THE HOUSE-COOLING PARTY

My dear friends the Fahys have lived in this house for around thirty years - they rented it very cheaply from a very decent property baron. He had a developed sense of "noblesse oblige". Recently the "baron" died & his children have no sense at all & the Fahys got their marching orders.

It's an eight-bedroomed 19th century rectory facing the village church & it was a refuge for many musicians in need of a bed for the night. I stayed there myself for three months when I had to leave the brewery!

To celebrate those thirty-odd years they decided to have a party - there was much searing of delicious sausages - much enthusiastic boozing - & much good music.

For me, the highlight of the night was a rendering of "Amazing Grace" by a harmonica player who used to stand in for Toots Tillermans when he was otherwise engaged - it passed around from voice to mandolin to fiddle to guitar & back to harmonica. I never really liked that song before, but it was beautiful.

Around 1am I retired to Kieran's & we whiskied ourselves  to sleep!