SPD2, or as I called it all day, Happy Make Up Day. Yesterday was the make up St. Patty's Day. In case you don't remember last week we had the second snowfall of the year. Valentine's Day had two feet off snow, St. Patrick's Day had a foot and a half of snow. Don't make plans for Easter. So with all the cancellations last weekend this week we had to do everything on one day.
The Family Feis The Saratoga AOH held their third annual Family Feis Saturday evening from 5 to 11.
The Albany St. Patrick's Day Parade Last week for only the second time in it's over 50 years the Albany parade was postponed due to snow. That didn't stop the Albany Irish from holding the biggest party of the year yesterday. The streets were lined with the usual crowds cheering and drinking as we marched down Central Ave. The Saratoga AOH, a staple of the parade for the past six years, were missing. That group of crazy kilt wearing, women photographing, lovable oafs, ( OK, that's just me) were not in the parade. Due to the need for a heard of volunteers for the Feis ( see above) and work schedules, the division did not march. This was not enough to stop the Curran's from marching. Jack, Mike and myself, stopped at the Albany Irish American Center aka Hibernian Hall, before the Parade. Albany AOH President Steve Downs was more than happy to allow us to march with his division. In the spirit of Friendship and Unity, Mike took up the job as flag bearer. {side bar, Chris Kelly marched with the Watervliet AOH} At the end of the parade route when in the past the Saratoga lads invade the Bayou Cafe, we just passed the bar, bowed our heads in silent prayer, and headed to the buses to bring us back to the hall. A few years ago, the hall was the place to go after the parade, everyone went there, it was nuts, wall to wall drunks, only Irish for the day, plastic Patty's if you will. The Albany division put a stop to it and now it is for the members and guests. The hall was crowded and in the pub the band was hot, ( Frank Jaklitsch, Steve Gray, Steve Butler and our own John Cromie) so were the women. I fell in and out of love over and over. The big room had a band and food available, that room was rocking also. It was great to see all the family that made it to the big day and to spend time swapping old stories. Mike and Jack had a great time and it was fun for me to see them doing what I did when I was their ages. I hope you all had a great make up day and if you didn't it's nobody's fault but your own. If you would like to see some of the pics from the day click here. http://picasaweb.google.com/saratogairish/Parade2007