Maine Celtic Festival

We arrived in Belfast for the Maine Celtic Festival just in time to watch the chasing of the cheese. Umm, maybe that's not what it's called. The event was divided into age groups, the competitors lining up at the top of a steep grassy hill, while the master of ceremonies, dressed in full kilt, launched the cheese wheel (about a foot in diameter) down the hill.

The chase was on! I was too busy laughing to take any pix of the shenanigans. Just imagine piles of bodies accumulating on the hill while the cheese escapes and continues rolling...

I wish I had entered the ladies 25 and up as there were only three competitors. The first two looked like sprinters, though, serious runners, and I really didn't want to break my neck. Then a third, who looked from behind like a fullback, joined the lineup. The cheese was launched, the pursuit was on, with the two runners hot on the cheese and the full back appeared out of nowhere and flomped on the rolling cheese, which escaped and made it all the way down to the barricade as the two runners got into a struggling match over its possession. Ha-ha.

The men had about twenty cheese chasers and it ended up in a pig pile halfway down.

After wiping the tears from my eyes, we browsed the vendors and watched the music.

Colin Grant was delayed in tourist traffic so the Flying Scotsman(in kilt) and friends filled in the wait. They were very funny, the scots having a killer sense of timing and of course a lovely accent.


Colin Grant band out of Cape Breton then took the stage. Colin is a superb fiddler, and the band was tight. Great show! This was one of there last songs, and they had a special guest demonstrating a jig up front.


Next was Long Time Courting, and all woman band. The flutist was really the star of the show, extremely talented and vivacious. Curly red hair accented by a lovely white dress with red splashes, highlighted by her white legs. She was quite pregnant, stomping out the beat in black heels. They were a lot of fun and had great vocals. The guitar acted as the rhythm-I think some percussion would have helped round them out.


The final band, Prydein, came on. A bagpipe rock band. The guitarist was a real jerk. Just loud-mouthed arrogant. His vocal mic was way too loud, too. LOL. The bagpiper was a fill-in for their regular guy, and he was amazing! the guitar player was too dismissive of him for my taste. I was left with the urge to learn the pipes! Too cool.

The night ended with the longest display of fireworks I have ever seen. The Maine Celtic festival continues today, and earned a spot on my calendar for next year.