Pressing on in Ballyporeen despite the weather

Having been warned about the potentially severe effects of ‘a heatwave’, it was a return to ‘business as usual’ last weekend with the weather taking a turn for the worst.

Last Friday’s driving wind and rain didn’t do any favours for the organisers of the Ballyporeen Gala Festival - last Saturday wasn’t much better with more of the same.

However, showing true grit and determination, Ballyporeen’s Gala Festival committee pressed ahead with a busy festival programme that included lots of top class music.

INDOOR COMFORTS

If anything, the inclement weather was a boost for the village’s 3 pubs, The Doolis, Meaney’s and Casey’s.

All 3 enjoyed a bumper weekend, with patrons retreating indoors for comfort and warmth.

DELIGHTED TO BE IN THE DOOLIS

The weather outside may have been less than cooperative, however, it was party central in The Doolis and elsewhere, with locals making light of issues such as the cost of living. The crowd was a mix of locals and visitors, all of whom were in great form.

Musician, Stew Dixon got a great reception in Meaney’s Bar last Saturday night, with a fine crowd turning up to be entertained. Around the corner, in Casey’s, the trend continued with no shortage of good humoured patrons.

According to last week’s Avondhu, the man on stage in Casey’s was ‘Mad Monk’, however, it looked suspiciously like ‘ Mad Mike’, a one man band/disco whose speciality is limbo dancing. At any rate, ‘Mad Man Mike Monk’ was his upbeat self and kept the party going for several hours.

PRESSING ON REGARDLESS

Any community based fesival committee have to be resilient and resourceful and the Ballyporeen bunch are both. Well done to all concerned on pressing ahead in the face of adversity last weekend.

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