Instrument models at festival gates.
On Saturday (18th August 2012), we started off the day chatting to festival founder Ed Ward about his role in the Entertainment department of the festival. As it was still early morning and the festival was still a few hours from opening, we got to sit up on the Coors Light/ Parkview stage and watch a soundcheck with the bluegrass and Irish traditional music collaboration High Roads and Railroads. This is a combination of the bluegrass band the Ebony Hillbillies and the Irish traditional band Téada, who performed together at Irish Fest this year as part of the festivals bluegrass feature. It was fascinating to watch each performer go through individual sound checks, and with such a diverse array of musical styles being put together, it was interesting seeing them all finding that comfort zone where they could each play off each other.
Watching High Roads and Railroads sound-checking with Ed Ward.
Watching High Roads and Railroads sound-checking with Ed Ward.
Next up, I went to check out an upcoming Irish music band called Tallymoore – featuring Sean Ward on percussions and additional vocals. It was interesting to see a band with so many vocalists as well as guitarists and a great violinist. The performance was in The Snug, so as the name suggests, this stage made it a cozy performance with a small crowd.
Tallymoore performing at The Snug on Saturday.
Scythian performing at the Tipperary stage Saturday night.
That evening I went to see Scythian perform again at the Tipperary stage, a band fast becoming my favorite of the festival simply for their energetic and crowd-involving live performances (Immigrant Roadshow album is awesome!). It was interesting to see a large part of the crowd to the rear creating a little arena where a tower of beer cups would be built for people to attempt to jump over (Harder that it looks).
Festival goers jumping cup towers at Scythians performance Saturday night.
Forgetting to record some video of Scythian Saturday night, I did manage to get footage Sunday. Most of their great song (Yet hard to find online) “Those were the days’, which I have available to view on my YouTube channel:
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Sunday (19th August 2012), started off with us helping out at the annual festival Sunday morning Food Drive. This is where the Hunger Taskforce of Milwaukee, a volunteer group who collect food from public donations, and distribute it out to local charities. Here we helped the Hunger Taskforce guys at the gates collect bags of donated food and load it onto the taskforce lorry. People who donated food at the gates could then enter the festival grounds for free (A great idea I though, as you would be surprised just how many people would do so if suggested).
At the food drive Sunday morning.
At the food drive Sunday morning.
Next, we attended the annual Irish Fest Mass, a massive Catholic mass which meets each year on the Sunday morning of the festival in the near by Marcus Amptheatre. This year it held a congregation of up to 10,000 attendees. Here we observed the mass and how it was carried out. Never heard the sound of 10,000 people simultaneously standing up or sitting down in one large enclosed space! 
View of the mass alter.
10,000 strong crowd at the Irish Fest mass.
Then it was back to the festival grounds proper to catch Tallymoore performing on the much larger Aer Lingus stage.
Tallymoore performing on the Aer Lingus stage on Sunday.
Here I finally managed to record some footage of Tallymoore performing ‘Whiskey in the jar:
Luckily I also got to catch High Roads and Railroads perform on the Coors Light/ Parkview stage again.
High Roads and Railroads performing at the Coors Light/ Parkview stage Sunday.
Fortunately I managed to record some footage of High Roads and Railroads during their Sunday performance, which is available to watch on my YouTube channel:
The rest of the day saw more and more crowds pour in as the festival neared its close.
Sunday crowds at the festival.
Sunday crowds at the festival.
By mid afternoon, the skies opened and the festival was hit with torrential rain. As we were on our tour of the grounds with the festivals Beverages team, we were lucky to grab shelter in the nearest bar, surrounded by soaked festival goers…
Taking shelter in a bar during a downpour.
Once the rain had cleared and our Beverages tour was over, we headed to the Jameson Cottage to take part in some whiskey tasting with Gate 6′s Pat Brown. I could now tell you the difference between a regular Jameson whiskey, a 12 year old Jameson whiskey, an 18 year old Jameson whiskey or a Jim Beam whiskey (All nice except the Jim Beam…). Oh and don’t mention the ‘whiskey robbery’ to Fiona what ever you do…
Whiskey tasting with Pat at the Jameson cottage.
After that, I headed to The Village Pub stage to catch an intimate gig with Irish musicians Larry Nugent and Patsy O’Brien. Legends…
Larry Nugent and Patsy O’Brien performing on The Village Pub stage.
That evening, the festival was coming to a close. So with all other performances and stages now finished, many performers and volunteers got on stage for a last farewell to the crowds and a few last songs sang on stage together in the festivals annual Scattering. Myself and the other interns; Fiona, Aine and Grace, watched with other volunteers from our golf carts down in the crowd.
The Scattering – Musicians and volunteers perform on stage.
The Scattering as seen from backstage.
Fireworks at the scattering.
Fireworks at the scattering.
Least to say, there were a few tears shed as we sang and cheered to the end of an amazing festival and a great time together.
Fiona, Grace, Rob, Aine and myself at the end of the Scattering.
Me, Fiona, Cathy Ward, Aine and Grace at the Scattering.
Once things were wrapped up on the festival grounds, we all headed back to the hotel where the post-festival sessions kicked off for the night. Musicians from several bands mingled with volunteers and dignitaries to chat and play together …It was a late night
Late night session at the hotel that night.
One of the lads from Scythian with Caitlin Ward and Basil McCrea.
Eileen Carpenter and Grace L Russell with the lads at the hotel that night.
Late night session at the hotel that night.
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On Monday (20th August 2012), after helping out down on the grounds taking down installations and packing equipment away to the Irish Fest Centre down in Wauwatosa – it was time to say goodbye… 
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Giving me a place to stay, well fed and watered for 2 weeks and providing plenty of joyful banter during my stay, the Orlovskys were a welcoming family to stay with. I hope to keep in touch with them and who knows, maybe i’ll be working with them at another year of Irish Fest yet?
Me with Patty and Mark Orlovsky after Irish Fest 2012.
Thanks to the Orlovsky’s dog Jameson, for making me feel welcome on my first day in Milwaukee by getting sick on my bed. Good dog Jameson!
Jameson
As for the other volunteers at the festival, and my fellow comrades Aine, Fiona and Grace, it was all over too quickly. We said our goodbyes and promised to keep in touch online (Which with marvels such as Facebook and Twitter, aint so hard to do now thankfully). After some hugs and goodbyes we parted ways…
Sláinte
Note to self: Plan next trip to sunny Milwaukee and another year at Irish Fest!
See all you guys soon!
Slán
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UPDATE: Putting together a compilation video of several video clips I recorded over the course of Sunday at the festival and a bit of the Wisconsin State Fair so hopefully will post that up soon. Stay tuned!
