Irish House Party

Thursday, May 31 pm -- While waiting for the rest of our group and the evening's attraction, we take some time to wonder around this beautiful hotel and learn a bit of its history. The Gresham Hotel is a stunning blend of Art Deco and Neo-classical architecture. The hotel was originally started by Thomas Gresham, a foundling child (abandoned orphan) who came to Ireland as a young man and worked his way up to the position of butler to a prominent Dublin family, a position of note in Elizabethan society. In 1847, he left the post and purchased 2 lots of land on O'Connell street in Dublin and started a lodging house, popular with European aristocracy who were visiting Ireland. How he raised the capital for such a venture is a mystery.

During the Irish Civil war in the 1920's, the original building was destroyed but architect Robert Atkinson was commission to design the current building. With its grand 2-story arched windows, neo-classical plaster work and art deco awnings, it appealed to the contemporary taste of high society, while maintaining the gracious charm of its past. It was fitted with beautiful Waterford crystal chandeliers, in both art deco and traditional styles, and these remain in the building to this day.

The property was acquired by Riu Plaza in 2013 and was restored and modernized. The result is a beautiful,

gracious lobby and dining area and rooms with all the latest creature comforts. The guest list reads like a Who's Who of American film and entertainment.

We meet up with the rest of our tour group (about 23 persons) and board the coach. Our group is lead by Dave Cormier, a talkative gentleman with a wealth of knowledge of Irish history (I asked -- he was a history major, no surprise). En route to dinner, he points outs a number of sites along the way, including beautiful Trinity College, the oldest university in Ireland.

Our destination for the evening is the Lansdowne Hotel for an event simply referred to as The Irish Houseparty. We were all seated at a long table for a 3-course dinner with several choices for starters and entrees. Jim started with the Dublin Coddle -- a thick soup with potatoes and sausage; I opted for the vegetable soup and Irish soda bread, a pureed soup, delicately seasoned and full of flavor. For entrees, Jim chose the beef stew, dark and savory with potatoes and peas, and I chose a parcel -- caramelized leeks and vegetables, nestled into puff pastry with brie -- absolutely amazing! Dinner was completed with a small square of moist chocolate cake, amaretto ice cream and whipped cream. What an amazing meal! Someone recently told us "You don't go to Ireland for the food -- it's just so-so". I would beg to differ. This dinner was wonderful.

After dinner, we were entertained by 3 Irish musicians paying guitar, fiddle, flute and sometimes a drum call the Bodhran. Listening to the music took me back to my childhood -- so many of the Appalachian reels and jigs have their origins here. My brother Paul performed a lot of folk music when he was in high school and college and was particularly fond of Tom Clancy and the Clancy Brothers. This evening we learned that they are credited with starting the revival of Irish folk music in the 50's. And as the band played one of their most famous songs, Brennan on the Moher, I was transported back to a time when I watched my brother, playing his string bass and singing this very song. Amazing how music can carry you back to a time long forgotten. It blessed my heart to go there again.

The musicians were occasionally accompanied by a talented Irish dancer who demonstrated various styles of Irish dancing including the brush dance, which uses a push broom as a prop.

Audience participation was encouraged and we sang, clapped and laughed our way far into the evening -- too far given the lack of sleep from our overnight flight, so back to our hotel for a welcome night's sleep.