Sean and Pom's Wedding

well, as I was saying...we were off to Sean and Pom's wedding; I was very excited, Phil was excited and nervous, as he hadn't seen any of the people who would be there, apart from Sean for 10/15 years. The only person I had met was Sean, who came over to our wedding in 1999. Phil knows Sean, as they were in a band called Doctor Millar (Sean) and the Cute Hoors, about 15 yrs or so ago; Phil came to meet Sean through Mark Huggett who was the drummer in Phil's band in Norwich, Red Harvest. Mark shared a flat with Sean...will do anoter post all about Phil's music stuff later....
Anyway, we got the plane from Heathrow; the journey to the airport was so easy, we went by tube and bus to the airport, practically door to door, for six pounds. A very good start. Going through the airport easy, as we had checked in on line, another thing I had never tried before. Disaster struck when the hem of my lovely, new (and not cheap) linen trousers from Jigsaw came down..very annoying as I had to make the journey with my trousers tucked into my socks to stop me tripping over.
Flight easy, too and before we knew it we were in a taxi driving through Dublin; fantastic, we drove down O'Connell Street, which I thought was great; a huge wide street with amazing buildings, including the post office and a couple of grand department store...hoped we'd have time to explore over the weekend!
We got to the hotel, one that Sean and Pom had suggested, the Harcourt Hotel; the people there were so helpful, definetely the most helpful of the three different hotels we stayed at- the receptionist found me a needle and thread straight away, they even had a variety of colours of thread. The minute we got to our room, the phone rang, wow it was Sean!!! He was so excited we had come, he spoke to Phil and then me; so pleased as well that Phil had brought his violin and his voice! A good night's sleep although mattress was too soft and in the morning I woke up with excrutiating pains in my hip, again, the staff were brilliant, they got me a doctor, who came and gave me a powerful jab-felt very rock star having a doctor come to my hotel room to inject me with drugs....
Then....off to the wedding; more lovely streets to admire on the way to the registry office. The wedding was lovely, Pom was beautiful, in a short, beautifully cut white dress, with daisies on- she had daisies in her hair, too. One of Sean's brothers sang, lots of chatting afterwards, and then we got a lift to the reception out in Bray. Bray was lovely and the reception was at the Esplanade hotel right opposite the sea- we had a really special afternoon and evening; a delicious meal sitting in groups of six- we sat with Robert who had been the Cute Hoors manager back in the day and now runs a project called Blastbeat which is a really positive enterprise involving young people in managing and promoting their own bands. Two otthers we got chatting to were Shane and Colette...very lovely they were too.
Out of the corner of my ear I could here people on nearby tables saying 'Phil's here, Phil's here' to each other...after the dinner it was so exciting, so many people so pleased to see Phil and that he'd brought the fiddle too. It was a massive reunion for all on this special day and I was so excited to be there. Loads of people were on a list to play a song or two, Phil played with most of them, and sang a bit, and towards the end of the night, well, before the disco, Jake got up and sang his interpretation of Whiskey in the Jar vaguely based on the Metallica version with Phil and other musicians backing him. I talked to so many lovely women, Sean's sisters and friendss' partners while Phil was doing his music, and really can't wait to take up the many invitations to visit/stay with people when we visit Ireland again.
Excellent breakfast the next morning and a relaxed chat with Sean; we got the Dart back to Dublin, and had loads of time to explore on the Sturday- a very interesting open top bus ride to the Guiness brewery/museum, powerful views, then a walk around some of Phil's old haunts later in the evening, having many chances to admire the bridges at intervals across the Liffey.
Sadly the next day, we had to return to London- it was one of the most refreshing breaks I've ever had; refreshing and exciting all in one. I can't wait to go again.