Gaelic Roots, The Show

While we were on our way to Killarney, our bus driver told us about a show that had been running for about two weeks and would be continuing through the summer until the middle of October. The name of the show was Gaelic Roots, The Show.

This show is being held at the Killarney Avenue Hotel which is across the square from the Killarney Plaza Hotel. So it was a short walk for me to go to the show. There was a small number of people from our tour that opted to go that night. Those people who heard about it from us and wanted to go were out of luck as it was a night off for the cast on our second night in Killarney. As soon as I heard about it, I wanted to see it and not seeing it was not an option. So, I made sure that I was there in plenty of time to get in.

I arrived about 30 minutes early so that I could get a good seat. I first thought that the seats near the front would give me the view that I was looking for. After about ten or fifteen minutes, and with the help of other people sitting in front of me, I realized that I might not have picked the best seat to sit in. I looked further back and realized that some of the chairs were set up on risers. I headed back to get to the front of the last riser, and tripped and fell almost flat on my face at the first riser. I did a bit of damage to my ankle, but I knew that it would heal. There was not severe damage done except to my pride.

I found the seat that I wanted and had a very clear view of the show. It was a mixer of song, music, and dancing and you could tell that the cast was having fun with it.

The cast is a renown group of international Irish performers. The O’Neill Sisters were the singers and came in from New York to do this show for the summer. It is something that they believe in and they were happy to do so. Tomas O Se is a Kerry Minor football star and a world class Irish dancer who has danced with Riverdance. Kelly McDonnell is a world class Irish dancer who has danced with Michael Flatley. Tony Flaherty is a world renowned musician and plays with The Gaelic Roots Band. They cover a lot of instruments including the flute, the bodrhan, the fiddle, and more. There are also the Gaelic Roots Troop Dancers who have danced with Riverdance and other productions.

When the performance starts, it’s as if you are going back through the mists of time. The music is not just from the modern era, but also from further back in time. I think that maybe, “Danny Boy” is the only one that I have previous heard. I don’t know about the rest of the audience, but I was mesmerized for the entire performance. The show lasts for two hours and there is a fifteen-minute break about half way through. It gives you a chance to stretch your legs and come back to earth before continuing on in the world of fantasy. The cast received a well-deserved standing ovation.

Going back to the hotel, I chanced on some of my friends from the tour. One of them decided that I could not do the short trip back to our hotel by myself, but needed someone with me. I really didn’t but I decided to humour her.

Would I go to Gaelic Roots, The Show again? With a resounding yes, I would go again if I have the chance. I love the Irish music and dancing and don’t have much chance to see the dancing.