Colorado resembled Ireland in weather and celebration Sunday at the 12th annual Colorado Irish Festival at Clement Park in Jefferson County.
Despite the inclement weather, which kept attendance lower than previous years, about 5,000 people came for the music, dance, art and drink at the three-day festival, said Kerreen O’Connor, president of Colorado United Irish Societies, the festival’s sponsor.
“We imported Irish weather for an authentic Irish experience,” O’Connor said.
The fest has roots in the parking lot of Aurora’s Sheabeen Pub, where Tony McAleavey, former owner of the pub, staged the first Denver-area Irish Festival.
“It has been getting bigger and bigger every year – except for this one,” McAleavey said.
A native of Ireland, McAleavey was reminded of home by the steady rain Sunday.
“This is what is known in Ireland as a soft day,” McAleavey said. “It’s why there are so many bars in Ireland – to get out of the rain.”
Members of the Denver Gaels Hurling Club refused to be held back by the rain, as the group put on an exhibition against the Twin Cities Hurling Club.
Hurling, a mixture of lacrosse and field hockey, requires participants to chase after a baseball-sized “sliotar” with large wooden sticks called hurleys. Contact is often made between wood and flesh as participants battle to control the ball.
“Protection is optional, although we do encourage helmets,” Ireland native Niall Byrne said. “When played right, there usually aren’t too many injuries.”
Some enjoyed the experience of simply pretending to be Irish. Ken Fuhr travels throughout the state playing bagpipes with the Michael Collins Pipes and Drums Band.
“I’m not even Irish, I’m Scottish,” Fuhr said. “But what’s the difference – we all fought the Brits.”
Staff writer JP Eichmiller can be reached at 303-820-1201 or jeichmiller@denverpost.com.
