Flannery’s Saturday session

Traditional Irish music session in Flannery's Pub, AthloneI was down in Flannery’s on the weekend for the Saturday session. Truth be told I almost didn’t get out of the house – there I was, lying in my warm cozy bed next to a cuddly wifey when the bean txt’d to ask was I going to the session – “nah,” I replied, snuggling deeper under the duvet.

Then I remembered I had made a fervent promise to attend the Sofa King Cool inaugural performance. Cursing, I got dressed and, as an afterthought, grabbed the aul bodhran before heading across town. Sofa King was great, but I began to regret the bodhran strapped across my back. Without a good place to set it down I just wore it into the club and stood there, taking up the place to two people instead of one.

The idea was, tired as I was, if the trip across town and watching the lads play enlivened the spirits, sure, I might as well head on down to Flannery’s if I was feeling up for it. As it was, the presence of said drum actually sped my departure from Rick’s. As the short stint watching the band seemed a poor exchange for the walk I’d had and the bean was on his own down the street at Flannery’s . . .

Stepping into Flannery’s from the night’s chill, I was surprised not to see the bean, but pleased to see Meez and Hardy sitting amongst the regulars. Plopping myself down next to the seanchai I pulled the aul drum out and got her tuned up. The night was quieter than some of late, but none the less jolly. Hardy gave an a capella rendition of this song about a clever man who thwarts his unfaithful wife’s attempts to rid herself of him. Great stuff.

Hardy gave us a lift at the end of the night – many thanks to him and herself!