The day they got BrianC to Dance

By BrianC
May 11 2004

Our season has ended with a bad defeat in bad weather. Did that stop the Craic Team enjoying themselves? Hell no, in fact it turned into one of our best parties thus far.

When I got into the hotel bar at around noon the place was already busy. Old friendships were being renewed and new ones made. With me I had the site's new logo, which I will publish once it is registered, and some hard copies of the London Irish section of my statistics series which I proceeded to bore everyone within earshot with.

Amongst those I spent time with was Pat Coyne, the clubs Commercial Director. Much of our conversation revolved around a mutual interest, the size of our crowds. I do not want to break any confidences but will say that part of our discussion revolved around the big days we have. At present these are the Saint Patrick's weekend and Christmas games. Both of these are by no means guaranteed as fixtures. This season the club tried, with limited success, to target the first game of the season. Given that there will be double headers at Twickenham for the next two years that is no longer an option, although they in themselves, if successful, could open up more opportunities.

It was as we were wrapping up our conversation that I said to Pat that I thought the last home game of the season should be targeted. That was before the day I came to experience so strongly reinforced my views. Pat, if you are reading this, my honest advice is to go for it. I can feel it in my waters, we have a major day in the making. Amongst other things I met a good sprinkling of people who had come to their first game at Saint Patrick's weekend. They were coming back to see what things were like at a ‘normal’ game.

I had a couple of errands to run. Those of you who saw me in the morning may have noticed that my below waist attire was rather, shall we say, colourful. As I was walking around I got some strange looks. It occurred to me that the last time I felt something similar was the first time I wore a wig in and around the Madstad. In that case one of the receptionists in the hotel literally fell over laughing. Nowadays nobody bats an eyelid. It has to be said that there were not that many shorts in evidence, the weather no doubt played a part. Next time we try something similar, a beach party perhaps, we'll check the weather forecast before we go for it.

The car park gathering was substantial despite the weather. Here I got to meet for the first time many of those who I have come to know online. I also got to meet a couple of lurkers who I had sent SMS score updates to earlier in the season. We welcomed the family Thommo to the London Irish family, their first ever LI game. It was truly wonderful to see them, I know they enjoyed their day and we might just have sold a few more season tickets.

The game has been covered elsewhere, enough said. What does deserve a special mention is the Saracens support, particularly that in the West stand. They were substantial and struck me as the best organised visiting support we have had in a long time.

After the match fifteen or twenty of us descended on the curry house for refuelling before heading into the Allied Arms. As ever it was one of those very genial gatherings that I enjoy so much. At this stage I don't know what I really expected about the Allied and Ferrets. I knew I'd enjoy it but did not realise quite what a treat I was in for.

When I walked into the Allied Arms at about 9.30 Rage Against the Poteen had finished their set and the Gagging Ferrets were in full swing. The garden was full, there must have been a couple of hundred in there. I reckon I knew about a quarter of them, most of the rest I assume also read about the gig here or had been told about it by someone who had. I must admit I take great pleasure from knowing that this site was one of the many factors that contributed to such a successful evening.

I was greeted by Reading Glasses. The sight of his face is an image that will stay with me for many a year. He had the biggest smile you could imagine, stretching from one ear to the other. 'This is fantastic', he said, 'These are our friends and they've come here to party'. He was right, it was fantastic. Certainly the most enjoyable evening I have had, out of many, this season. Indeed I do not exaggerate when I say that in my six odd years as a London Irish supporter it is right up there in the list of events I have most enjoyed, perhaps surpassed only by the cup final day.

The Gagging Ferrets have spent many hours practicing and it shows, they are really good. Like many others who were there I still find a few days after the event that I have 'Hi Ho London Irish' and 'I am a Guinness Drinker' rattling round my head. One particular highlight for me was when during a gap in between songs I started a chorus of 'I'd rather be a Paddy'. Ken and Eek looked at each other, a couple of notes were exchanged on their guitars, and they launched themselves into playing it. It was unrehearsed, it only lasted a minute or so but it was played with such real passion, the place went wild.

At the end of the evening I was chatting a bit with Ken E. One of the things he said struck me as very profound, so much so that I find myself a few days after the event still musing on it. I had made some remark about how the hotel must have been full, O'Neills with Le Cheile there was no doubt jumping and despite that the AA was also full. He said, 'It doesn't really matter what people do or where they go, as long as they are enjoying themselves. It's all London Irish and that is what is good about it.'

Here, at the risk of offending some people I know and like, I will nail my colours to the mast and say quite categorically that the Ferrets should have a slot in the cowshed, perhaps as a support act to Le Cheile. They are London Irish to the bone, they have grown from the supporter community. Most importantly, as anyone who was there will testify, they are good.

I left the AA at about midnight with a bouquet of helium filled balloons strapped to one of my buttons. ‘Back at the hotel the joint was well and truly jumping. JoeV on the piano, Noel giving it some welly on the vocals. It was probably a mistake to go onto the armagnac but you know how persuasive that OxonRob fellow can be. I think I hit bed at around 3.30.

Those people who know me well know that I have two left feet. I do not dance, never, ever, categorically no! Saturday 8th May 2004 will go down in the record books as the day they got BrianC to dance. Under the stars at the Allied Arms, amongst all those happy smiling people many of who were also dancing, be they close to the stage, at the back of the garden, on tables, chairs, wherever. It was a truly special evening.