{UAH} Bubbly night for Irish community

Bubbly night for Irish community

Sizzling Entertainment

SUNDAY, 16 MARCH 2014 20:09

WRITTEN BY SAMSON BARANGA

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Irish way: Wild Geese band plays away

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March 17 is a special day for the Irish community.

It is the day when they celebrate the life of the most famous Paddy in the world, Saint Patrick, the apostle of Ireland. Legend has it that Patrick was a nobleman born in about 400 AD in Britain and kidnapped by Irish pirates at the age of 16.

After 17 years as a slave, Patrick escaped Ireland and found his way home, but returned to Ireland as a missionary. It is also believed that St Patrick used the three-leaved shamrock to explain the Christian Holy Trinity.

Happy day: Guests pose for the cameras

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The day marking his death began as a religious holiday in Ireland but became a celebratory affair later on with the three-leaved shamrock becoming one of the key components of the festivities’ costumes. In Kampala, festivities kicked off last Friday and it was a whole weekend of partying, dancing and drinking.

Bubbles O’Leary, an Irish bar on John Babiiha avenue, in Kololo, was the place to be. Guinness, the Irish stout, is the drink of choice on St Patrick’s day and these guys do not just drink, they are good at it. Guinness was on the house for all the guests, served with delicious mashed Irish potatoes and other Irish delicacies.

Making connections over a glass of beer

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The big surprise of the night was the band. The organisers flew in popular Irish band Wild Geese. They played live, and the crowd danced and sang along to songs like Dirty Old Town and A Rainy Night In Soho, among other classic Irish renditions.

As the band played, groups hit the open space, dancing in groups in what is called the set dances. But the solo dancers, tapping the feet but maintaining a rigid upper body, were a sight to behold.

Dacing the night away in Irish style. Samson Baranga

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The Ugandan girls that normally hang around the pub cracked ribs in their attempt to do the tapping, but in the end resorted to the bend-over dance they are used to.

It was an awesome night; clearly, no one parties like the Irish. The proceeds went to charities sponsored by the Irish community in Uganda. 

baranga@observer.ug

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Gwokto La'Kitgum

"Even a small dog can piss on a tall Building", Jim Hightower

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