On Friday night last the 29th of July the Irish contingent at the ICD hosted the inaugural Irish cultural night. Overall the night can be said to have been a great success. The night, being run according to Irish time was an hour behind schedule with author Julian Gough taking to the stage at 9p.m. Julian gave a thoroughly enjoyable and funny speech. We were regaled by Julian reading an excerpt from his book in which he excoriated Fianna Fail, formerly the largest party in Ireland. At one point he had his main character urinating into Dev’s hole. Overall a thoroughly enjoyable talk with a bout of sustained applause ringing in Julian’s ears as he left for home later that evening.
This was followed by a brief interlude where the craic really got going and where Jameson whiskey was free for all. A truly Irish event was getting up and running at this stage. An attempt at a viewing of Father Ted was quickly aborted as the internet failed us at the most critical of junctures.
Oh well, it wouldn’t have been an Irish night without at least one cock-up!
The band the Last Tycoons took to the stage at eleven o’ clock. An impressive set which lasted an hour left everyone in a real party mood. The drink was flowing by this stage and the most basic form of cultural diplomacy was taking place where the young men and women of the I.C.D were really getting to know each other! By now pop music was pumping from the stereo systems and it could safely be said that the night was a rip roaring success.
A few shout outs must be mentioned here. Darnell our sound man who came in to help the band set up at short notice was a lifesaver! Alex Dylan Nolan who unfortunately couldn’t be there on the night due to unforeseen circumstances was the man who had initiated the night and had gotten Jameson on board. But the biggest shout out must really go for everyone who came to the night to make it such a success. There were people from far and wide, people who I did know and people who I didn’t, more of the latter I must say from a personal perspective!
I do hope the next group of Irish interns take up the torch from here and make the next Irish event even better than this one.
