If there was ever a reason for making a special trip to Ireland, apart from "Christmas in July", this is it:
www.theworldfleadh.comThis is an International Festival of Irish Music, a Fleadh Cheoil, pronounced Flaa Key-oal, held this year in the town of Portlaoise, which I know as it is on the way from Dublin to Tipperary. It is a good choice for a party on this scale.
For anybody who ever wondered what a céilí is like, what a séisiún is like, how it would feel to dance in the streets of an Irish town and not feel embarrassed because everybody is doing it, you could experience all that and more.
For the entire week, there will be impromptu sessions of music and dance breaking out on every street corner.
For the céilí dancing, if you didn't know the steps, you would be taken by the hand and taught. By the end of the dance, you would be laughing and dancing with the best of 'em.
Add to that an abundance of World-class musicians, dancers, singers........
Master classes of music, dance, theatre and song, workshops you would pay a fortune for anywhere else......
And don't get me started on the night life!
You would be spoiled for choice of what pub to go into.....and the entertainment will spill out into the streets anyway.
Then if you have any energy left, you could go on to this one, the National Fleadh Cheoil in Tullamore, County Offaly. It will be Offaly exciting! (forgive the pun - couldn't resist!) :
www.fleadh2007.com/Index.php?Page=HomeIf you could only attend one party in your life, this should be the one.
It happens every year, so if you miss this one, there will be another in Ennis, County Clare in 2008.