Kinda Like Homecoming

The tour starts with a communal cocktail in the bar, and the hotel staff is busy, busy, fetching and pouring for the group.  A couple of late stragglers arrive, and one couple has been delayed getting out of France, but we are greeted by Donnie and James, recognize some familiar faces and set about introducing ourselves to many new faces.  Paula is determined to learn names and faces as quicly as possible, so she and Lynn are checking off names from the pre-tour bios, and confirming who goes with whom as the evening and dinner progress.  

Dinner is excellent, of course, and while the group doesn’t stand up and introduce themselves individually, by the time dinner is over, with consultation and mutual confirmation, we’re pretty sure about 36 of the 42 names and faces.  And inevitably, there is talk among the  veterans remembering “that tour with the Boys to….”  One participant has been on 20 tours with the Boys, and one couple on 19.   They’re at the high end, while  we’re only on our fourth, and Lynn and John have plenty of company among the first-timers.  

After dinner, James goes through some housekeeping details, luggage tags are handed out, and he and Donnie do a short concert.  In the morning, bags in the hall by 8, breakfast will be available from 6 until 10, and bus leaves at 10 for Sligo. But the group conatins several musicians who have brought along their own instruments – guitars, fiddles, pennywhistles, recorders – and the diehards repair to one of the lobby rooms for a couple of hours of round-robin music.  There will be time for sleep on the bus.  Donnie, James, and Bronagh, however, will be administering departure in the morning, including checkout, settling up, toting everyone’s luggage, and loading the bus, so they all disappear.