The familiar whiff of marijuana drifting over the evening skyscrape. A ghost in the eye of the Feis lady slouched by the Guinness stand. Shane McGowan has slunk off after a rousing set on Stage Two with the glint of the glimmer in his eye. The growing growl of anticipation as the crowd prepares for the visitation. My mind flickers to the last time, and the time before that, and the time before that when I last saw him. And I thought how worthy to keep this going – this constant round of touring and supporting. From one city to the next. Treating it as a job because it is a job. Keeping things professional – for a whole host of reasons. And here it comes – the rising of the rhythm curling through the crowd. The grabbing for the lyric – yes it is “Gotta Change My Way of Thinking” I told you, I told you. The bobbing white hat, the stretching black leg, kicking like a mule. He never tires of it because its what he does. Its work, but not work. It’s a calling he can’t resist, or deny. And at the end, something special. A word from him to us. Rare and invaluable. Just ‘Friends’.
Thank you again. Sir Bob.
by the fellside 