March is the busiest month of the year for Irish entertainers.
They are always in demand around Saint Patrick's Day, and it extends throughout March.
Our Irish Club's Saint Patrick's Season starts on Sunday 6th with the Parade in Winter Park, always a great enjoyable event.
Winter Park is a beautiful city ten miles North of Orlando, with cobbled streets, sidewalk cafés, smart boutiques,
a lovely park, and a string of inter-connected lakes on which you can take a boat tour.
It also has top-rated Colleges, Art Galleries, and many festivals. It also has Fiddler's Green Irish Pub.
Some of us get there early and attend Mass at Saint Margaret Mary's Church (named after my Patron Saint, not me!
)
Then we line up and get our flags, 32 Irish Flags with the Coat-of-Arms and name of each County. (Yes, 32 not 26)
My friend Siobhán and I have a friendly fight for the Tipperary flag! She is from South Tipperary, I am from North
)
This year I might carry the Tipperary GAA flag, as they are the All-Ireland Champions.
Two flag-bearers, one carrying the ceremonial US Flag, the other carrying the ceremonial Irish Flag.
Three or four members carry the IACS Banner. (Irish American Cultural Society of Central FL)
It is a very family-oriented Parade, with little ones sitting on the edge of the sidewalk, wearing green and
shamrocks etc. The dogs and horses are always popular with the kids, and O'Malley really enjoyed leading the IACS,
but unfortunately he will not be parading this year. He is now blind, and the pipes and drums scare him.
After the Parade, many of us gather in the park by the stage, to watch the Irish dancing and listen to the music.
Later, we all go to Fiddler's Green, and it gets pretty crowded. The Emerald Society (pipes and drums of the Police and Fire Dept)
parade around the Pub parking lot, and then into the Pub where they get a rousing welcome.
After a good dinner, a pint of Guinness, and live Irish Music, we all go home happy.
So far the schedule for March is:
11th - Derek Warfield and the Young Wolfe Tones at Nolan's Irish Pub (new Pub, owned by a Kilkenny Hurler)
12th & 13th - Irish festival West Palm Beach (don't think I'll be there)
13th - IACS Saint Patrick's Dinner, with live music, and Tir Na Gréine School of Irish Dance.
11th to 17th Celtic Music and Art Fleadh in St.Augustine FL
17th - Saint Patrick's Parade, St Augustine FL
19th - Father Ennis Irish Dinner and Dance at Holy Family Church Hall (my Priest and my Church....I have been ordered to attend!) Musicians from Ireland will be playing, and the Watters School of Irish Dance will perform.
19th - Saint Patrick's Parade Melbourne FL
Saint Patrick and a Leprechaun:
You can't have an Irish Parade without Horses!
Dancing in the Park:
