From Special Irish Fest Unusual Event Origins Correspondent Martha Kiley:
RISING FROM THE ASHES
The Irish Times: The ninth annual Phoenix Festival starts tonight in Tullamore, Co Offaly. The festival has its roots in an event in 1785, when the then Lord Charleville celebrated the coming of age of his son by launching a hot-air balloon, which collided with a chimney, burning much of the town. Over the next 40 years, the town was rebuilt, taking the phoenix as its symbol. To begin this weekend’s festival of live music, extreme sports and entertainment, hot-air balloons will be launched at 5.30pm from the town park. www.phoenixfestival.ie
In spite of our having never burned anything of significance down, I hope that you (and you Martha) will join us at our own festival, sans hot air balloons. The Kansas City Irish Fest opens in a short 46 days.
Your Guide to the 17th Annual Kansas City Irish Fest at Crown Center. www.KCIrishFest.com
About Me
- Danny Regan
- Danny is a founder, past president, and creative director of the Kansas City Irish Fest. He lives in Kansas City, Missouri, the greatest city in America. He's authored Tir na Blog since 2006.
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3 comments:
Charleville Castle which stands today in Tullamore was built by Barbara Scanlon's ancestors (Nevilles were the stone masons). The Charleville Castle is said to be very haunted and was a program of KCIF's own Barry Fitzgerald the International Ghost Hunter. Barbara's family still resides in the area on a farms just west of the castle walls. The next time you are in Tullamore stop in and tell Joan and Padrig Grogan that Ed and Barbara say hello.
Ed Scanlon
Old Retired Festival Board Guy
I'm assuming the balloon launch(es) this year went a little smoother than in the past. ROFL.
Whoa... wait a minute!...
What a GREAT IDEA for something 'new to do' at KC Irishfest.
The 'Tullamore Toss'
It could be like that carnival booth where they stack up the bottles and you toss a baseball at them only the bottles are 'bricks' stacked up to look like a chimney and the 'ball' is a little hot-air balloon... and whoever runs the booth can have a sheet over them with 2 eye-holes and be 'a ghost'!
Way cool.
KCIF could ask Scanlon to run the booth! Whadda ya say, Ed?
Kevin, I'm retired the only thing I'll be running is my old arse to the bar for another. I do like the idea, however I think that fire should be really involved. The idea of fire, beer and small children running around sounds much like the back yard at Poppy Scanlon's.
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