Monday 14 March 2011

Stout Encounter

WILLOW'S MAGPIE No 57



At the 'Shamrock' Inn in Kilburn, north west London, the preparations for St. Patrick's Day were well in hand; extra bottles of Irish Whiskey and barrels of Guinness had been laid on and several regulars were practising what they meant to do well on the day itself: getting gloriously drunk.

One mighty old labourer proved particularly successful; having reached that stage where it is obligatory to burst into song, that's what he did, at the top of his voice and, for an Irishman, remarkably unmelodiously and raucously:

"did ye mother come from Oireland, cos' there's something in ye Oirish, and the Oirish in ye steals me heart away . . . . " he bellowed.

At the other end of the bar sat a little chap, crying softly into his pint of Guinness.

The large, buxom barmaid noticed his sadness, leant over the bar and took his hand into her plump fingers.

"Poor lad", she said, "have ye just come from the old country yourself then?" She hadn't seen him in the Shamrock before this night.


"No, I have not,  the little man sobbed,  I am a musician".



39 comments:

  1. *snickers* hope yer wearin yer greens this week...

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  2. If I began to sing, the birds would weep. Dianne

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  3. No Irishman would cry into his Guinness - it would water it down too much!! LOL

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  4. oh my you made me laugh out loud! This is so funny!

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  5. Oi really loved this, Friko. You're so unique!!

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  6. Like when the so and so's wear headphones and 'sing' along out of tune to whatever they happen to be listening too! Love your stories Friko!

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  7. Just made me smile!Terrific little twist.

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  8. Heavens ! Trust a musician to be all nitpicky about what it SOUNDS like ..... It's the EMOTION that counts (says the Irish bandmaster's great-grandaughter) .

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  9. He most probably would have brought tears to the eyes of many!

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  10. A laugh out loud post sure does make the day brighter!

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  11. So funny, Friko.
    -- K

    Kay, Alberta, Canada
    An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel

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  12. Hyuk hyuk, that is funny! I guess I'd better scour my closet for the green I wore last year...

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  13. Loved it, Friko, I think I may have been in that pub in Kilburn once upon a time. I don't know what happens to us Irish as soon as we leave our country, at home we listen to the same music as everyone else, as soon as we are abroad we mutate into extras from 'The Quiet Man' - 'Tooraloora, loora...' Happy St Patricks Day!!

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  14. No one can find the levity
    in the cabbage like you can.
    A grand rousing hilarious
    poetic prose, and a wonderful
    addition to the Gaelic flavor
    or this week's prompts.

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  15. Laughing - this is full of celebration and a fine nod to the Guinness!

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  16. haha, wen wundert es, dass gerade Du dieses Ereignis miterlebt hast...!

    Ich wünsche Dir einen schönen sonnigen Tag!

    Renée

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  17. A merry tale!
    I do believe there's something to be said for the joy of singing, whether or not it's perfectly done.
    Perhaps that would be the Irish in me talking.

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  18. I didn't know you were Irish, Friko. Oh yes, we are all Irish around St. Paddy's Day.

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  19. Cute one. Thanks for the giggles!

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  20. Oh my gosh - Friko! This was fabulous! I really didn't see it coming until the end - and you did it with perfect timing!

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  21. Very well done! This has me giggling helplessly:-)

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  22. Quite funny and had me laughing at my self. I am half Irish but am also "remarkably unmelodious".

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  23. If you listen carefully, you will hear me laughing!!!

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  24. That is absolutely wonderful - I would never have thought of it!

    Anna :o]

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  25. Warm Aloha & Gratitude from Honolulu,
    Dear Friko!


    Comfort Spiral

    ><}}(°>


    ><}}(°>

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  26. I've probably heard this guy sing, sometime in the past. And I was probably well oiled enough, myself, to be won over by his seemingly perfect pitch.

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  27. Ahhh, I'd love to hear the Irish Rovers begin a -singin'
    A long time ago when the Earth was green, there were more kind of animals....
    loved their music growing up!

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  28. Friko, that is so awful!! :) (thinking of the Scraper!), but so very well-written!!
    Slainte! (Cheers in Gaelic)
    p.s.: The shamrock & violet(?) painting is beautiful!

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  29. Love it! We have a grandson who is half Irish & he will be one-year old at the end of the month. He came back from visiting his family in Ireland with lots of green. He's all ready for the 17th. It's a good color.

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  30. What a fun post you wrote – I like it.

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  31. Friko . . you can always be relied on to amuse/entertain.

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  32. What a great tale to be sure - love your header shamrock - have a good St Patricks Day - and perhaps sink a pint of Guinness x

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  33. bwahahahaha...poor guy indeed!! How awful it must to hear a drunk make mockery of a song in his drunken state...arrgghhh

    You sure can make me laugh with your tales, Friko :)

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  34. I could hear him singing...wonderful imagery!

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  35. Snickering and snorting and generally loving this wee tale. Cheers! :)

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