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Ireland Tour: Day 22, November 4

Entrance to Santry Park, Dublin

Our last performing day started with literally a run in the park: Santry Park, Dublin, across from our Holiday Inn where I had had my first run 20 days ago on day 2 of our tour.

Actually it wasn’t quite a run IN the park it was AROUND the 4 km park since the park didn’t open until 9 a.m. and we had to be on the road to Portlaoise by then.  2 laps and I was well warmed up for our hour’s drive to Portlaoise Library and for our last and 32nd show of our tour.

Tuning up in Portlaoise Library, Co. Laois

A beautiful sunny day, a day that we actually needed our sunglasses for for the first time this tour.  The library was easy to find and it was a wonderful cozy space with a warm welcoming and tea from our contact, Suzanne.

Performance at PortLaoise Library

We had a lovely responsive crowd of parents and children and Lali Morris, programme director for the Baboró International Arts Festival for Children, made a special 2 hour trip from Galway in order to see our show for consideration in particiation in their 2012 October Festival.  It would be delightful indeed to be a part of this festival next year.

The audience at Portlaoise Library  was a perfect group to end our tour with and we hope to return and perform there again next year as part of Ireland’s Children’s Book Festival along with other venues where we performed during this tour.

Young stage-hands at Portlaoise Library

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Carroll's souvenir shop in downtown Dublin

From Portlaoise, we headed back to Dublin to return our rented sound equipment and from there, to the heart of downtown Dublin to do some souvenier shopping at Carroll’s.

 

 

 

 

Downtown Dublin

 

Downtown Dublin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was rather overwhelmed by the culture shock of  VERY busy traffic both on the roads and pedestrian wise, but we managed.  After some shopping and a coffee stop, we forged a not-so-hasty retreat as we drove through Dublin’s rush hour traffic to finally arrive at our Holiday Inn.

Holiday Inn, Dublin

ALL of our props and equipment had to be taken in for repacking for our flight home to Canada in the morning.  Getting a full car load and 3 weeks worth of instruments, props, clothes  and equipment was going to be a ‘Houdini’ feat that would require a celebratory dinner and a very good night’s sleep!