9.30am - Lads all meet at Seamus and Sam's place for a top notch cooked breakfast, once again would like to thank the ladies in the kitchen for there work . Due to Extreme numbers, Dan had about 15 people at his place across town too……were quite popular don't you know. Irish music was played, well U2 was on repeat. I believe that it was as good as seeing them Live in Auckland!
10:30am - By now a few sighters have been downed and the general spirit is lifting, the lads are shaking off the effects of Thursday night and are warming up. Nothing Crazy, but we're as excited as Bondy bowling at the tail!
11:00am - Shit house, out of Beer, and were gobsmacked to learn the Offie does not open till 12:30! Lucky the team have brought a back up, with the least of Irish drinks – Pimm's (Sorry Manu...we had to drink it) and Lemonade! Looks like Beer, but it's a rather cunning illusion, becasue in reality tastes like mud! It'll do.
11:22am - Our attempt at dressing in suits and looking classy backfires somewhat, when some genius notices that the 4 Lads (Harbott, Seamus, Sam and Myself) bear striking resemblance to the Anchorman movies Channel 4 News team - (Click Here). Personally, I can't see it. But we go with it, because were all about the craic. At first the plan was for Dead Man suits, but with our Charm and good looks, we decide to take to the new title with gusto! And it proves to be the decisive edge we needed for the day. With the Tardy polyester look, meat worker shirts and god awful ties, were set to go. Even managed to keep the tags on all night, incase I needed to return in morning.
11:45 am – We hit the Streets for the Parade. The world famous St Patrick's parade through the heart of the city. After a quick pit stop in the Pub we whipped out to watch the extravaganza……..I last all of 15min of watching, after 30 marching bands, 300 screaming kids (not including the 100,000 lining the street) , 1 million coloured fish (Not sure what the connection between St Patrick and Fish was, but one can only assume he was either a fisherman or had a small fetish for the little buggars), Rain, Hail and some fairly weird looking floats. Dissapointed I find myself heading for the comfort of the Doyle's Pub, lamenting the lack off Potatoes, Leprachuns and fiddles! Met up with Dan and the whole Dublin delegation was present for the big day, special times!
12:20pm – Witnessed the first and quite surprisingly my only arrest of the day, but in true Irish style it takes the cake. Large Gardi (Police) pushing young 12yr old in handcuffs along the sidewalk…with young lads old man in Tow, and both abusing nine colours out of each other. Classic stuff! Missed what would have been the greatest Kodak moment ever…no Bother!
Harbott managed to stay watching for the whole parade (Only one), I think he got wind of the Brazilian float, and once that went past…he was Hungary for more. Turned up in the Pub with a thirst on and oddly enough a mini version of 'Guess Who', that Zany favorite family board game from the 80's! After a few games, he was in to the drink and out of the championship, couldn't pick a dirty nose.
2:00 – 4:00pm – Buy now the lads are in Full Anchorman character. All taking on their Favorite one, while claming it was the initial plan from the outset. We really had fallen on golden times at Doyle's, effectively taking the place over as we all rove around acting like complete twats, and people are actually loving it! Queue fits of laughter from Yanks, Aussies, Poms and Irish. The only exception was the contingent of Eastern Europeans, who are always the funniest of people, and life of the party. On sighting our Suits, they enquired as to why! Answer – "To take the Piss", I said to the strange looking Chec girl…..which was met with blank faces, and the same question "Why you wear Suits….."
We all came to the conclusion that in Eastern Europe these suits were probably the height of fashion…I'm looking to move there next year!