Kiss the Earth

Whew! I'm going to have to sharpen my elbows. It's crowded in there. It's a mellow crowd but a crowded crowd, especially around the stage behind the castle. That's where Ragus is performing, a troupe of traditional Irish dancers and musicians. They're young and handsome, full of energy and dressed in black sequined costumes. Very lively and the crowd is loving it.

One thing I was able to see before the people tsunami nearly swept me away was the Mens Garden Club of Philadelphia's "Best in Show" award in the nonacademic educational category. I talked with some of the guys last week as they put this exhibit together - a snapshot of a typical Irish village they named Ballygael. They built a woolen shop, a jewelry store and a pub they named Tommy's Pub.

There is a sad backstory to all this. The pub was named for Tommy Hays, Jr., a young man with many interests who died in his bed in December of causes yet to be determined. Tommy was a volunteer firefighter in Narberth, as well as a junior member of the men's garden club. His dad, Tom Sr., was a founding member of the club.

One of Tommy's roommates, Owen Marshall, came by to see how the pub was progressing on his day off last week. He told me Tommy was a great guy, "kind of a goof ball but someone who always helped me out when I needed it." He was 25 when he died. The two friends became volunteer firefighters together when they were seniors in high school.

Owen says he misses his buddy. "We're all brothers down there at the fire house," he said.
Check out the firefighter helmet in the pub, which looks so authentic I almost sat down and ordered a pint.