36 M E T R O S P I R I T
Arts: Events
Celtic Shenanigans in the Month of May
By Rhonda Jones
A P R 2 4 2 0 0 3
Left to Right: Scott Brantley throws the stone at the Aiken Highland Games; a jouster greets the crowd at the Georgia Renaissance festival; Tom Cuny has a night out as Tommy Murphy.
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f you are of Scottish, Irish or Welsh heritage, as many in this area tend to be, you may at times experience some pretty strange, inexplicable urges. Like the urge to toss large poles into the air or dance a funny little hopping jig when no one’s looking, or make a loud whooping noise for no apparent reason. Maybe you just enjoy a good glass of dark ale or are a closet banjo fan. Maybe the sound of the bagpipes makes your heart race. Well, in that case, you can pick any of a number of events that are coming up – starting this weekend – to help you get your Celtic groove on. Aiken Highland Games and Celtic Festival Let’s start with the new kid on the block – the Aiken Highland Games and Celtic Festival. David Nichols, Aiken Highland Games chairman, says this is the first year the festival will have been held in full force. He says it’s very similar to the Highland Games held in Atlanta each fall. In other words, very strong Scotsmen will be tossing very large poles called cabers into the air, among other sporty-type things. And there will be music, food, vendors and children’s activities. “We have several pipe bands that will be playing throughout the day,” Nichols said. And, not only will the menfolk be tossing around trees (well, they may as well be trees), but the women will be tossing also. Hence, Martha will not be protesting this event. “We do have some women coming in for women’s athletics — smaller weights and a smaller caber,” Nichols said. There will be costumed entertainers. Eric Duncan, who is originally from Aberdeen, Scotland, will be there with his special brand of musical merrymaking, as will Augusta Irish band Sibin. (That’s
pronounced sh’bean for all you nonGaelic speakers out there.) “It’s very, very family-oriented,” said Nichols – who is himself a Scots-descended bagpiper. “We have 19 clans that are going to be there with their genealogy, what clan you might belong to.” And if you are a regular at Highland Games events, you may see someone you know. According to Nichols, you may see a lot of someones you know. “A lot of these people who go to these things see these same people every year,” he said. The festival is going to be at the Aiken Horse Park/Conger Field, where the Steeplechase is held each year. It’s at Powderhouse and Audubon roads. For directions call (803) 649-7374. The fun takes place Saturday, May 3, beginning at 9 a.m. (although the park opens at 8:30). The day doesn’t end until 5 p.m. Advance tix can be found at The Curiosity Shop on Laurens Street in downtown Aiken, The Farnell Clinic on York Street, and Aiken Office Supply on Whiskey Road. Advance tix are $8 for grown-ups and $3 for kids age 12 and under. Tickets at the door will be $10 for adults and $5 for kids age 12 and under. Kids under the age of 6 get in free. Two Atlanta Festivals Atlanta plays host to many events like this one. Today, boys and girls, we will talk about the Georgia Renaissance Festival and the Atlanta Celtic Festival. The Ren faire starts this weekend, April 26, and runs weekends until June 8. You will travel back in time to a medieval world where you will behold 12 stages of entertainment and endless booths of arts and crafts ... But these aren’t your everyday arts and crafts. You can find swords, jewelry, gargoyles for your garden and other whimsical creatures. You will see birds of prey flying overhead. There are
musicians galore, in full period dress. You must come and check out The Lost Boys. Request their original song – well sort of original. It’s the story of Othello, titled “Desdemona” and set to the tune of “My Sharona.” With a song like that, you can pick out anyone who has spent much time at all in college English classes – those are the ones who will be rolling with laugher on the floor, clutching their stomachs so as to not laugh the stuffings clean out of themselves. You can chat with the medieval locals – knights, damsels, maybe even the king and queen themselves. There will most likely be a parade. There is a jousting tournament, presided over by the king, and involving the audience. Satyrs will be roaming free. And there may even be a very photogenic troll. Feeding the mythical beasts is not recommended. It’s a huge time. At the end of the day I like to repair to ye olde pub, which is an open-air structure with a stage, where you can sit and have a pint while the bands play and the pub wenches belt out a few tunes. Audience participation is enforced ... er, encouraged. In other words, you’ll be having such a good time, you won’t be able to keep yourself from singing along. Don’t know the words? You will before the afternoon is over. Fun starts 10:30 a.m., April 26 and every weekend morning after, Saturdays and Sundays, through June 8. Park closes at 6 p.m. They will even be open Memorial Day. The site is 8 miles south of Hartsfield Airport on I-85 at Exit 61. See www.garenfest.com for info, or phone (770) 964-8575. The Atlanta Celtic Festival, on the other hand, takes place one weekend, May 1718, at Oglethorpe University, which can be found at 4484 Peachtree Road, NE, Atlanta. There will be local, national and international performers. There will even
be Celtic music workshops. For info call Atlanta Celtic Festival, Inc., at (404) 5728045, visit the Web site at http://atlantacelticfestival.org or e-mail info@atlantacelticfestival.org. “Murphy’s Night Out” With Tom Cuny But on April 27, the fun is coming to you in the form of Tom Cuny, who will perform at the Appleby Garden at the Appleby Branch Library at 2260 Walton Way at Johns Road. Cuny, a New York Irishman who lives in Barnwell, S.C., will transform himself into Tommy Murphy for a performance he calls “Murphy’s Night Out.” “Basically, it’s a character and his name is Tommy Murphy and he’s from Ireland,” Cuny said. “It’s sort of an evening with Tom Murphy, with his wife finally letting him have a night off. He’s finally at a pub and the audience is part of the pub and he’s telling all these stories about the Cousin Murphy who did this and the Cousin Murphy who did that.” Interspersed among Murphy’s stories, Cuny said, will be songs – most traditional pieces from the old country, and two that sprang from Cuny’s own head. Those two are called “The Fields of Gleann An Mojin” and “Once I Was a Noble Lord.” If he has time, Cuny said, he may even play the pipes for you. When asked if there was anything that he wanted his prospective audience to know, Cuny said this: “You can come if you want. I’m going to have a good time.” He will be having a good time at Appleby Garden at 3 p.m. on April 27. The program will last about an hour, he said. Unfortunately, there won’t be any CDs to buy, so you’ll have to pay close attention to him so you can play it all back later in your head. There is no admission fee, but donations will be gladly accepted. For information, call 736-6244.