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MCELDOWNEY TAKES BARD TITLE WITH FLYING COLOURS.
A new Bard of Armagh was crowned at the Festival of Humorous Verse Finals in the Armagh City Hotel on Friday 25th of November. The 1000 people, who were lucky enough to get tickets braved the snow and wintry elements to be part of the great annual happening ‘The Bard’.
As one wit exclaimed at the end of the night, “When we arrived here this evening from Wicklow, there was a couple of inches of snow on the ground, but when we came out at midnight the snow had all gone. It was as though all the hot air generated through the roars of laughter, leaked out and melted the snow for miles around”
James McEldowney entered the competition for the first time this year and walked away with the prize money and Bard title at the end of a marathon of the best of humorous verse. His epic poem, cleverly constructed and superbly delivered, told the tale of one Hudy McGuigan’s pioneering flight, long before Orville and Wright were ever heard of. His account was pulsating, uplifting and he had the entire audience spellbound with his verbal wizardry, and bound over with laughter at his special and rare style of humour.
“As he fiddled and he futtered, and he hammered and he nailed, In the stable, on the table, he made himself a tail, He shaped it like a fan, it was light, but it was strong, Twas six or seven fut in length, and as broad as it was long.”
James had to beat off very stiff opposition from the Bard winners of 2003 and 2004, namely Henry McGrath and Jimmy Rafferty, both of whom gave outstanding polished performances and both of whom have that special facility for activating sustained and prolonged peals of laughter from the audience. Rosemary Twohig, a Bard regular for 13 years won the special Irish News section with another superb composition ‘The Electronic Belt’
The Mayor of Armagh ‘Mr John Campbell’ in his opening address welcomed all present from various parts of Ireland and overseas. He hailed the Bard as an event of unparalleled popularity and stated that Armagh City and District Council were delighted to be associated with something which is so powerful, popular and promotes Armagh as place of welcome, warmth, good humour and creativity.
Speaking for the Irish News, the main sponsor, Mr Paddy Meehan, confessed that this was his first Bard and that he was totally bowled over by it’s popularity and how well the event has been managed. ‘Now I know how important this event is and we are delighted to be associated with something which draws upon all sections of the community regardless of class, creed, social or cultural background. It’s important that this ancient art form is restored and retained’
Meanwhile, due to popular demand, a new double CD, featuring many of the Bard classics of the past 12 years is now in hitting the shops in time for the Christmas market. Included are verbal craftspeople such as Michael Quinn, Pat Mc Geeney, Patsy O Hagan, Henry McGrath, Jimmy Rafferty, Joan Gaffney and a host of others.