Whew.
1. Finest week's re-enacting I've ever had.
2. Friendliest gang of folk on Earth.
3. No arguments, no Politics, no Prima Donnas (except for me and of course, Cameron
)
4. Most interested, animated, respectful and enthusiastic Public you could wish for.
5. Where else could you fight with Bayonets fixed, rammed rounds and be confident everyone was up to scratch?
6. Where else can you use buildings of the period to live, eat, sleep, sing and dance in?
I'll be the first to admit that the Folk Park is not everyone's cup of tea. If you're a Hardcore Campaigner you would cringe at some of the activities, the invasive Public and the morning and night feeding at the Residential Centre.
On the other hand, if you want a plethora of Magic Moments, wonderful teamwork and togetherness and to make firm and fast friends in re-enacting, then you might just enjoy a week in re-enacting heaven. We had some fabulous nights of song and laughter in the Pennsylvania log house that will long endure in my memory and some great social nights in the Mellon Country Inn and the Residential Centre for the Minstrel Boys 10th Anniversary do.
I'm gutted I didn't get more pictures - there just didn't seem enough time, however there should be loads available from Davy, Aoife, Aimee and Chris later in the week as they come down to Earth! I've posted some from the Park's 30th Anniversary Night in the Yahoo! Group.
I did two days as Cornfed and three days as Fed and enjoyed the craic in both Camps; most of the VC lads did some galvanising - I think only Mickey, Rich, Doc and the German lads did only Cornfed for the time they were there.
We had a good hour long Drill session every day, so by Friday, Saturday and Sunday we were HOT! We had a couple of Load and Fire contests which sharpened everyone up, learned the proper 'Charge Bayonets' in two ranks, gained excellent skills in forming the Company from all sides from both left and right face and had a wonderful session in Skirmish Drill to the Bugle thanks to Wesley Bourke's proficiency and knowledge.
We had two skirmishes a day, ostensibly for the Public, but mainly for ourselves! We fecked up a couple of times, but in the main, they looked good, felt good, were perfectly safe and were short and punchy. It was good to get the help of the Civilians in the evening skirmishes and they played their part to the full.
Camp life was excellent on both sides. People volunteered for Picket Duty, water and wood details, and round filling every day without being asked. In the Federal Camp, Taigh Honan performed the onerous duty of Quartermaster with his usual selflessness and the widest smile this side of the Liffey! Davy Orr's Medical display was awesome and his blood-curdling talks had members of the Public looking for a bucket! Well done Colin and Ian for organising and running the Kid's Drill sessions - a thankless task!
Cameron was his usual self - having not seen him for some years, I'd forgotten the sheer enthusiasm and elan he brings to Living History; he was on top form despite a gammy leg - where would Irish re-enacting be without him?
It was great to meet and work with the Irish lads and lasses again and to work with the consummate Pro's of the HDGM 5th Va, Andy, Christian, Reinhold (sp?) and Dorothea. I do hope we can all meet again at Fort Widley, Bath and maybe Brittany later this year.
Many thanks must go to the Park Staff, from the Interpreters to the ever-cheerful Canteen folk and the Re-enactor co-ordinators, Patrick and Richard. The best news of the week came from Richard on the Sunday morning - the event is DEFINITELY on next year, so get your Hols organised for July 4th week 2008, never mind the Gettysburg event, this is one NOT to be missed!
Roll of Honour:
Feds
Cameron Robinson
Davy Orr
Taigh Honan
Wesley Bourke
Frank O'Deorain
Colin Reid
Sandy Reid
Jamie Thompson
Andy Clayton
Geoff Toyer
Hugh Logan
Ian Miller
Joe O'Deorain
John Mason
Frank O'Gorman
Noel McGillian
Aimee Shaw (Amos!!)
Cornfeds
Mickey Thompson
Chris McConnell
Andy Braunling
Christian Maase
Reinhold Watzina
Nathan Passey
Richard Hale
Galvanisers
Chris Thompson
Phil Thompson
Nick Passey
Alex Mason
Chris O'Brien
Civilians
Kelly Glass
Dorothea Braunling
Tegan MacNamara
Davy Orr Jr
John Hopper
Aoife O'Connor
If I've forgotten anyone, please slap my wrist - I'm working from a befuddled memory and I can't find Mickey's Roll Call book!
Talking about books, I could have written one on this event. Hopefully someone else will jog our memories about some of the happenings of this fantastic week!
We all await, with bated breath, the findings of Aimee's Anthropological or Sociological or whatever survey - should make interesting reading!
Nobby
1. Finest week's re-enacting I've ever had.
2. Friendliest gang of folk on Earth.
3. No arguments, no Politics, no Prima Donnas (except for me and of course, Cameron
)4. Most interested, animated, respectful and enthusiastic Public you could wish for.
5. Where else could you fight with Bayonets fixed, rammed rounds and be confident everyone was up to scratch?
6. Where else can you use buildings of the period to live, eat, sleep, sing and dance in?
I'll be the first to admit that the Folk Park is not everyone's cup of tea. If you're a Hardcore Campaigner you would cringe at some of the activities, the invasive Public and the morning and night feeding at the Residential Centre.
On the other hand, if you want a plethora of Magic Moments, wonderful teamwork and togetherness and to make firm and fast friends in re-enacting, then you might just enjoy a week in re-enacting heaven. We had some fabulous nights of song and laughter in the Pennsylvania log house that will long endure in my memory and some great social nights in the Mellon Country Inn and the Residential Centre for the Minstrel Boys 10th Anniversary do.
I'm gutted I didn't get more pictures - there just didn't seem enough time, however there should be loads available from Davy, Aoife, Aimee and Chris later in the week as they come down to Earth! I've posted some from the Park's 30th Anniversary Night in the Yahoo! Group.
I did two days as Cornfed and three days as Fed and enjoyed the craic in both Camps; most of the VC lads did some galvanising - I think only Mickey, Rich, Doc and the German lads did only Cornfed for the time they were there.
We had a good hour long Drill session every day, so by Friday, Saturday and Sunday we were HOT! We had a couple of Load and Fire contests which sharpened everyone up, learned the proper 'Charge Bayonets' in two ranks, gained excellent skills in forming the Company from all sides from both left and right face and had a wonderful session in Skirmish Drill to the Bugle thanks to Wesley Bourke's proficiency and knowledge.
We had two skirmishes a day, ostensibly for the Public, but mainly for ourselves! We fecked up a couple of times, but in the main, they looked good, felt good, were perfectly safe and were short and punchy. It was good to get the help of the Civilians in the evening skirmishes and they played their part to the full.
Camp life was excellent on both sides. People volunteered for Picket Duty, water and wood details, and round filling every day without being asked. In the Federal Camp, Taigh Honan performed the onerous duty of Quartermaster with his usual selflessness and the widest smile this side of the Liffey! Davy Orr's Medical display was awesome and his blood-curdling talks had members of the Public looking for a bucket! Well done Colin and Ian for organising and running the Kid's Drill sessions - a thankless task!
Cameron was his usual self - having not seen him for some years, I'd forgotten the sheer enthusiasm and elan he brings to Living History; he was on top form despite a gammy leg - where would Irish re-enacting be without him?
It was great to meet and work with the Irish lads and lasses again and to work with the consummate Pro's of the HDGM 5th Va, Andy, Christian, Reinhold (sp?) and Dorothea. I do hope we can all meet again at Fort Widley, Bath and maybe Brittany later this year.
Many thanks must go to the Park Staff, from the Interpreters to the ever-cheerful Canteen folk and the Re-enactor co-ordinators, Patrick and Richard. The best news of the week came from Richard on the Sunday morning - the event is DEFINITELY on next year, so get your Hols organised for July 4th week 2008, never mind the Gettysburg event, this is one NOT to be missed!
Roll of Honour:
Feds
Cameron Robinson
Davy Orr
Taigh Honan
Wesley Bourke
Frank O'Deorain
Colin Reid
Sandy Reid
Jamie Thompson
Andy Clayton
Geoff Toyer
Hugh Logan
Ian Miller
Joe O'Deorain
John Mason
Frank O'Gorman
Noel McGillian
Aimee Shaw (Amos!!)
Cornfeds
Mickey Thompson
Chris McConnell
Andy Braunling
Christian Maase
Reinhold Watzina
Nathan Passey
Richard Hale
Galvanisers
Chris Thompson
Phil Thompson
Nick Passey
Alex Mason
Chris O'Brien
Civilians
Kelly Glass
Dorothea Braunling
Tegan MacNamara
Davy Orr Jr
John Hopper
Aoife O'Connor
If I've forgotten anyone, please slap my wrist - I'm working from a befuddled memory and I can't find Mickey's Roll Call book!
Talking about books, I could have written one on this event. Hopefully someone else will jog our memories about some of the happenings of this fantastic week!
We all await, with bated breath, the findings of Aimee's Anthropological or Sociological or whatever survey - should make interesting reading!
Nobby
rather the suicidal deer and traffic jams
Hope you like some of the conversions to ambrotype.