey. It was an easy day, rounded off with a walk across to Ashford Castle for afternoon tea. Afternoon tea was arranged by Enda and I can’t actually remember much about it.  For some reason it was the only forgettable part of the whole weekend. 

What wasn’t forgettable was Sunday night back at Ryan’s pub. The man from Cappataggle had arranged for some traditional Irish music to be played and played it was. It was a brilliant night and the perfect finish to a great weekend. Not only did we have the harp, guitars and tin whistles played, we also heard two women sing unaccompanied like angels and a local band playing all sorts of traditional music. Patrons needed little encouragement to get up and sing. So it was we got one of Sean’s mates, an old bloke from his local, singing solo, followed by another old bloke from Ryan’s pub, and then Patrick gave us two songs in Irish which were stunning. Not long after that Marc McCarthy showed some hitherto unknown talent by singing with Lorcan on guitar. This was then followed Lorcan himself giving us two songs and showing what a talent he is. 

Then Enda decided that the one of the two Aussies at Ryan’s should give the Irish something to laugh at, so I was volunteered to sing and obliged with a throaty, strained version of Moreton Bay (Gene was the other Aussie and she was not as easily intimidated). It was great fun and the loud applause once I stopped singing, was a clear indication of how well mannered the Irish can be when confronted with a visitor doing his best to keep the bride and groom happy and do his country proud.  

While all this was going on the boys were playing up to the camera at the back of the pub, loudly requesting that anyone at the microphone sing the theme song to Home & Away (the unofficial Irish National Anthem) while helping fund the the Guinness family's next trip to Monaco. Around the other side of the bar those married for more years than they could remember, were quietly chatting about their local team's prospects, the neighbours, the farm, the kids and stuff in general. It was lovely. I'm generally not a fan of pubs and have never really understood the whole alcohol thing as it regularly brings people's health and relationships undone and is often accompanied by sickening violence. Yet here was a pub doing what a good pub does. I can't imagine this happening in a Sydney hotel. So here's a toast to Ryan's pub at the start of 2011 in Cong, County Mayo. 

 It was another late night and I’d started to get used to Irish pub life and had to be dragged out by Gene at around 3am. I was happy to keep on partying.

My final word on the wedding: if I’d been thinking clearly at Ryan’s on Sunday night I would have sung the Wild Colonial Boy rather than Moreton Bay. Here’s why.

There was a wild colonial boy, Enda Stankard was his name

Of good and honest parents, he was born in Whatitsname

He was his father’s only son, his mother’s pride and joy

And dearly did his family love this wild colonial boy

Then up the road in Balrath town, his girl she did appear

Her name was Angela Hegarty, and she went to college near

They met at UL years ago and stole his heart did she

And happily for Enda after years she did agree

Australia called and romance bloomed, as sunshine took its toll

Two marathons and one iron man, they guys were on a roll

The excel spreadsheet said it all, the school kids were in awe

The wild colonial boy and girl agreed they wanted more

Their families now are thinking if to Bondi they should roam

It’s quite a thing to have to think, so far away from home

But parents some have made the trip and friends come thick and fast

Now all they need is little ones to keep them here at last

Amen to the bride & groom and as the Irish say: God Bless

Now on with the trip.