#the irish rovers 50 years

[celtfather]

Irish Shadows #658

Step out of the shadows and listen to the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast #658. Subscribe now!

Maggie’s Wake. Keltricity, Altan, Dancing With Hobbits, Tarren, Michael Darcy & The Atlantic Tramps, Telenn Tri, The BorderCollies, The Langer's Ball, Ironwood, Nick Metcalf, The Changing Room, Jimmy & Scots Folk Band, Karan Casey, Jigjam, Kinnfolk

GET CELTIC MUSIC NEWS IN YOUR INBOX

The Celtic Music Magazine is a quick and easy way to plug yourself into more great Celtic culture. Enjoy seven weekly news items for Celtic music and culture online. Subscribe now and get 34 Celtic MP3s for Free.

VOTE IN THE CELTIC TOP 20 FOR 2024

This is our way of finding the best songs and artists each year. You can vote for as many songs and tunes that inspire you in each episode. Your vote helps me create next year's Best Celtic music of 2024 episode. You have just three weeks to vote this year. Vote Now!

You can follow our playlist on Spotify to listen to those top voted tracks as they are added every 2 - 3 weeks. It also makes it easier for you to add these artists to your own playlists. You can also check out our Irish & Celtic Music Videos.

THIS WEEK IN CELTIC MUSIC

0:06 - Maggie’s Wake "Into The Shadows" from Maggie’s Wake

2:42 - WELCOME

4:15 - Keltricity "Sand Island  -  Maggie in the Rain  -  Steady On" from Live at Terra Firma Radio

7:57 - Altan "Liostáil mé le Sáirsint (Song)" from Donegal

11:03 - Dancing With Hobbits "Hobbit Polka" from Dancing With Hobbits

14:14 - Tarren "You to Me" from Revel

20:11 - FEEDBACK

23:00 - Michael Darcy & The Atlantic Tramps "Wild Rover No More" from Down to the Roots

25:52 - Telenn Tri "Weasel's Revenge set" from The Cat's Meow

31:25 - The BorderCollies "Twa Corbies" from To the Hills and Back

34:58 - The Langer's Ball "Air: Bygone Days" from Appetite for Tradition

36:58 - Ironwood "Selkie Song" from Gretna Green

40:10 - THANKS

41:54 - Nick Metcalf "Walls of Liscarrol / Christy Barry's Set" from Skyline of Skye

45:49 - The Changing Room "Delyow Sevi" from Picking Up The Pieces

47:52 - Jimmy & Scots Folk Band "HIGH KING'S REEL" from The Viking Irishman

50:02 - Karan Casey "By and By" from Nine Apples of Gold

54:30 - Jigjam "John D. McGurk's (The Heartbeat of St. Louis)" from Across The Pond

57:56 - CLOSING

58:45 - Kinnfolk "Loch Lomond" from The Knotted Circle

1:02:03 - CREDITS

The Irish & Celtic Music Podcast was produced by Marc Gunn, The Celtfather and our Patrons on Patreon. The show was edited by Mitchell Petersen with Graphics by Miranda Nelson Designs. Visit our website to follow the show. You’ll find links to all of the artists played in this episode.

Todd Wiley is the editor of the Celtic Music Magazine. Subscribe to get 34 Celtic MP3s for Free. Plus, you’ll get 7 weekly news items about what’s happening with Celtic music and culture online. Best of all, you will connect with your Celtic heritage.

Please tell one friend about this podcast. Word of mouth is the absolute best way to support any creative endeavor.

Finally, remember. Reduce, reuse, recycle, and think about how you can make a positive impact on your environment.

Promote Celtic culture through music at http://celticmusicpodcast.com/.

WELCOME THE IRISH & CELTIC MUSIC PODCAST

* Helping you celebrate Celtic culture through music. I am Marc Gunn.

This podcast is for fans of Celtic music. Not just the big names you’ve probably heard of. But also the Celtic bands in your neck of the woods, at your festivals.

It is here to build a diverse Celtic community and help the incredible artists who so generously share their music with you. If you hear music you love, please email artists to let them know you heard them on the Irish and Celtic Music Podcast. Musicians depend on your generosity to keep making music. So please find a way to support them. Buy a CD, Album Pin, Shirt, Digital Download, or join their communities on Patreon.

You can find a link to all of the artists in the shownotes, along with show times, when you visit our website at celticmusicpodcast.com.

Did you know that Patreon has an app?

It’s one of the easiest ways to listen to the podcast and also to vote in the Celtic Top 20.

If you are a Celtic musician or in a Celtic band, then please submit your band to be played on the podcast. You don’t have to send in music or an EPK. You will get a free eBook called Celtic Musicians Guide to Digital Music and learn how to follow the podcast. It’s 100% free. Just email Email follow@bestcelticmusic and of course, listeners can learn how to subscribe to the podcast and get a free music - only episode.

THANK YOU PATRONS OF THE PODCAST!

You are amazing. It is because of your generosity that you get to hear so much great Celtic music each and every week.

Your kindness pays for our engineer, graphic designer, Celtic Music Magazine editor, promotion of the podcast, and allows me to buy the music I play here. It also pays for my time creating the show each and every week.

As a patron, you get ad - free and music - only episodes before regular listeners, vote in the Celtic Top 20, stand - alone stories, you get a private feed to listen to the show or you can listen through the Patreon app.  All that for as little as $1 per episode.

HERE IS YOUR THREE STEP PLAN TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

Go to our Patreon page.

Decide how much you want to pledge every week, $1, $5, $25. Make sure to cap how much you want to spend per month.

Keep listening to the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast to celebrate Celtic culture through music.

You can become a generous Patron of the Podcast on Patreon at SongHenge.com.

TRAVEL WITH CELTIC INVASION VACATIONS

Every year, I take a small group of Celtic music fans on the relaxing adventure of a lifetime. We don't see everything. Instead, we stay in one area. We get to know the region through its culture, history, and legends. You can join us with an auditory and visual adventure through podcasts and videos. Learn more about the invasion at http://celticinvasion.com/

#celticmusic #irishmusic #celticmusicpodcast

I WANT YOUR FEEDBACK

What are you doing today while listening to the podcast? Please email me. I’d love to see a  picture of what you're doing while listening or of a band that you saw recently.

Email me at follow@bestcelticmusic.

Mary Beth Carty emailed a photo: "Hi Marc,

Here is a pic of myself (accordion), my sister Lilly Cart (bodrhan), and my 3rd cousin Heather MacIsaac performing a concert of Irish songs and tunes at the Antigonish Heritage Museum, the former train station in my hometown. The acoustics are great in this space and there was a full crowd.  Volunteers from the Heritage Association provided tea, juice, and snacks for the attendees. We did a number of sing - alongs and there were lots of moments when the crowd joined us on beautiful choruses. A great time! "

James OConnor emailed a photo: "Hi Marc Here is a pic with Jim O’Connor and Jim Chetz Keegan of Boston Blackthorne backstage at the beautiful Colony Theatre in Woodstock NY with the Dublin City Ramblers. We opened the show for the Ramblers who sounded fantastic and were incredibly gracious to us."

Jeffrey McCafferty emailed: "We had a record day in pittsburgh…America’s Grand St Patrick’s Day powered by the Pittsburgh Penguins…featuring 500,000 spectators, FNB’s St.Patrick’s Family Fair in the Square, 200 entries with 20,000 participants, great weather, 20 bands"

Virginia Davis emailed: "Hi Marc  -  Happy Birthday!  I’m super - swamped today and maybe tomorrow, but I’ll get back to you as soon as possible!  We actually have a new CD I need to get over to you  -  thanks! "

Betty Collette emailed a shirt picture: "Hi Marc  -  I was sewing pillows, cooking corned beef dinner, baking blueberry scones, and listening to Irish music. Here's my newest tshirt of The High Kings. We recently were lucky to see them nearby in Tomball, Texas!

Happy St. Patrick's Day and Happy Birthday, too!! "

  Check out this episode!

#celtic #Irish #Scottish #music #Ireland #Scotland

[mygainyear2024]

Day 18 Delayed

After not one, but two pastel de natas before my dance class at the gym, and a homemade sardine tosta I walked 5+ kms to my third language lesson via Clarice, in Alvor, for a proper latte ☕️

I tried to video the garbage collection system near my apartment but failed in my timing. The collectors were also looking at me strangely as I held my phone up to film!

I did get a better shot of the cute dog that looks out over the neighbourhood with interest. I had a brief chat with the owner to confirm he's only two. Noticeably, there are lots of dogs, as well as learner drivers and pastelarias.

After the fun language lesson, practising conversation starters and replies, I had an interesting conversation with a retired fireman, Gary from Ireland 😉 I noticed Gary at the first lesson. He seemed broodish, but I think he may be an introvert, if that's possible for an Irish man? Although my depth of experience with Irish men is limited to one!!! (Yes kids, I know he had a problem with alcohol and you thought he was gay, BUT he did make great duck fat baked potatoes!) Today Gary came with his lesson notes neatly stored in plastic sleeves in a folder, but he said "que interessante" with as much enthusiasm as a wet fish. Rebecca asked him to be a bit more animated. I think his interest must have peaked in me when he heard me saying, in terrible portuguese "sou impragada do estado" which translates to "I am imprisoned by the State". I'll need to check this with Rebecca at the next lesson, I'm sure there's a better way to say "public servant". I'm also "dona de casa" which means investment property owner, but it also means housewife!

Gary wanted to give me lots of advice about superannuation. I’m sure he was well intentioned but I feel quite informed 😂 Sadly the teacher is taking a break next week so I’ll miss Gary, but I’ll ask around, apparently he is a member of a walking group and I need to do some more walking 😜

I’m now getting ready to have dinner with Rosie at Restaurante F in Praia da Rocha. She’s messaged me this afternoon to invite me to a book launch tomorrow night at Irish Rovers, que interessante!! She also said “We will also go tonight to listen to the band after dinner” Stay tuned….

So dinner at Restaurante F was pleasant. I had high expectations (from the number of Facebook comments after I posted the request, “recommendations for best restaurant with ocean views and I don't care for steak!) and also when I saw the selection of breads being wheeled around on a trolley and a separate aperitif menu. The bread (cornbread, pumpkin bread and plain) and two butters were delicious, the shared prawns ok and my first cataplana of octopus, clams and sweet potato (Algarve stew cooked in copper or stainless steel pot) tasty, rounded out with the shared crème brûlée and bottle of rosé, not cheap comparatively at €50 each. But, the company was definitely worth it. Rosie regaled me with fabulous stories about her relationships and the number of suitors she has at the moment. And as a supplier of gummies to some of her cruise tour members (it’s legal in Canada)😂 She certainly lives an exciting semi retired solo life.

We then went to Irish Rovers, and yes that same bartender made a beeline for Rosie and started his lines on me. I reminded him that he'd already made me a cosmo last week and I'd heard his BS! Later I did give him a hard time about how long he'd been using those lines on women at this pub (six years!) and had it ever worked (no) and I suggested it might be time to come up with a new strategy. The band were pretty dreadful, actually it was mostly the lead singer that did have Rosie and I in stitches. His voice was not loud enough to be heard over the instruments (probably for the best), and I couldn't work out if he was Irish, Portuguese or another nationality. Rosie said he looked 100! Are white singlets on tattooed older lead covers' singers still a thing? And he was drinking red wine. It was too many contradictions for me to manage, given I don't go out to these kind of venues at all. I did say to Rosie twice that a strong female lead would fix this situation. Rosie knows the owners, Martin and Jenny. They weren't pub owners in Ireland, but have owned Irish Rovers for 10 years and according to Rosie it's the most successful pub in the Algarve. Martin was in the band on keyboard (and I thought he could actually sing) and Jenny was behind the bar. At one point she quickly came over with three shot glasses of some creamy beverage and said a hurried hello, downed the shot, and went back to the bar. Apparently the book launch is for a Portuguese poet that Jenny doesn't know, but she wanted to be supportive, stay tuned...

Rosie did tell me about a fantastic Thai massage she had, so I've tracked down the salon and the therapist and booked myself in for this afternoon.

[various-things-tourney]

Sorry for being late, I was busy. Here are the confirmed contestants!

1– Making a hot drink in the mornig and taking it back to bed with you

2– When a storm is coming and the sky is apocalypse grey but the light is all weirdly orange

3– Waking up to the smell of snow in the air

4– Christmas morning

5– Tumblr ad that advertises Asthma

6– Garlic Bread

7– Rocks of all types (combination of several other submissions relating to rocks)

8– Planet Earth

9– Movie night with only DVDs

10– Saint Just of France

11– Chansen de l’oignon

12– Jacuot the French pet parrot

13– French Language

14– Cool maps

15–Dante Aligheiri

16– Eugene Meerkat

17– Mars rovers; Curiosity, and Opportunity

18– 1990s Honda CBR250RR Motorbike

19– Music

20– Long Leaf Pine Forests

21– A1 Steak Sauce

22– Worcestershire sauce

23– Calico (video game)

24– Stardew Valley

25– Lemon Cake (video game)

26– Alchemy Garden

27– Creature stage of Spore

28– No Place Like Home

29– Kingdoms of Amalur

30– Terraria

31– Building a dream house in Sims 4

32– Aromanticism

33– Trans People

34– Chickens

35– Enderman noises

36– when you lie down at the end of a long day and your back aches but in that really good way where it's relaxing all your muscles that have been doing stuff all day

37– Jigsaw Puzzles

38– teapots

39– cats

40– cartoon saloon's irish mythology trilogy

41– the concept of boredom

42– stove-popped popcorn

43– the feeling of horror I experienced several years ago when I opened my dishwashers to find it crawling with ants

44– the best sundae you've ever had

45– the smell of water on a hot day

46– the dumbest argument you've ever gotten into

47– Antibiotics

48– Rubber ducks

49– TBH Creature

50– Buneary

Last, but certainly not least,

51– Noah from Puzzle And Dragons

While we’re here, I’m going to ask, do y’all want to have the tourney at 64 contestants, or wait till we have 128 submissions?

#nounstourney

[wikiuntamed]

On this day in Wikipedia: Sunday, 18th February

Welcome, მოგესალმებით (mogesalmebit), croeso, bonvenon 🤗 What does @Wikipedia say about 18th February through the years 🏛️📜🗓️?

18th February 2021 🗓️ : Event - Perseverance (rover) Perseverance, a Mars rover designed to explore Jezero crater on Mars, as part of NASA's Mars 2020 mission, lands successfully. "Perseverance, nicknamed Percy, is a car-sized Mars rover designed to explore the Jezero crater on Mars as part of NASA's Mars 2020 mission. It was manufactured by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and launched on July 30, 2020, at 11:50 UTC. Confirmation that the rover successfully landed on Mars was..."

Image by NASA/JPL-Caltech

18th February 2019 🗓️ : Event - Member of Parliament (United Kingdom) Seven members of Parliament in the United Kingdom resigned from the Labour Party to form a new political party called The Independent Group. "In the United Kingdom, a member of Parliament (MP) is an individual elected to serve in the House of Commons, the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom...."

Image licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0? by Valethske

18th February 2014 🗓️ : Event - Revolution of Dignity A series of violent events (pictured) involving protesters, riot police, and unknown shooters began in Kyiv that culminated in the ousting of Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych five days later. "The Revolution of Dignity (Ukrainian: Революція гідності, romanized: Revoliutsiia hidnosti), also known as the Maidan Revolution or the Ukrainian Revolution, took place in Ukraine in February 2014 at the end of the Euromaidan protests, when deadly clashes between protesters and state forces in the..."

Image licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0? by Mstyslav Chernov/Unframe/http://www.unframe.com/

18th February 1974 🗓️ : Birth - Julia Butterfly Hill Julia Butterfly Hill, American environmentalist and author "Julia Lorraine Hill (known as Julia Butterfly Hill, born February 18, 1974) is an American environmental activist and tax redirection advocate. She is best known for having lived in a 200-foot (61 m)-tall, approximately 1000-year-old California redwood tree for 738 days between December 10, 1997,..."

Image licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0? by Carl-John Veraja

18th February 1922 🗓️ : Birth - Helen Gurley Brown Helen Gurley Brown, American journalist and author (d. 2012) "Helen Gurley Brown (née Helen Marie Gurley; February 18, 1922 – August 13, 2012) was an American author, publisher, and businesswoman. She was the editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan magazine for 32 years...."

Image licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0? by Kingkongphoto & www.celebrity-photos.com from Laurel Maryland, USA

18th February 1818 🗓️ : Birth - John O'Shanassy John O'Shanassy, Irish-Australian politician, 2nd Premier of Victoria (d. 1883) "Sir John O'Shanassy, KCMG (18 February 1818 – 5 May 1883), was an Irish-Australian politician who served as the 2nd Premier of Victoria. O'Shanassy was born near Thurles in County Tipperary, Ireland, the son of a surveyor, and came to the Port Phillip District (later Victoria) in 1839. He went into..."

Image by Unknown authorUnknown author

18th February 🗓️ : Holiday - Christian feast day: Simeon of Jerusalem (Western Christianity) "Simeon of Jerusalem, or Simon of Clopas (Hebrew: שמעון הקלפוס), was a Jewish Christian leader and according to most Christian traditions the second Bishop of Jerusalem (63 or 70–107 or 117), succeeding James, brother of Jesus. Simeon is sometimes identified with Simon, brother of Jesus, and has also..."

Image by Carl Bloch

#OnThisDayInWikiHistory #WikiUntamed #WikiWandering #WikiWonderland

[bearballing]

End of the year Asks exept they’re not asks and done like a livejournal/myspace answer thing

1) Song of the year? Rare Ould Mountain Dew - The Irish Rovers i actually discovered in on xmas eve last year, rare old mountain dew was mentioned in Fairytale of New York so I decided to look it up and this was the first version i found and then i fell down a rabbit hole of traditional irish music. lol. anyway this is still the best recorded version of mountain dew there is

runner up is Hell’s Comin’ With Me - Poor Man’s Poison it just so happened to be the perfect song for saints row 2022 AND for thaddeus. whomst i played as

notable mention is any version ever of The Rattlin Bog/Bog Down In The Valley-o. i found a youtube version of some irish wedding where the guests were drunkenly singing it at like 3am and even that slapped

2) Album of the year?

Not released in 2022 - The Irish Rovers 50 Years

Released in 2022 - Bronco, Orville Peck. and i had apparently forgotten to put the album on my phone until THE OTHER DAY???

3) Favorite musical artist / group you started listening to this year?

The Irish Rovers. Other notables are The Dubliners, Flogging Molly, Dropkick Murphys, Strugill Simpson, The Protomen

4) Movie of the year?

Nope. like enoguh for me to Physically own it when it came out on bluray.

5) TV show of the year?

we watched Parasyte and Ghost In The Shell, first time I saw both of them and i love when shows make me like obsess over the lore lmao.

OH AND UH THE UK COMING /SECOND/ IN EUROVISION.

6) Episode of tv or webisode that defined the year for you?

¯\_(ツ)_/¯  i dont think there was a specific episode of anything.

7) Favorite actor of the year?

jim byrnes, every time we find out something about him it makes our heads explode lol. we still have to actually watch half the stuff he’s been in

8) Game of the year?

joint Saints Row and Pokemon Legends Arceus. 95% of the complaints about saints row are stupid i loved it. i still want to try to 100% it (I’M CLOSE) at some point

9) Best month for you this year?

january/february maybe

10) Something that made you cry this year?

hurricane ian. also the death of 2 cats

11) Something you want to do again next year?

go to maine lol. we May be able to

12) Talk about a new friend you made this year

well i gained several mutuals on here.....

13) How was your birthday this year?

it was nice!!! i got to do shit that i wanted and just chill. and i’m finally not in my 20s anymore

14) Favorite book you read this year?

i don’t think i read anything new, only re-read things

15) What’s a bad habit you picked up this year?

fuck i dunno. procrastinating on vacuuming the house.

16) Post a picture from the beginning of the year

17) Post a picture from the end of the year

18) A memorable meal this year?

we had dinner at belle’s castle at disney world. IN THE WEST WING.

19) What’re you excited about for next year?

visiting my family in the uk. which i’m also nervous about ngl

20) What’s something you learned this year?

that gamefreak can truly get away with anything regardless of quality

21) What’s something new about your place of residence (room, home, or general location) now vs the start of the year?

WE OWN A HOUSE WE OWN A HOUSE WE OWN A HOUSE WE OWN A HOUSE

22) Favorite place you visited this year?

didney wurl trip was gr9, really liked getting to go to new england again even though the circumstances sucked.

23) If you could send a message to yourself back on the first day of the year, what would it be?

house happens on the 31st don’t worry about it

24) Did you keep any New Year’s Resolutions?

got a house lol

25) Did you create any characters (in games, art, or writing) this year? Describe one

no new ones but this was definitely the year of our lord Thaddeus2022. i played as him in saints row And in pokemon violet and accidentally created so much new lore for him. boxy also accidentally dreamed up yet another AU where he is the main character too lmao

[terriinet]

Paint the town red the mahones

What I really wanted was to take them and all the other bands home with me and continue the songs and party there! Hopefully, this will be a first of many more. Even though the early-morning hours had already started when The Mahones left the stage I wanted them to stay and keep playing. Then it all seemed to come to a close too soon. The kids from BarRoom Heroes joined this band too, jumping onstage and singing in the last song, enjoying the party that no one wanted to end. They sang many songs including the well-known: Celtic Pride, Drunken Lazy Bastard, Paint the Town Red, Shakespeare Road, and an amped up version of The Irish Rover. They constantly interact and play off each other, partly for our pleasure, but also for their own I’m sure. The band is led by a friendly,bearded Irish fellow who smiles as he sings and his knockout leggy accordion player, Katie Kaboom, who steals the show. The room felt like it was packed with friends everyone hanging out together whether they had known each other for years or had just met.Īfter these four bands had finished, The Mahones took the stage at around 12:30am, ready to rock and excite the crowd with their songs. Near the end of the set Riki walked up to the stage with the boys from another local band, the BarRoom Heroes, to sing along with the Scrapes. Their song Paint The Town Red 2010 was featured in the climactic final fight scene of. Paint the Town Red 2010 - The Fighter Mix Lyrics. The Mahones were formed in 1990 by Dublin-born Finny McConnell. I didn’t know any of the songs, but found myself screaming along anyway. So cmon, here we go again, you and I Well paint this ing town red Im. Next thing I knew, this Clark Kent took off the glasses, moved on-stage, and metamorphosed into the screaming, rage-driven lead singer of the Scrapes! Formed in 2008 by some members of the well-known local punk band Gang Green, they are definitely continuing the fun hardcore tunes of the eighties. He looked like a he had just come from Casual Friday at work, wearing glasses, a button down shirt untucked, and a loosely bound tie. They easily made us forget the cold 40-degree weather outside.īefore the next band went on I had noticed a guy milling about the audience. Their tunes mixed with a few 50’s covers and a relaxing Caribbean ska beat, giving the feeling of being on a warm beach enjoying margaritas. A Great Night on the Lash Paint the Town Red Shakespeare Road Stars Punk Rock Saved My Life The Hunger & the Fight Dirty Old Town Happy Birthday Song. The night started with the calming acoustic melodies of Riki Rocksteady.

#Paint the town red the mahones

[5thgenorangeipodnano]

Rare Ould Mountain Dew - The Irish Rovers

[The Irish Rovers 50 Years Vol. 2, 2014] [Irish folk song - lyrics by Edward Harrington, music by David Braham, 1882]

#rare ould mountain dew #the irish rovers #the irish rovers 50 years

[dragontamer05]

Watch "The Continuing Story of The Unicorn, The Irish Rovers" on YouTube

Ever wondered what happened to thd Unicorns after they floated away?

Well 50 years on here's the answer.

(The Irish Rover's song The Unicorn came out over 50yrs ago)

#the unicorn #the irish rovers #the rovers #Youtube

[thatericalper2]

N/A

He’s a 6-time nominee for Publicist of the Year during Canadian Music Week, a 19-time JUNO Award winner overseeing PR campaigns including 3 in 2021, and worked over 50 Maple Blues Award winners, over 40 Canadian Folk Music Award winners, and truly honoured to work with some of the biggest and most important artists of our time. Past and present clients include Ringo Starr, Jerry Lee Lewis, Ray Charles, Barry Manilow, Bob Geldof, Pete Seeger, Jerry Garcia, Monty Python, Randy Bachman, Nickelback, Sinead O’Connor, Steve Miller, The Smashing Pumpkins, Little Big Town, Black Label Society, Natalie MacMaster, DJ Khaled, Carole King, Jimmy Webb, Harmonium, Billy Ray Cyrus, Curt Smith, Rita MacNeil, Dr. John, Dwight Yoakam, Fred Eaglesmith, Joey Alexander, Ani DiFranco, Harry Shearer, Dan Zanes, Opeth, Cradle Of Filth, Jordan Knight, Chickenfoot, Bush,best free website builder and hosting    Duran Duran, Jeff Dunham, A-Trak, Judy Collins, Ashanti, Supersuckers, Joan Baez, Slash, Andy Kim, Robert Palmer, Rival Sons, Denise Donlon, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Alex Chilton, The Drifters, Colin James, Kathy Valentine, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Pussy Riot, Steve Gorman (Black Crowes), Lori Cullen, Murray McLauchlan, MonkeyJunk, Lee Aaron, Jane Bunnett, Jason Blaine, Dan Talevski, Gloryhound, Steve Vai, Big Sugar, Jesse Winchester, Liona Boyd, Sweet Honey In The Rock, Joan Armatrading, Wanda Jackson, Amy Ray, Jake Clemons, Kevin McDonald, Matt Andersen, John Prine, Jesse Cook, Of Montreal, Kris Kristofferson, Eva Avila, Snoop Dogg, Robert Munsch, Bilal, J. Dilla, Allman Brothers, Ben E. King, Fred Penner, Sue Foley, Kenny Shields and Streetheart, Sesame Street, Xzibit, The Wiggles, Bill Wyman, Sass Jordan, Midge Ure, Sasha & Digweed, Jimmy Rankin, Light Of Day Canada, Speech from Arrested Development, Paul Reddick, Alpha Blondy, Unearth, Kiran Ahluwalia, Public Enemy, Joe Budden, Mobb Deep, Sly and Robbie, Taking Back Sunday, Ziggy Marley, Underworld, The Wild, Quasimoto, Barney Bentall, Yesterdays New Quintet, Mayer Hawthorne, Lunch At Allen’s, Kensington Market Jazz Festival, The Cadillac Lounge in Toronto, Crystal Shawanda, The Mission UK, Cracker, Daniel O’Donnell, Madvillain, Frank Black, BadBadNotGood, Diana Panton, KRS-One, Aloe Blacc, Pete Rock, 54-40, Bonnie Bramlett, Janis Ian, 98 Degrees, Sundy Best, Emilie-Claire Barlow, Paul Oakenfold, Jake Miller, Solomon Burke, Devin Townsend, J Rocc, The Black Angels, Megadeth, Carl Cox, DJ Dan, Barbara Cook, David Archuleta, Downchild Blues Band, John Zorn, Leeroy Stagger, Ghostface Killah, DJ Drama, Slaughterhouse, Shooter Jennings, Everclear, Cormega, Andre Rieu, Dearly Beloved, Carole Pope, The Standstills, Diemonds, Secret Broadcast, Die Mannequin, Steve Earle, Dillinger Escape Plan, Raekwon, Matt Dusk, High On Fire, Slum Village, Christina Martin, Indian City, Autorickshaw, Bif Naked, Carl Dixon, Ori Dagan, The Smithereens, Carol Welsman, Bruce Cockburn, Hatebreed, Streetlight Manifesto, The Mahones, The Game, Thursday, Eric Bibb, Mick Fleetwood, The Prodigy, Third World, Duke Robillard, Heather Bambrick, Michael Kaeshammer, Jay Douglas, Max Parker, Myles Goodwyn, The Spoons, Madlib, Dio, Deborah Cox, Honeymoon Suite, Ian Anderson, Kim Mitchell, Pop Evil, In Flames, Amy Helm, Barbra Lica, Polina Grace, Maestro Fresh Wes, Katharine McPhee, Lorraine Segato, Tom Wilson, Ministry, Miss Emily, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Ray J, RJD2, Jurassic 5, DJ Z-Trip, Alchemist, The Kings, Chali 2NA, Steven Van Zandt, Gino Vannelli, The Boxer Rebellion, The Irish Rovers, King Crimson, Jean-Michel Jarre, Michel Petrucciani, Steve Hackett, Mastodon, All Time Low, Madness, The Cult, Jim Jones, Tom Russell, The Guess Who, Turbonegro, Charlatans UK, Master P, Asking Alexandra, The Trews, Los Lobos, Steve Forbert, Jesus Jones, Howard Tate, Electronic, Freddy Cole, Stereolab, Tim Booth, The Nylons, Christine McVie, RZA, The English Beat, Porcupine Tree, MF Doom and hundreds more.

[theannecordeliashirley]

#happy st. patrick's day #Spotify

[celtfather]

Courting Tales #559

Come courting with the tales of Celtic legends and the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast.

Bret Blackshear, Poitin Band, Téada, Old Blind Dogs, Niamh Parsons & Graham Dunne, Terry Clarke - Coyne & Tony Gibbons, Jacqui McCarthy, Flook, Shillelagh!, Scott Hoye, The Breath, West Awake, Stone Row, Redhill Rats, Willowgreen

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THIS WEEK IN CELTIC MUSIC

0:06 - Bret Blackshear "Whiskey for Breakfast/Staten Island Hornpipe" from Fingers, Frets and Fire

2:18 - WELCOME

2:57 - Poitin Band "Sliabh Luachra Polkas" from Banks of Red River

Pronunciation: Sliabh Luachra  -  Shleeve Loo - kra

6:35 - Téada "Song  -  Oileán Dhún an Óir (feat. John C. Reilly)" from Coiscéim Coiligh / As the Days Brighten

Pronunciation: Oileán Dhún an Óir  -  Ill - awn Doon un Ore

Pronunciation: Coiscéim Coiligh  -  Kosh - kaym Quil - ig

10:21 - Old Blind Dogs "Knucklehead Circus" from Knucklehead Circus

15:38 - Niamh Parsons & Graham Dunne, Terry Clarke - Coyne & Tony Gibbons "Blackbirds and Thrushes/ The Musical Priest" from So Here's To You  -  Live in Vlissingen 2001

18:36 - FEEDBACK

19:54 - Jacqui McCarthy "I Think I Understand" from Courting & Trees

23:27 - Flook "Calico" from Flatfish

26:49 - Shillelagh! "Lish Young Buy - a - Broom" from A Turn of Fortune

29:56 - Scott Hoye "A Neansaí Mhíle Grá" from Black Rose

Pronunciation: A Neansaí Mhíle Grá  -  a Nancy veela graw

33:01 - THANKS

34:28 - The Breath "All That You Have Been" from Only Stories (Let the Cards Fall Revisited)

38:58 - West Awake "Irish Rover" from Live at The Dublin Pub

42:57 - Stone Row "She Moved Through the Fair" from Alignment

50:02 - Redhill Rats "Tales of Broken Shadows" from Cape Wolf

53:56 - CLOSING

56:00 - Willowgreen "Old Turf Fire" from Willowgreen

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[unseelie-suggestion]

Hi where do you find all the information for this blog? Or least what are some of your best sources?

My information is largely experience based in the Northeast US states. My sister, an inhabitant of the Northwest with experience in the Central US, is also an important resource when citing the rarer instances of fae (changelings, fetch, etc.). My information on traditional fae is generational from my paternal side, with several archives and papers detailing their findings kept for future use.

(Serious answer under the cut)

My grandma died almost a decade ago. She was this tiny, broad shouldered Lithuanian immigrant who married an Irishman on a little farm in the middle of Nowhere New England. Growing up she called me a changeling, called my sister a selkie, called my brothers her little brownies. But she also told us stories of black dogs and women with dark hair by the sea side. Stories of untrustworthy horses and hunters seeking golden pheasants and elk with silver antlers. Tbh idk how much of what she told us is native to her or her husband’s homelands, or how much of it she made up herself.

Another factor was definitely my cousins. For reference, my family gets together for a big “Clan Meeting” (on my Irish grandpa’s side obviously) every autumn. We meet up at the only aunt and uncle’s house where they have enough room for 100+ people and food for such. The house is also in the middle of Nowhere New England, but unlike my family’s farmhouse, their home is in the middle of the woods. 

Now, the cousins who didn’t want to spend the whole day checking in with extended family members they see once a year usually ended up in the woods. And I mean, we were kids, and kids do as kids do and start playing a game. Idk who came up with the idea or why we were always so focused on it (probably bc we were all Catholics from strict homes but idk) but the game was intense and annual. We only stopped when the aunt got worried that the coyotes that had been killing deer would catch us too, and we were officially banned from wandering the woods.  

The “game” was really more of a cult, or at least a play cult. 

There were different ranks and such and the youngest were usually “worms” and the oldest we called “red rangers” (like red rover or something. again idk who came up with that). To become a red ranger you had to a) dig up 100 worms, b) find a mostly complete animal skeleton, and c) arrange the bones in a circle at the base of the dead maple and keep the worms in the center until our parents started calling for us to come back to the house. 

We were kids, ofc, so none of us thought this was weird or maybe cultish in the slightest. We just liked dirt and worms and bones. As kids do. I have no idea how we didn’t get shot/get the police called on us. I mean, what would you do if you were walking through the woods and saw about 50 kids circled around a massive dead maple and loudly debating “bone circles” and “worm diggers”?

Long story short I have very vivid memories of that time bc when you’re a kid walking through the woods looking for bones you see and hear some shit and as an adult I’m like “yeah that was a grouse” or “definitely startled a poor mangy fox” but when you’re a kid that shit is made of monsters and magic and the stories your grandma told you. 

This blog is kind of an amalgamation of those half remembered stories and frighteningly vivid childhood memories and some of it draws on traditional fae and supernatural lore but it’s largely of the imaginations of my cousins and grandma. 

As with anything, the best source is the elders of your youth and your own fears.

#not a suggestion #answered asks #aphroetherealdite #blog stuff

[estlyn]

name: percival estlin [redacted] nickname/alias: estlin age & dob: twenty, 14th of february 1998 place of birth: rochester, new york, usa occupation: student at whitebridge university field of study: classics & gov double-major; minor concentration in econ

basics:

name: percival estlin [redacted]

gender & pronouns: cis male, he/him

nationality: american

ethnicity: Mayo White™ (ingredients: english, german, scots, irish)

orientation: Distinguished Bi

religion: the Church of Himself ®

languages: english, french, latin, ancient greek, modern greek, intermediate german, “basic” biblical hebrew, “basic” aramaic, some phrases in old church slavonic and coptic

his definition of basic would be like a2 or b1 lmao. he’s pretty good at picking up languages and could self-study it to fluency given time and effort.

stats:

mbti: intj (the architect)

enneagram: 1w9? 5w4?

hogwarts house: slytherin

zodiac: aquarius sun / virgo moon / sagittarius rising

temperament: choleric

alignment: lawful neutral

aesthetic:

coffee cups, cigarette smoke, custom-tailored suits, cufflinks worth an average worker’s monthly salary, patek phillipe watches and mont blanc fountain pens, vast but empty swimming pools, large country estates that only house three people, rare first-edition copies of books, marble statues, a bed made of money, horn-rimmed glasses, the smell of leather in a new car, leather crops and ropes, a thousand-dollar woollen pull-over

positive traits:

Affectionate | Adventurous | Athletic | Brave | Careful | Charming | Confident | Creative | Determined | Fearless | Generous | Honest | Humorous | Intelligent | Loyal | Modest | Patient | Selfless

negative traits:

Aggressive | Bossy | Cynical | Envious | Fearful | Greedy | Gullible | Jealous | Impatient | Impulsive | Insecure | Irresponsible | Possessive | Sarcastic | Self-conscious | Selfish | Unstable

hopes:

success. a resolution: not a happy ending, but rather a satisfying ending to his narrative. control and power—over himself, over others, over everything.

fears:

failing. that one family friend who used to visit when he was younger. death.

likes and dislikes:

+++ coffee, ancient greece, ancient rome, ancient history, yachts + cars, smoking + drinking, languages, winter

- - - sports, ‘lowbrow’ culture, the whole field of psychology, animals (except cats), heat, summer

headcanons:

he does not make much of a fuss out of his birthday; in fact, most people outside of the volière don’t know when his birthday is, and there is a current betting pool in his gov classes about when it is. (leading bet? 25th of december because then it would explain the god complex)

from ten to thirteen, he was sent to his maternal grandparents in surrey, england and attended school there. from thirteen to eighteen, he was schooled in eton college. during these years, he changed his way of speaking and adopted an english accent (received pronunciation) to fit in. his time at whitebridge has dulled his accent somewhat, but it’s still there.

he hates being called percival or percy. do not call him that or he’ll go the fuck off. in fact, depending on one’s relationship with him, the fact that his name’s percival estlin—and not just estlin—probably isn’t even known.

he’s an asshole. like for real. he plays up his charm but he’s nothing more than a rich bastard with more money than good sense OR morals so he’s 100% just out for himself.

he also hates The Poors so heads-up for classicism and elitism, as if that hasn’t already been made obvious

he has a porsche cayenne which is just useless in his possession since he likes walking around campus more than anything else. he also has a second car—a porsche 911 gt2 rs—but it’s in his family mansion in rochester, ny. technically, a third car (a land rover) also belongs to him but his father uses it more than he does.

he writes poetry in ancient greek and latin but he will never show any of that to anyone. he says it’s because it’s ‘meant to be heard’ which is true but he’ll still never perform it for anyone. try to be his exception lmao. (how? idk tbh)

he is so vain and his appearances matter a lot to him. he will probably be walking around campus in, huntsman, henry poole&co, and alexander mcqueen.  his entire wardrobe for the day will probably be worth more than your average weekly wage, and it will entirely be in monochrome except for the hint of crimson. also, this scene from american psycho will probably describe him best but tone it down to 50% ( i just want ppl to watch this scene tbh )

also, re: that scene? that monologue also applies tbh. there’s an idea of an estlin but that’s just it, an idea, and ideas are not exactly entities.

more to be added soon !!

#❖ ❖ ❖ || OCCULTUM ; ( h e a d c a n o n s ) #( the four posi traits vs that nine nega traits tho ) #( his confidence isn't even a positive trait lbr since it's pure egoism at this point so tbh it's 3 posi vs 10 nega OOOOOOF ) #( i am writing a Trash™ character fjkashf ) #( i literally am not kidding when i said that there is probably nothing underneath the personality of rich pretentious bastard ) #( also everybody already knows his last name and it is probably the worst kept secret in this group but kjahahfksa let's pretend yall dont ) #( also this is the blog's 100th post so yay ) #( also i'm working on my replies i just REALLY wanted this to be the 100th post )

[timezfusa]

Irish defender Scales joins Celtic

Irish defender Scales joins Celtic

Celtic have signed 23-year-old defender Liam Scales on a four-year deal from League of Ireland side Shamrock Rovers. The Republic of Ireland under-21 international has spent two years at Shamrock, making 50 appearances. “Liam is a young player who has impressed us,” said Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou. “We think he has the potential to have a big future at Celtic. He is an athletic defender…

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[martinlawless]

British Cycling National Masters Road Race Championship 2021

Category D, 45-49 year olds, E1234 Garstang, Lancashire 7 August 2021

The British Cycling National Masters Road Race, like the circuit race equivalent, is an annual championship that has races in five-year categories. I’m in the 45-49 band, or ‘Category D’ class, for this one.

It’s on the Oakenclough road race circuit near Garstang, that goes into the Forest of Bowland, an official Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, in Lancashire. I don’t know it at all and drive the loop twice the evening before. I find out it’s brutal and look again at the maths I did to understand how hard it would be. I had the numbers wrong by some way. It’s a 10-mile lap with about 1,000ft of climbing each time, pan flat initially, that then turns north and climbs. And climbs. And climbs. For 5 miles in total. Then it turns one more time and climbs silly to the top. I will guess at near 20%. It then rockets downwards for 4 miles, more steeply than the ascent, twisting sharply here and there.

That’s not all. The road surface, in parts, is awful. Worn down and ragged through neglect and harsh winters. It’s beautiful all around, but the tarmac is ugly. You’re sheltered quite well on the ascent. On the descent you look west and can clearly make out Blackpool Tower, the Irish Sea and Morecombe Bay in the distance on a clear day – lovely – but you also face the fierce prevailing wind fresh from the sea. It’s a difficult course. And, for me I know it won’t offer the ‘traditional’ benefits of a road race. As I reflect the night before, the ups and downs I reckon will split the pack and it will be attrition for all individually.

Race day. The weather, as forecast, is abominable. It’s quite warm… around 15 degrees, but it’s very wet. Steady rain, low cloud and very often intense, heavy storms coming and going, bringing dark skies and low visibility. The sort of astonishing weather you take videos on your phone with and post online. Remarkably, as we take the briefing and get behind the car to the start, the rain stops and there’s even a hint of sun. We’d go on to do much of the first lap in the dry. But then it all came back with a vengeance.

I was pleased with how I’d dressed. Race suit. Thin, string wicking vest. Good rain resistant arm warmers. Aero-socks, utterly glued to the legs with spray glue. Neoprene full-finger gloves. Ashwell cap with a good visor. This worked well on the day. I knew it would not get that cold even though I was thinly attired. And I wouldn’t get heavy through soaked clothes. The fingers would be fine in the neoprene ‘wet suit’ gloves. I packed four gels and a chewy bar. I took one bottle, as my dad was in the feed zone at the top of the lap to pass new bottles. Every gram would count on this climbing-fest.

We’re off. We are mixed in with the 40-44 year olds race. There’s a good few DNSs – but there’s plenty about as we head off. The flag goes down from the car and we’re off. A mixed bag of riders from all over the country. There’s gravity towards local clubs but they really are from all over the place. Initially, it’s all good. I’m just surfing the wheels and settling in. Then it turns upwards. I can’t tell whether it’s nervousness or exertion, but I am finding it hard to get a rhythm on the ascent. I’m OK, but just can’t seem to get on top of my breathing. It’s surging and whirling a bit as everyone is releasing adrenaline and finding their way into the race. Maybe towards the latter of the ascent, I feel the pace is too hot and dig in and start to burn a match. Ordinarily in this situation, I might hide in the bunch here. The issue is that we’re not really going fast enough for the drafting effect of the bunch to make a massive difference. There isn’t really anywhere to hide. I figure we are already losing riders as we turn for the big bit. All credit to anyone who turns up to race, has a go, dies a death almost instantly and then comes back for more another day.

The big hill is cruel. I am well in the red and sliding back. By the time we crest it, I’m with four others and the bunch is several bike lengths away. But there’s no panic – from any of us. We know what to do. Without going deep, we hustle into a quintet and begin a chaingang. Our race is not over, it’s just a different way to do well.

Lap 2 is largely consolidation and finding rhythm. Cleveland Wheelers chap is a fantastic descender, and it turns out he used to race downhill. He just needs a bit of help on the climbs. Horwich CC fella is happy to do long turns and give us all a break. Chester CC rider is keeping spirits high with his jokes, and the shop team fella is quite quiet, I think hanging in there a bit, but helping on the front like the rest of us.

The rain gets really bad. No, like really bad. I can feel it spilling out of the top of my shoes. My cap is doing well to give me a clear line through my glasses. But it’s limited. It’s so thick and intense, it’s hurting on the downhill and I wonder if it’s hail. But it’s just walloping big rain. Potholes and loose gravel everywhere. This is very technical in parts. Too often the chosen line is the better of many holey evils. I take a turn badly and an oncoming Range Rover slides by too close for comfort. It’s rough. We put a lot of faith in bikes, hurtling around these lanes and over tight bridges.

We carry on though. My gloves are brilliant to fight off cold although dexterity plummets with them on. I attempt three bottle catches but only make one. I can’t feel much too well. That’s fine. I’m not too thirsty in this weather. I’m drinking from the road spray, as it were.

The turning point in my mind is late on. Earlier in the race, I’d expected we’d hoover up dropped riders into our gang. Those who would be spat out from the front. But we’d seen none. OK, through time checks, we knew we were losing around 3 minutes a lap on the bunch, but all the same, a solo rider would soon be caught. But, nothing. Then, in the latter part of the race, we pass one rider. He’s absolutely blasted. We urge him to get on our train, but he’s busted and twiddling to the end of the lap or something. This starts to make me think that the bunch is chewing up riders and they’re not dropping back, they’re quitting. I start to wonder how many dropouts it would take for us to place. National races have points down to 15th place. We could be in with a shout?

I’m galvanized. Of the five in our group, just me and Cleveland are in the 45-49 category. I think all we need to do is stick it out, not get lapped and get over the line.

My feet begin to hurt. I realise I’ve lost all sensation and have tightened and tightened the BOA dials until it’s restricting bloodflow. I loosen the shoes and feel instant relief, eat a bar to avoid cramp from too many gels and sugar, and navigate the climb once more.

As we take on the daft steep bit again, to start the last lap, out of the blue, the chequered flag is dropped. With just around 20 metres, the five of us realise our finish is suddenly in front of us and we break out a sprint. I’m caught out and I’m third of our five over the line. More precisely, Cleveland in my race category is in front of me. The commissaires decide to pull us out and shorten the race, given the conditions, with one lap to go – in part as mercy for racers and organisers stuck on the wet hill. I politely ask if we will still place despite this and not be classed as a DNF – and the judges reassure me this is the case. Suddenly, our race is done. I am relieved. It’s stopped raining. I’m in among the throng at the line and I now get to see the front of the race finish.

It’s amazing how in pieces the front of the race is. The soloist winner has a massive gap over the next few riders, who have minutes over the next solo rider, etc. I’m counting the riders, and their category, to get an idea of who is in race C and D. Eventually a very depleted bunch comes through. I count around 27 finishers in total for both races, with most being in the other ‘yoof’ race. I’m getting excited. Top 15 surely?

Back at HQ, I have a brief chat with Chris, the winner, and watch him get his National jersey. Amazing. Then I go to the results page. There I am 12th place out of just 12 finishers in our D race. Less than one-third the total. That’s 4 BC points.

On a bit of a high, me and my dad do a mini driving tour of the Trough of Bowland and I get a coffee at the Inn at Whitewell, widely regarded as one of the best pubs in the UK. This was a race where it paid off to stay in your comfort zone, keep a match or two, and keep your head down while others suffered greater. This way, you can, over time, survive when the pace and conditions are brutal – to climb the ranks over those who blow up.

It’s not the race I wanted through. I was quite a way off in power for the front. I resolve if I do it next year, I will focus on losing 4-5kgs. I’ll also be in the 50-54 band. That should all balance the ratio out a bit. It would be a nice summer aim.

I also can tell you now, if I do it next year, it will be raining reet hard in Lancashire on that Summer’s day.

Strava link: https://www.strava.com/activities/5755327593

[ayehatethis]

Babywearing Dad Niall.

This is partially inspired by Irish-nlessings love of Niall’s dad bod, partially inspired by the recent hiking pictures a few weeks ago and partially inspired by a conversation I had with horanstemporaryfix ( formerly lipssogoodlarry.) Also the time I had to carry both my kids in the rain for a long way and the person I was with was definitely not as good looking or helpful as Niall would be, and my actual husband did not help me nearly as much as I’d like Niall to have.

also,  This is an Ergo Baby Carrier. They are amazing for infants and toddlers up to 50 pounds. it can be worn in multiple ways, but here is how I’ve written it here. 

Okay. here.

“This was easier two kids ago, Niall” I yelled up to my husband who is currently on the path a little far ahead. Hiking is no joke, and while we used to do it all the time while we were dating and the early part of our marriage, now that we are both wearing children on our backs and the LA summer heat is bearing down on us, it was much harder. “Babe, its alright, we’re almost done. Its only a mile or two back to the car and then you can relax in the pool when we get home.” He yelled back to me. Our oldest daughter was currently sleeping in the Ergo baby carrier on Niall’s back. She just turned four a few weeks ago and she was much heavier than the two year girl on my back in my matching carrier. They had both fallen asleep early on in the hike but they both looked so cute with their blonde locks plastered to their sweaty foreheads. This hike was a bit rough on me, since I was out of shape after the girls being born, touring with Niall, and motherhood in general kept me from my former routines. It seemed I was pregnant with the second before I had a chance to lose the baby weight of the first, but Niall still loves me despite my imperfections and insecurities. My boobs had gotten bigger, but so had my waist and salads are just not my thing. Stretch marks lined my stomach and my thighs rubbing a little closer than I’d like.

My husband on the other hand had the perfect combination of heartthrob and dad bod. His bum hasn’t changed in years, still perky as ever. His shoulders just getting broader and arms more muscular from carrying little girls around. But his little tummy, my favorite part has grown just a little bit with time, from eating ice cream and cookies with the girls on special daddy daughter date nights and general dad life. He’s simply put, perfect. “I’m just a little out of shape since the girls were born, that’s all. I appreciate you carrying her though because I’m pretty sore just from this little one.” “We’ll get you back in shape and in no time the girls will be running along side of us and it will be easier than carrying them this long.“ He stands and waits for me to catch up and puts his hand on the back of my neck pulling me to him and kisses my forehead.

A little while down the trail and we are still pretty far from the car when both of the girls suddenly wake up and both want me to carry them. Niall tries to soothe the little one on his back to no avail, and then fails again to calm his youngest. “I’ll just carry both till they calm down, Ni and then you can take one back. Ill consider it my weight training for the day. Thanks for trying though.”

“Are you sure, love? It’s a good 80 pounds between the two. Do you want me to run ahead and get the car and see if I can bring it any closer to you?” I nod in agreement and with one girl in the carrier on my back and the other with her arms wrapped around my neck, I try to calm them both down. Niall looks at his me in amazement and then leaves starts running down the path. I know that the last thing he wanted was to leave us, but I know he didn’t want photos of him failing to calm down his daughter from a tantrum to get out. I am not angry with him, but it’s definitely difficult to do this. It’s only a few minutes later it starts to rain, and not just a light sprinkle that will cool us off enough, but downpour. I didn’t think it was supposed to rain, but here we are. I start to walk faster but they are getting heavier the wetter we get and my muscles are aching.

By the time I gets to the car Niall hasn’t been able to make it much farther ahead of them, having to stop a few times for photos, but he sees me struggling and takes one of his crying daughters, who is now upset that she is wet, and loads her up into the Range Rover. I buckle her in before throwing the carriers in the back, and collapsing into the front seat. “My chest hurts. Why did I think I could do that? I might be having a heart attack, Ni. Which arm hurts when you’re having a heart attack? Its definitely this one.” He silently smirks and hands me a bottle of water and I finish the whole thing, hoping it will help me body relax. I’m pretty sure I tell him I’m having a heart attack at least once every hiking trip.

“Feel any better?”

"I just gotta lay down when we get home.” He lays his hand on my thigh and rubs small circles with his thumb. "I knew you were strong babe, but I gotta admit, I’m pretty impressed you carried both of them that far, in the rain, no less.”

Its a short trip home, but its long enough that the patter of the rain on the roof of the car lulls the girls back to sleep, plus the acoustic lullaby CD he had made when our oldest was born, playing on the CD player. He said it was for all the nights he was away and she wanted him to sing her to sleep. I keep it in the car now because it always calms them down.

When Niall pulls into the garage of our home, he tells me to wait for him there and then carries one sleeping inside and lays her down in her bed before coming back for the other. “You need help to get out of the car, pet?“

"Yeah my legs are sore, I’ll just wait for you to come back.” and as I go to stand, my legs shake a little and so I slump back into the car and wait for him to finish laying both girls down. When he finally returns he puts his arm under mine and around my shoulder and helps me into the house. “So, the pool is out, do you want me to draw you a bath?” “I just want to lay down, can you help me shower instead so I can get all this sweat off?” Niall had a pretty big shower. In fact the first time I saw it I swore he could throw a small dinner party in the shower, let alone the rest of the enormous bathroom. He laughed and told me to wait till I saw his closet. He carefully helps me to the bathroom and gently takes off my shorts and workout top. He wraps his arms around my waist and lifts me on the counter top so I don’t fall, he lights some of my aromatherapy candles and then helps me take the rest of my sweaty clothes off before turning on the shower to the proper temperature.

Quickly taking his own clothes off, he picks me back up and we step into the stream of warm water. I immediately rest my head in his neck and mumble to him something about shampoo that he barely makes out, but he must have figured it out because he’s holding onto my waist to hold me up with one arm, and he uses his free hand to grab the bottle from the corner shelf and starts lathering my hair  and rinsing it, letting the soap slide down my body. “don forget the conditioner, my hair gets all grumpy without it” I mumble again. He lightly laughs at my sleepiness and grabs the conditioner before massaging it into my hair. He sets me down on the tiled bench in the shower before grabbing the loofa and pouring entirely too much body wash into it, but I am entirely too tired and sore to say anything, and lathers the rose smelling soap all over my sweaty body. He quickly washes his own hair and body before rinsing us both off and turning the faucet off. He opens the door and wraps a towel around himself before wrapping a matching one around me. Scooping me up in my arms, he carries me to the adjoining bedroom and lays me down in the center of the bed. “Is it alright if I put some lotion on for you?” I sort of mumble a ‘mmhmm’ into the pillow and after slipping on some boxers he sits on the bed next to me and massages some lotion into my aching back before moving to my arms and shoulders. “Don’t fall asleep on me yet, I want you to take some aspirin too.” He finishes by lightly massaging my legs using the lotion and my feet, which are normally very ticklish.  He looks sort of surprised that he’s not getting any response other than a small groan.

He gets up and tells me again to not fall asleep yet but the next thing I know I’m waking up a few hours later.

– I look around the room, not seeing my husband, but in the bedside table he has set out the aspirin and water he’s set out for me. Next to that he also set out one of his old shirts, and some clean undies and sleep shorts for me to put on. Its starting to get dark, but I put the clean clothes on and start walking down the hall, still a little sore but feeling much better after my nap. I start to hear giggles and silly voices coming from the girls bedroom. Leaning on the door frame, I look in and there are two freshly bathed little girls in pajamas and a very tired Daddy sat between them all sitting on one bed reading to them from their favorite book. I don’t want to interrupt such a cute moment of daddy and daughter time, so I  wander downstairs to see if there’s any dinner leftovers but I am met with Louis instead at my kitchen counter. “What are you doing here, Lou?” He looks up from his phone, “Niall called when he was walking to the car saying he might need help entertaining the girls for a while. Something about how you weren’t feeling well and you’re his top priority. Wanted someone to be here in case the girls needed someone before he finished with you, but all I’ve done really is sit here and watched them play while he made them dinner. I wanted to stay to make sure you’re alright” “Thank you for helping him. He can get a little stressed when its just him and the girls. He likes to have a second set of hands. Are there any leftovers?” “Sure, have a seat, let me” and he gets up and moves so I can sit at the counter while he goes to the fridge to gather the noodles and chicken, the girls favorite meal. Louis stays for a while keeping me company, claiming his better half will not be okay if he doesn’t come back with an update on how I’m doing. After he leaves I clean up the kitchen, and head back upstairs wondering where Niall got to, knowing the girls should be asleep, but maybe they are still wound up from earlier and from taking a nap so late in the day. And when I reach the door frame of the now quiet room, I am met with a sight that warms my heart more than Niall tending to my every need, despite how tired he must have been, or anything else I’ve ever seen this wonderful man do for our family.

There on the tiny twin bed are three of the people I love the most, snuggled up together in their PJ’s, all asleep with the book thrown to the floor. The girls trying their best to cuddle their daddy with their tiny arms draped over his broad shoulders and chest and his arms reaching around holding both of them to him. Pulling out my phone I snap a picture for Instagram.

I’ll just thank him in the morning.

#writing #be nice to me #I'm terrible at writing