Posted on 07/31/2009 9:49:03 AM PDT by Mount Athos
U.S. soldiers were given a true Irish welcome at a wedding in Co Clare this week.
The 300 troops were stranded in Shannon last weekend after their Iraq-bound plane was grounded.
As luck would have it, they were booked into the same hotel as the wedding party for Amelia Walsh and Sean O'Neill.
And so the 300 troops were invited to join the festivities at the Clare Inn in Newmarket-on-Fergus.
The groom's uncle, Joe O'Neill said: "It didn’t take long before the combat fatigues were manoeuvring to the strains of ‘The Walls of Limerick'."
The happy couple posed for pictures with the troops earlier in the day and Eamon Walsh, the father of the bride, said the couple were "proud" to have the soldiers at their function.
Walsh said the couple invited the men in so they could experience an Irish wedding.
"They behaved in an exemplary manner at all times and if our troops behaved in the same way when they are on peacekeeping duties, I would be very proud," he said.
O'Neill, who flew in to the wedding from his home in San Francisco, said: "As the soldiers began to mingle into the private wedding party banquet area they were told by their Commanding Officer that the area was a private party and off limits.
"Common decency, and Irish hospitality however, overruled personal political opinions, and the groom, a fine young man, accepting that I might be a little prejudiced in this respect, informed the Commanding Officer that they were welcome to join the party.
"I believe the groom’s brother summed up the general feeling of wedding guests when he said, “If my own son happened to be in that situation in a foreign country, I would hope that someone would show him a bit of a good time before he had to face what they are going to," he said.
Some reports declared that uniformed US soldiers, staying overnight in the Clare Inn, had gatecrashed the event, and were most unwelcome. Truth turns out to be the opposite...
What a great true feel good story.
Erin Go Bragh!
Took my kids to Florida and we were the only room rented that wasn’t a part of a wedding they were having on the beach there. It was a cajun family and they had an old fashioned cajun meal/party. They put several picnic tables together, ran the tables with newspapers and sat piles of food in the middle. Corn on the cob, crab legs, shrimp, etc... and if you wanted, there was jambalaya in a big pot at the end of the table sitting on a grill. No need for utensils or plates and it was so interesting and fun! My kids still talk about how nice they were to invite us to their party and they experienced something new!
Oh, the clean up was my kind of cleanup. Just pull the newspapers up and throw it all away. Wala! Done.
It’s my understanding that the Irish can sometimes be a little less than welcoming to troops stopping over there on their way to the Middle East.
As a well traveled vet, I have been there done that. Not the Irish wedding, but witnessed many displays of human kindness. TRULY AWESOME. Sooo much for the hatred of America.
The CO did the right thing, testing for invitation status.
And the Irish did too: “Let the party begin!”
I wish I’d been there.
I’ve done the Iraq-run with the military and Shannon is a standard stop. The Irish folks there were very welcoming to our troops.
Substitute Ireland ping!
There are a few kooks in Ireland that did manage to break into the Shannon Airport and use a hammer on a US plane that was refueling there. And in general, the Irish populace is force fed a daily stream of anti-US/anti-war propaganda from their media.
However, there are plenty of right thinking individuals and families there with relatives in America that have a much more balanced perspective.
I presume it was only a few dozen of the 300 stranded soldiers that joined in with the party but this act of generosity doesn't surprise me. Plus, think of the great craic that the wedding party can reuse time and again in their regular pub!
“As a well traveled vet, I have been there done that.”
As a ten year Marine vet, I too experienced much kindness and gratitude from most of the places I traveled. Heck, even when they did the “Hands around Kadena” on Okinawa, the participants were cordial and kind while protesting our presence. The following weekend, I was partying at the house of several of the protesters!
Some of my experiences included: participated in a wedding party in the Philippines, a HUGE family reunion in Australia, the national softball tournament in Panama and even a celebration party in Kuwait City two days after the end of the 1st Gulf War.
Loved my ten years - learned a whole lot about the world, the people thereof, and the short-sightedness of most Americans (the liberals at least)!!
Ondinary Irish are not anti-American in any way. But, as in America, the media and academic elites are in the other corner. The ‘leading’ Irish newspaper, the “Irish Times” is a even snootier version of the New York Times, and even more boring. The national television service is publically owned, and is worse that MSNBC. The Irish, like most Americans despise their media.
A great story!
The last time I was in an airport, I was relaxing in a bar, and I saw that there were a couple of soldiers having a beer. I called my waitress over and told her that I'd like to take care of their tab. She told me that another customer had already done so, and I was NOT the only one to ask to take care of them.
I think that the military is far more loved than the elites and msm would have us believe.
Mark
Makes me proud my roots go back to Ireland!
Like all countries, including the U.S., Ireland has its share of leftist 'peaceniks'. Most Irish, regardless of their opinion of the war in Iraq, would respect our soldiers.
I’ve seen our soldiers at Shannon a few times. How oft do they get the opportunity to leave the airport and see the country or even get a pint at a local pub?
The "Walls of Limerick" appears to be a certain dance formation:
Trinity Irish Dancers - The Walls of Limerick
Celtic Knights perform Walls of Limerick, International Festival '07
The Walls of Limerick (performed in Italy with an Italian announcer)
“Ondinary [sic] Irish are not anti-American in any way. But, as in America, the media and academic elites are in the other corner.”
Don’t you think that’s true of most of the countries that are supposedly so anti-American? I think going to the French, Brit, Spanish, German countryside turns up many who think of America as great. Most even like Americans ;) But their elites and our elites are the ones making the most noise and painting the ugliest picture.
I’m happy to hear this. The level of anti-Americanism on many Irish net boards disgusts me, so when I hear stories like this, it makes me feel better about regular folks in the Republic.
God love and bless these people. I was afraid the soldiers got the usual Irish “welcome”... vomiting Guiness.
No one...no group of people...can outdo the Irish in hospitality. It was one of the Ten Commandments of the Druids and all the Irish Kings...to give hospitality, solace, and kindness to the weary traveler. It is an ancient custom...and a fine one!
MMMmmmmmm...my mouth is watering just at the thought of it!
Thank you for your service!
Thank you for your service!
That is a very racist statement!
I know.
“Pardon me, I’m British.” ;)
My condolences. I’m Scottish and one of my worst husbands was Irish. I have skin in the game, baby!
...and of which heritage was the BEST husband, may I ask?
Welsh.
My pleasure; not the whole time, but now that it is over, I can say that. Ha!
Are you sure you are not Elizabeth Taylor? :)
She wishes.
“It’s MY ISLAND!!!” Ping
Slainte
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