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After his service, Father Michael O'Connor proudly mentions that he regularly welcomes 64 different nationalities to Mass, and would we like to meet some of them? with other venues such as the National in Kilburn, the Blarney Club Join us for a night of good vibes this Saturday night as Flo hosts this month's Karaoke Night here at TAM! When he left school Gus (Angus) had several short-term jobs before he got a job as the tea boy and junior assistant at Olympic Studios near Baker Street. C17 part of coursed squared sandstone with . He was blown away by the power of the studio speakers with their tremendous bass and treble ranges. It was Spot the Irish Man. Most of the Irish pubs had gone including the Crown, now a hotel. Photo 3 - Things got worse! is a beautiful exploration of Latin culture and heritage which charts Sofia's evolution as an artist, and her fight against the same barriers and prejudices encountered by her hero Ritchie, some 70 years before. as if you were leading a cow to a bull.". The Mighty Avons that night in the Galtymore - a record, then as You might like to look at this. It opened in August 1962 and was popular during the 1960' and 1970's. The hall was capable of holding 2,000 persons and cost some 30,000 to build, it was demolished in 1990 and there is no trace of the ballroom de luxe today sadly. I dont know whats behind the success? now, for a venue which is soon to close its doors for the last But the prohibitively expensive design limited the production to just two units, after which Focusrite got into financial difficulties. going, but financially it's very hard anymore with the cost of I trust these memories will serve me well enough to take a trip along the High Road using some very old and more recent shots I have gleaned from Flickr, recalling what my experiences were at the time and little snippets of information. Irish showbands like his. This building was behind the present Sainsburys in Kilburn High Road. Tags: Bamba Dance Club Kilburn Eugene Gannon. And I was going to call this place The Little Galty after the Galtymore. ON CERTAIN London nights, the names of the old dance halls still trip freely from the tongue. herrera family durango, mexico . There were numerous Irish pubs along Kilburn High Road leading to the infamous Cricklewood Broadway and just beyond was the iconic Galtymore dance-hall where we all congregated at the weekends. because I was a builder and not a singer and I was only doing it "The ones that used to go to the dances in the Galtymore have The Galtymore first opened in 1952 and became well known along with other venues such as the National in Kilburn, the Blarney Club in Tottenham Court Road, the Innisfree in Ealing and the . everything. A The Decca studios were in Broadhurst Gardens from 1937 to 1981 and our new book will provide a detailed history. play there at a date to be announced soon. Conor OBrien inexplicably and shockingly shot dead by Earl McKevitt over pizza delivery error, URC: Connacht make lucky escape to beat spirited Dragons, Rory McIlroy charges into contention with bogey-free 68 at Bay Hill, Greece train crash: Station masters court appearance delayed, Rian ONeill stars as Armagh fight hard to beat Donegal, URC: Ulster on track for home quarter-final with convincing win over Cardiff. Derry take huge step to top tier with dramatic win over Dublin. In 1963 Blackwell decided to bring the fourteen year old Millie Small to London. I remember the time you and your Athlone friends came to London to work the summer holidays. "We noticed things started changing 12 or 14 years ago when The seller would quickly get the latest edition on sale. I've heard The Condemned has been OOP for a while, but is still easy to find anywhere it seems. time. What a spot.. The Galty hosted many famous show-bands like Big Tom, Joe Dolan, Brendan Shine and Margo and would often be rammed to over-capacity. people started to move back home, but the Galtymore always seemed All rights reserved. Love Irish history? They are the family before, RTs. The cheapest way to get from Kilburn High Road to Mecca Dance Hall costs only 1, and the quickest way takes just 18 mins. Building on these hits, Island moved to new offices at 155 Oxford Street. Great times. And despite the passing of the years these old dancehalls speckle the conversation, between reverse turns, outside spins and neat flings. In one day we had as many people attending as we normally do for a whole weeks services, setting a new record for us. This was a small studio in Coleridge Gardens, a mews off Fairhazel Gardens, run by Nigel Godrich. It was a home from home, a piece of Ireland where each weekend they could meet Irish friends from all over London, hear the music from the Irish country and showband scene and, better still, get to see the showband stars in person, writes Patricia Roche. And so we put together a list of the . The crowd were hanging out of the rafters. Great times.. Most were bachelors who stayed until closing time or when their money was gone. At the beginning of December 2019, I posted an article on three of these about having been in The Galtymore ballroom in London, in the summer of 1970. Whether it is or not, I dont know but its great to meet people.. would not be as anxious to go dancing as they might have been 10 or The area has a surprisingly rich history of music. while the younger generation has sought out more cosmopolitan During the Depression many of the record companies ran into financial trouble and they were bought up by either EMI or Decca. C17 and 1712, extended 1883 and in early C20, also with early C19 alterations. "Things change," he concedes, adding that the venue's plight is not about a shortfall in Irish custom to which it could have adapted but an overall changing face of Kilburn, which developers have exploited. My prime interest is transport, mainly buses and coaches yet even searching the numerous uploads regarding transport little has come to light. It is only small but the galleries (other peoples' uploads) might be worth browsing. By using this site, you agree to the use of cookies by Flickr and our partners as described in our cookie policy. The project was started after a structural report revealed extensive damage to part of the foundations due to the ingress of water from a broken main, which went undetected for many years. The dancehall scene that once backboned London for generations of emigrants has been in fast retreat since the best-known venue of them all, the Galtymore, powered down its speakers and closed its doors in 2008. He became the highest paid pianist in the world earning a 1,000 week. He was a wealthy man and left 19,379, today worth about 900,000. Using the money from the sales he set up a small office in Kingston. Youd meet half your hometown in the Crown. Edwyn recorded his latest album Loosing Sleep at the studio in 2010. In August 1901 the Crystalate Company was founded at Golden Green (note, not Golders Green), Haddow, near Tunbridge in Kent , by a partnership of a London and an American firm. I just come for the socialising and if Im lucky enough, someone will ask me up to dance, she smiled. 24 hours in police custody black widow watch online; oak hills high school football; redbridge causeway toll; eva hauge tiktok; most beautiful twins in the world 2022 The place has given them a new lease of life. They were wonderful days. L standing for Leyland the engine makers. The music of the late rock pioneer Ritchie Valens is heading to the stage. A series of name checks and wistful memories of the big nights in Camden and Kentish Town, but the Ballroom of Romance remains a living expression of an Irish scene raging quietly down this city back alley. House on Sorority Row. their events. married and settled down and their families are all reared. Crowding around the performers, the punters all yell and stamp their feet; and there's so much stamping of feet, we worry nearby Cricklewood will feel an earthquake, or a tsunami will rise up out of the Hampstead Heath bathing pond. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Brondesbury_Station_1922456_56 www.disused-stations.org.uk/b/broad_street/index.shtml, London Transport KLB618 LYR937 Year 1968. Not much has changed since it was first. You can save a photo or video to a gallery from its detail page, or choose from your faveshere. The Beatles first single, Love Me Do was released on 5 October 1962 and peaked at Number 17 in the charts. Also, allows quickly viewing any Flickr photo on black background in large size. Also check out other Music Events in London, Performances in London, Entertainment Events in London . I guess it is dying, admitted Peter Murray from Armagh. Number 248 Kilburn High Road has since been demolished. The older guys who are still here sometimes have a perception of failure. He joked that he was the youngest person in the place. He found a building in West Heath Mews which ran along the top of a row of garages, and set up his studio there at the end of the 1980s to record his music for TV. Housed in a public research university located in a vibrant metropolitan area, the University of Minnesota Department of Theatre Arts & Dance is a collaborative hub for education, research and training in the diverse field of Dance and Theatre. The copper domed building, was one of the main high street banks. I felt so many things reading this. The National, Kilburn is easily recognised by its distinctive dome. They were able to offer the BBC a quick turnaround of 12 hours for programme repeats. We chose this dance because it is a very interesting dance,and it is a very active dance and a lot of movement The dance has jumps,turn,switches, and arm movement and you wear a lot Photo 17 - These last two photos are not taken in Kilburn but they help to complete my short memory story. Photo 14 - 1983 - The most progressive cinema in Kilburn, where you were most likely to see something a bit out of the ordinary. We were young, didnt have a penny in our pockets, but still knocked out a great old time. I could also catch a glimpse of the a Coronation class express engine steaming out towards the Midlands. While Mary Dympna Compton, originally from Scotstown in Monaghan, travels all the way from Luton every week. Install search plugin. The Crystalate Gramophone Record Manufacturing Company Born in America , he came to England in 1922, and during the 1930s he lived in Dollis Hill. Every county is well represented here., McGinty calls it The Ballroom of Romance, he continued. In 1971 the property was demolished with Sainsburys redevelopment of the entire site. West Heath Studios, 174 Mill Lane Photo 11 - Turning around 180 degrees, and a short walk north, on the opposite side of the High Road was the Grange Cinema. the site for a mixed-use development of apartments, a hotel complex "I'd probably like even more diversity and gentrification," she reflects. La Bamba! The cheery quartet share an accepting attitude towards change, recognising that Kilburn looks different to how it used to but so what? I remember when I was 16, my governor was taking over another pub and I said Im not looking after your pub because I want to get out to the dances. I could show you half a dozen couples that met in theBallroom of Romance. Grangeway is the small road leading off the Kilburn High Road into the Grange Park. I returned for Champions League Final in 2011 and my God it had changed. The next blog story will look at the musicians who lived in West Hampstead and Kilburn. Rock & roll pioneer Ritchie Valens and the San Fernando Valley will forever be synonymous. The bridge spans the the main line out of Euston (from the left as we are standing), then the London Midland Scottish Railway (LMS), As an interesting aside, Sterno was also the name of an American campsite cooking fuel made from jellied alcohol. It may be stay of execution for whats been a way of life abroad. When the last record was announced before 2:00am, there were shouts of more, more and the band leader usually introduced all the members and we gave each of them a big round of applause. 'The Galty' was one of it's kind, massive, sporting two huge dance-halls, a cile band played in one and the big showbands in the other. Event Photos. At Kilburn station on my way home that day I saw a thought for the day on the notice board saying we dont appreciate a moment until it becomes a memory. Rob Bell describes his time at Island from 1965 to 1972 in a series of articles. This was the place where many romances began with the words Will you dance?. Running & Healthy Living the bamba dance hall kilburn By then many guys were drunk and half-asleep so their friends would prop them up as it was a sign of disrespect to be seated during this rendition. He wore an emerald green uniform, and they had a tea dance every Sunday afternoon, with no alcohol. The Euston main line would pass behind the camera. But if the people have stayed the same, then what happens next? In January 1986 Steve Flood and Stuart Colman opened their studios in Kilburn High Road. Tickets for Mama Carnival can be booked here. Thank you for bringing back such poignant memories, mostly happy but also some sad. Irish recall the heartache of leaving their homes in Ireland and the mighty fun they had at the famous Galtymore. Edward Kassner the boss of President Records owned the pressing plant. In the early 80s he built SOL Studios in Cookham Berkshire which he later sold to Jimmy Page. That's social mobility.". On This Day: Arthur Guinness, founder of the Dublin brewery, died in 1803. This site uses cookies to improve your experience and to help show content that is more relevant to your interests. The Son Jarocho (Jarocho designates someone or thing from southern Veracruz) is the only form that has both 4/6 and 4/4 time. The heyday of Londons Irish dancehalls may be long gone, but a weekly gathering in Kilburn still provides an outlet for many emigrants, writes Robert Mulhern. You wouldnt want to get there too early as the main band didnt start much before 12:00 oclock. This year's awards are selecting shows that opened between 21 February 2022 and 14 February 2023.The show has to have played in a theatre represented in membership of Society of London Theatre to be considered eligible, but that basically covers most West End theatres. A request for pre-planning advice has been sought to redevelop for a laugh. Both the architects, Studio 30 Architects, and building contractors, Euro Build Contractors Ltd, were selected on the strength of their specialist knowledge of ecclesiastical buildings. Covid-19 inquiry should not be used to find scapegoats, Gabriel Scally says, Failure to address drone disruption issues at Dublin Airport deeply alarming, Hotels ending refugee accommodation contracts will be a problem, Minister says, Alliance may test legality of Stormonts discriminatory voting system, says Naomi Long, Thinking Anew Speaking the language of compassion, Refugees told they are to be moved as hotels prepare for holiday season, A Magdalene laundry and its clients: Holles Street, Fitzwilliam Tennis Club, Captain Americas, Before I would have held my husbands hand walking around the streets. was four in a row for the guts of two miles trying to get in," Sterno and Canned Heat They used to call it Ireland's 33rd county. With 25 different venues in Kilburn, Brent, you will certainly be able to find the perfect place that will cater to all of your event needs. Photo 18 - Obviously I have to finish with a bus. Attracted to the exterior of one shop, we make enquiries. The stats aren't easy to collate since the locality falls between three boroughs, with the very High Road itself split in two. Lionsgate versions of Monster Squad, Cujo and While viewing any Flickr photos page, click on the bookmarklet to open the same view on Flickriver. All material on this site is the property of Londonist Ltd. Where And How To Celebrate Women's History Month 2023 In London, 66 Magnificent Things To Do In London In March 2023. Why are womens bodies under attack from autoimmune diseases? 72 elad solymri telek hirdets az ingatlan.com-on. It is said that Crystalate made the first records to be pressed in England in 1901/2; but there is no direct evidence of this apart from the 1922 recollections of Charles Davis, the works manager. Bernard was right. The State, the Grange and the Classic in addition to this one. Joining them is Richard Nash, a native of north west London and a son of Guyanese and Jamaican parents. He shared it with Sam Hardaker and Henry Binns who later became Zero 7. hosted many big nights, but none as big as the night Larry The first instalment looks at music production and the recording studios and record companies who operated here. Something wrong with this article? Stuart Colman was a musician who produced hits for Shakin Stevens, The Shadows, Kim Wilde, and Alvin Stardust. I also have an account called Willesden Lane and Surround GALLERIES: www.flickr.com/photos/willesdenandthelanes/ . His mother Blanche was Ian Flemings longtime lover and Blackwell now owns the writers house, Goldeneye, in Jamaica . Once added to your personalized homepage, just edit widget settings to select your desired view. It continued to be a great place to socialise and dance, especially for us emigrants, but of course we grew older and it became harder to stay awake until two oclock in the morning, eventually it became no longer viable. At the time Gus was sharing a flat at 2 Lymington Mansions in West Hampstead where he stayed until 1965. Chandeliers hung from the tall ceilings to add to the glamour. our digs. Stars such as The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Marc Bolan, Billy Fury and the Moody Blues were recorded here. 2,040 likes. They like me and I like them and I love doing it. This link shows you a 1961 shot from the platform looking to the north east. The man behind the till, a smiley gent of Pakistani birth, is Muhammad Hussain. The best food, health, entertainment and lifestyle content from the irishexaminer.com, direct to your inbox every Friday. Our team of experts are on hand to offer advice and answer your questionshere, Discover the great outdoors on Ireland's best walking trailsStart Exploring. All Rights Reserved. Older Irish people who are single, they dont want to be sat in on their own.. But even on a bad night, youd get a hundred here and its nice to talk to people and find out what part of Ireland they are from. This man has a prime spot for people coming out of Kilburn station and turning right to their homes avoiding the High Road. Its a huge change of culture., My dad was a doorman there when I was a child. Flickriver widget for iGoogle or Netvibes can display almost any Flickriver view - most interesting today, by user, by group, by tag etc. Tickets. It's named in honour of County. 162 elad solymri hz hirdets az ingatlan.com-on. 2023 Londonist, All rights reserved. black holistic doctor houston; mass of asteroid that killed dinosaurs. La Bamba is in 4/4 time!". She needed a home spacious enough to launch her supper club: a project that's perfect, you suspect, for someone with all the hospitability her joint Irish-Italian ancestry suggests. The street seller does not have a 2 wheeled barrow to push his goods around, and he is not shouting his wares. Dance hall in its general meaning is a hall for dancing.From the earliest years of the twentieth century until the early 1960s, the dance hall was the popular forerunner of the discothque or nightclub.The majority of towns and cities in the West had at least one dance hall, and almost always featured live musicians playing a range of music from strict tempo ballroom dance music to big band . Much like a St Patrick's Day party, Gaelic iconography is ubiquitous here even if Gaelic people arent. Were Irelands Viking invaders high on hallucinogenic herbal tea? His cofounder and recording engineer Seb Lewsley kept the studio going. All the Irish food could be had on Kilburn High Road. They moved into 84a Kilburn High Road the following year. T he company made records for some of the very early labels such as Zonophone, Berliner and Imperial. I invite anybody to make comments and correct any mistakes I may have made. This is the same place. From March 1963 to 1967 Island Records had their office at 108 Cambridge Road , since demolished as part of the South Kilburn redevelopment plan. Add to Curated List. Where did La Bamba come from? The UCKG HelpCentre employed structural engineers Heyne Tillett Steel, of Clerkenwell because of their design-led approach and innovative use of materials. In many ways the Galty was a place of sanctuary where emigrants could meet up at the weekends and enjoy familiar songs and music. "It was always said that Kilburn was as far as the men wanted to walk from Euston with a suitcase," she laughs. The UCKG is a Christian church and registered charity that offers a range of practical support activities alongside spiritual support and comfort and welcomes all-comers. Sadly the Theatre was almost completely destroyed by fire only a few years later in 1987, which had begun in a timber yard next door to the building. After many years of being away, I recently made a trip to Cricklewood and was struggling to find my bearings in a place I used to know so well. There prove to be several red (headed?) The Version table provides details related to the release that this issue/RFE will be addressed. Initially the records were pressed by British Homophone and then at the Phillips factory in Croydon. The occasion marked the completion of work on the main auditorium, which forms part of a 2 million programme of structural, aesthetic and layout improvements to the Grade II listed iconic former cinema. Despite the fact that there are near-empty pews in hundreds of churches up and down the land, the newly refurbished UCKG HelpCentre in The National in Kilburn welcomed 1,200 people to its re-opening services on Saturday August 18th. 2 Radio Bwlch, Halfway to paradise - A Bit About Britain, West Hampstead Life | Venue hire options in West Hampstead (more than you think), Hallelujah! Music Genres : 80s, 90s, Funky House, Pop. Sign up to IrishCentral's newsletter to stay up-to-date with everything Irish! While La Bamba is the most famous of the Sones Jarochos, there are somewhere around 100 others. Mick Clerkin ran Ritz Records here which began in about 1981. herrings. On 1st January 1962 the Beatles auditioned at the studios, but after travelling down from Liverpool in a van, theyd gone out to celebrate New Years Eve, and their playing did not impress Decca. Resolved: Release in which this issue/RFE has been resolved. An Insight into: Rock Mens Salon and Wired Co. West Heath Studios is currently owned by Edwyn Collins who took it over in 1995. the bamba dance hall kilburnboone county wv obituaries. This was the end of an era, a time of innocence and happiness that will never come again. Elad telket keresel Solymron? La Bamba A Dance Musical. Cunningham played there in early 1967. Big Tom and the Mainliners are scheduled to be the last band to Only the Standard remains, the Star ceasing first. They would play another song or two then ask us all to stand for the National Anthem. to be the one holding its own. over there in the first place," he says. Use Flickriver Badge Creator to create a badge linking to your photos, your group or any other Flickriver view. Oh, how much I enjoyed going there. Ive been coming here every Monday night for the last year-and-a-half, continued Eileen from Kilkenny. It reached Number 2 in the UK and the US and became the first international Jamaican hit. Ill tell you its amazing the couples that I have met. But then the name The Ballroom of Romance just came into my head and its taken off. West Hampstead is getting new community space, The Best of Winters in London for the Desi Indian Globe-Trotter. Belsize Road runs along to brick wall leading up to the High Road. Then they returned to their bedsits to go and do it all again. To install: drag and drop the following link to your Bookmarks toolbar. The site was next adapted as a recording studio for the British Homophone Company Ltd. William Sternberg was the director of a company that had been selling gramophones under the trade name of Sterno for some years. 22 nearly 20 years earlier. My prime interest is transport, mainly buses and coaches yet even searching the numerous uploads regarding transport little has come to light. Nowadays we would probably be called the diaspora, but back then we were just a bunch of Irish lads and girls having the craic. Irish Dance Hall's in London in year's gone by, Facebook, Old Irish superstitions are alive and well, One Irish family's story of emigration - the Dunnings from Drumlosh, Believe in yourself - A London Irish musician's opportunity in Italy, Opening the door my grandparents shut when they left Ireland, International Irish Coffee Day: The history and recipe of Irish coffee. British Homophone, 84a Kilburn High Road She was bought a coffee made from Camp Coffee Essence, which Wikipedia describes as: A glutinous brown substance which consists of water, sugar, 4% caffeine-free coffee essence, and 26% chicory essence. in Tottenham Court Road, the Innisfree in Ealing and the Hibernian In 1962, the basement store at 108 had been a recording studio set up by Sonny Roberts of Planetone Records. Ritz Records, 1 Grangeway I try to add bits to it when I get time. The music for the film The Krays was also recorded at Master Rock. Can only remember going once. This shot was taken in 1975 when the Grange was nearing the end of it's life as a cinema. The present owner of the Galtymore, Michael Byrne, has announced IE users - add the link to your Favorites under the Links folder, Use Flickriver Badge Creator to create a badge linking to any Flickriver view. Watch popular content from the following creators: Coco(@bostonirishgirl), qkweenboutique.myshopify.com(@qkween_b), AnnaLe's Twice Chosen(@annaletwicechosen), MikeMizzle(@realmikemizzle), Julie(@julie.hilvera) . Buy Tickets. Crystalate also produced large numbers of records for Woolworths under various budget labels, including Victory and Rex. DANCE HALLS. In a city that hosts innumerable underground scenes, this is one with the feel of a cult following. But problems continued and eventually they closed in June 2000. "No," says Keelta, "2017 is the best time to live in County Kilburn. Three of the four turn out to be Irish. The response to this piece has been phenomenal. Once the largest cinema in Europe it had varied past as a club and dance hall, and a church of another denomination before being converted into a UCKG HelpCentre. that the venue will close for good in early June. He then used the garden in front of the renamed St Margarets Lodge as the site for a terrace of shops. Most folklorists guess that the title comes from the Spanish verb "bambolear" which can mean to "to shake" or "to stomp". Marianne can remember being taken to the Banba. It was wonderful to get to see these great performers for the price of the entrance fee which was around 50p (ten shillings), about 15 in todays money nowadays it costs much more to see entertainers live. THE GALTYMORE dance hall in Cricklewood, north London, has I have virtually no photographic material myself, but I have memories. He had previously lived in Welbeck Mansions and knew the West Hampstead area. He worked on all the classic recordings by Elton John, including such hits as Your Song, Rocket Man, and Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. A green-and-gold-coloured boozer next to an Afghan carpet shop and a Filipino restaurant, its now just one of many international options in this part of town. lg tv bluetooth service needs to be initialized. Edwyns friend Bernard Butler who lived locally in Fawley Road, recorded Duffys Rockferry album (2008) at West Heath. The area in the modern day represents the changing face of London immigration: exciting and pluralistic, yes, but no longer just the territory of any single ethnic group. The Banba This suited the publicans who were only licensed until 11:00pm so when chucking out time came, there were few objections as intoxicated customers would head for the Galty. Lovely Leitrimhad improbably knocked the Beatles off the This is the first history of Decca Studios, which were in Broadhurst Gardens from 1937 to 1980 and where thousands of well-known recordings were made. Like a wedding latecomer in a Richard Curtis romcom, we're hovering awkwardly and conspicuously at the back of a church. This number 60 would have probably trundled up and down Kilburn High Road in its service life many many times. Despite the 1937 buyout by Decca and EMI, the British Homophone name continued into the early 1980s, but was no longer based in Kilburn. Kilburn went 'green' in the mid-20th century when Irish migration to north west London hit its peak. I can only remember going in there the once. the bamba dance hall kilburn. Eddy Grant and The Equals were signed with President Records. These vans would race around and almost without stopping dump the bound stacks of papers on the pavement before chasing off to their next drop off point. By 1962 it was at Excelsior Works, Rollins Street, SE15, New Cross. He did Songs for Christmas, the theme music for Kilroy and Rescue and lots of other programmes. There were numerous Irish pubs along Kilburn High Road leading to the infamous Cricklewood Broadway and just beyond was the iconic Galtymore dance-hall where we all congregated at the weekends. An amazing number of musicians were recorded here including: Elton John, Jeff Beck, U2, Eric Clapton, Roxy Music, Simply Red and Suede. Island Records was formed by Chris Blackwell who was born in London, but grew up in Jamaica. Watch popular content from the following creators: KingMoody (@kingmoody_), Alfonso Pesce (@alfonsopesce), Marco Orofino (@marcorofino1), Deyvi_88 (@deyvi_88), Wild Flower (@wildflor) . Tonight is Irish music night, and it's hard keeping the black stuff from spilling all over the newly-refurbished floors. I am now enjoying my life, got my daughter her husband and my grandchildren home from NZ for Christmas., I wonder is it just a dream.