The Pale Presents: Chaotic, late, intimate and excellent!

Dublins Christchurch area is as famous for its bars as its churches, and the Pale bar is a must visit for anyone in the area.

A good crowd was in the bar, and the poetry event was held upstairs, accessible to anyone who happened to be there at the time, and yet not intrusive on the clientele for whom such may not be their thing.

As with the best nights, orginisation was absent. It stayed at home, asleep on the sofa or somewhere. The misfortune of a family funeral was the cause, and while Andy Earley was quite well smashed, the event was got off to a flying start, and once that guitar was in the hand, it was as if he completely sobered up!

It was the first time to hear Donagh O Mahoney as well, and that was an experience in itself. What that chap cannot do with a keyboard is not worth doing, and his manner is while studenty is totally at ease and the ego which afflicts many with talent is totally not there.

An untitled band of two mates with whom I shared a table were given the title for the night of the “Bearded Rapists”, to the mirth of all.

Halfway through the event, more arrived and it was brought to a close by a Brazilian chap who sang Sambaesque love songs, a change from the contemporary music acts we were listening to.

Myself, I read out “Just Because They Once Were Victims“, also “Heavens Gate” and a few other poems, to a good reception.