The Festivities Continue

3/28/10 St. Patrick’s Day Eve is almost as big of a night out, if not bigger than St Patrick’s Day itself here in Dublin. The locals told me that since everyone has to work the day after the holiday, but no one works the day of it, they can really go big the night before and nurse their hangovers the next day with a few beers before retiring early and preparing for work the next day. We found this to be very true. Our group found a great bar with live music down in the Temple Bar Area and decided to head in. Upon ordering our beers one of us had bumped into this giant Danish guy with a shaved head and beard to his chest. He had standing next to him his brother, who looked the same, and two other guys that though not as massive, were tall and extremely muscular. I immediately thought this is not going to go well. That was probably my initial reaction because upon walking into the club I bumped into a girl and almost got into a fight with her boyfriend because he thought I didn’t say I’m sorry. I couldn’t have been more wrong. After talking with the Danes for a while we invited them to join us upstairs where we were trying to get a table for all of us to sit at. I honestly couldn’t tell you how long we sat there, all I can say is that we had an amazing time. The Danes were great guys, so happy, funny, and just genuinely loved life and even more so loved to laugh. We all bonded that night, sharing stories, buying each other beers, arm wrestling, and just laughing. A lot. Mostly laughing I think at our weak attempts to beat the giants at arm wrestling. Three out of the four of them had been in the military in Denmark and were wearing bracelets to support the troops, the injured, and their families. When I asked about them, one of the guys took them off and gave them to me, telling me that he had worn them for three years while on tour in Afghanistan, and has never taken them off. I have not taken them off since that night. Our night was coming to an end and we said our goodbyes and went in our separate directions. Walking out of the bar and into the streets, Kristin, Elizabeth, and I passed a drum circle that had formed in the street and danced to the sound of bagpipes and drums.



There must have been at least twenty five people dancing in the streets that night. All just having a good time and enjoying the freedom of being in Dublin on this the night before St. Patrick’s Day. We walked back to our hostels and made our plans to meet up in the morning, and as I fell asleep that night I couldn’t help but think this was definitely one of the most fun nights out that I have ever had!