Massive Lughnasadh Festival in Kilkenny, Ireland

Photo by Trevor Ogilvie

Enquiries pouring in already from all over Ireland and further afield !
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Lughnasadh 2008 in Kilkenny, "The Marble City".

Yet another grey dull rain-threatening day today here in Kilkenny, as I write at lunchtime. And I think, Tara Midsummer this year was yet another Wash Out two years in a row ! So where will I go for Lughnasadh ? With yet more rain threatening, I've decided to stay at home here in Kilkenny, call up a few Druid friends and enjoy ourselves at Kilkenny Castle, going up the top of the Round Tower at the old Anglican cathedral (built on the ancient Druid Mound here), drinking from the ancient Well of Kenny nearby - they say the water is healing, and, of course, celebrate in our very own Druid Grove down by the old "canal" which in fact is a beautiful nature preserve along the banks of the river Nore..."flow on lovely river, flow gently along" (The Rose of Mooncoin). There is a quaint lovely tourist hostel in the city centre here, at Parliament Street beside the Watergate Theatre, which is not at all hard on the pocket, cheap but good B&Bs as well, and most important of all, nobody here pays a blind bit of attention to pagans and Druids in robes around the city streets, variously called "Ye Faire Citie", and the "Marble City" (because black marble was quarried here). It is also called the Medieval Capital of Ireland, and with such fine old buildings as the Tholsel and Rothe House to name but two, is a delight, a virtual Heaven on Earth - isn't that what we all want ? It's there for you all, so, no, I am not going to "organise" anything, I'm far too old for that caper at 61 ! But I will do a few things: I'll supply tea and coffee free at my small townhouse here throughout the weekend, bickies etc too. I always do that providing you do the wash-up !!! You can have a drink at my house too, but I am not going to wet-nurse drunken people, I did enough of that !!! And the Garda Station is next door anyway, the neighbours are lovely and want Peace. I notice people here looking for Druid courses etc, so I'll throw in some teaching on the spot, and would love it if people throw in your own music, song and dance, poetry, art and crafts (there are some of the best pubs in Ireland here , reasonable prices too!). Personally I do not do the local pub scene anymore, got enough hassle from my 83-year-old mother nearby when I did . She's as tough as old Queen Meave ! And the Gardai too, bless them, they have a job to do and they're mostly good people. )Yeah you can have your Gange, doesn't everybody, none of my business ! I reckon we'll start off on a Friday night, 1st August, and go through until the Sunday night when we merry part to meet again. People who make trinkets etc are allowed free of charge to sell your delightful wares under the arches in the city centre at the Town Hall, the famous Tholsel. You can sell anything you like there and Saturday is a great day for business, busking etc. There's a lovely shop to the rear called "The Good Earth" for veggies and alternative life-stylers. And, as a pro photographer I'll take all your photos and put them up on the new website http://irishdruids.blogspot.com,/ and give you prints too if you want them, "I've been a photographer for a hundred years". And if people want a place for a meeting, if you get all official-like, you can book the meeting rooms at the central Club House Hotel for 25 euro for as long as you like. BTW, Kilkenny City is SAFE, little or no crime, people flood in here from Dublin and all over during the weekends. The pubs are almost all chock-a-block with young folk from everywhere, there's the famopus Langtons, where Eamonn has been known to give a pint on the house to anybody in a robe !!! And there's also the old witch Dame Alice Kyteler's 14th century tavern, "Kyteler's Inn", lovely coffee houses around where you can sit out under cover and enjoy the world passing by. There are some brand new hotels in the city centre too for the Affluent Druid. People posting here can get to know and love one another, dancing in the streets - plenty of trad and rock music here too. So come one, come all, with your rituals and all, plenty of LUV assured... Cheers, Michael. PS: Best email me in advance so we can expect you and look after you in advance. PhotographerOfKilkenny@gmail.com, Love, Michael.