So It's Been A Year

Mind you, this is not the day I joined the pub. But rather the day I was introduced to Celtic Thunder.

This day one year ago, my friends and I were driving through the pouring rain to an awards banquet over an hours ride away. Being that we all had different tasted in music, we played "iPod shuffle". This is not an iPod on shuffle mind you. It's where each person takes a turn playing whatever music they want for a certain amount of time. We had the music turned low so the three of us could talk, when suddenly my 2 friends were chatting animatedly about the members of the group that was now playing over the speakers. They giggled about "the blonde one" and swooned over "the 'bad boy'". My curiosity was peaked, but frankly, I forgot about the whole thing other than a tune I didn't recognize being stuck in my head for a week. As was/is my "addiction" I was perusing iTunes for new music, when I remembered my friend mentioned this group...Celtic...something or another. To YouTube I went, and clicked on the first video with an icon featuring the so called "blonde one". The song was Heartland, and I was hooked at the first peal of thunder, and the roll of the drums. What was this amazingness? I needed to see more! Being that my friends were so giggly over Keith, I (naturally) had to watch all his songs first (at this time only The Show was released). Well, needless to say I didn't, couldn't, stop watching. Hour after hour, evening after evening, I was on YouTube watching these five ridiculously good looking Irishmen sing. After about a week I had most of the songs off the two albums that were released at the time, but alas! I wanted pictures. Who were these men who could so enrapture young American women. A few keystrokes into a Google query brought me an answer in the form of an official website complete with forum and a chat room. At this time I daren't enter the chat room, I'd never been in one before and I was wary. This aside, I began reading forum threads after checking out all the official news, the store, and of course the photographs. Still unsure of the entire chat & forum (I'd just gotten a Facebook the previous November), I became determined to read every post in every thread...and I did! This process took all of about a week before I joined up with these other folks who found this music, and the gentlemen singing it, so interesting. Still too shy to attempt the "chat room" I began posting around the form and started to find wonderful, kind, people. A few weeks in I became bold enough to venture into the chat which at the time, was separated from the forum and required a separate login ID. Never could I have anticipated what I'd stumbled across. Crazy birthday parties, chats till 4am (and later at times!), pub ghosts, virtual drinks, [blue] chats with the lads (yes I'll admit I thought it was fake at first. So sue me), but most of all there were the people...the Thunderheads.

People I am now proud to call my friends. I don't know what I'd do without you all! If I needed cheering all I had to do was login to the Pub and it was guaranteed I'd be laughing my bum off in 5 minutes or less. Sarah H, Sarah D, Essie, Beth, Cathey, Kelly, Maggie, Tri, Katie, Ghosty, Queeny, Maureen, Esther, Heather (all 3 of you!), Steph, April, Bern, and everyone else I can't can't possibly remember, you all helped me more than you will ever know. This time last year I was ready to quit school and was looking at 2 options. Getting a job here, or taking what little I had and moving overseas and working. Thanks to how you all impacted my life I stayed in school and am headed to university in the fall! I've also done many, many things I'd never have done before. If you'd have told me that I'd get in the car, drive (of all things!) to Canada, with people I'd never truly met before, to hear a group of five Irishmen sing, I'd have laughed in your face. But alas, that's precisely what I did! Perhaps the fact that my parents let me go without question should be even more surprising, considering it was the first time in my life I'd ever skipped class. But I think mom was just happy to see me happy again. These guys must be really good for this to have happened! Sure I'd spent tons of a gorgeous summer in front of my laptop as opposed to on the beach, but hey! I was laughing, smiling, what's this?! Not only did I set off for Canada, but also Baltimore, and Nashville (for a 24 hour trip no less!). That was just last year! This year I've already been off to QVC headquarters in PA to see the lads sing and ended up staying for 3 days, missing 75% of my college classes over St. Patrick's Day. But oh what a trip!! There was not more laughter to be heard for 10 counties at least. Later this year is already bringing a few other shows including a trip to Chicago. I've never been! Thanks to Celtic Thunder I've seen more of my gorgeous country in the last year than I have in my lifetime.

One of my friends who introduced me to Celtic Thunder just sadly shakes her head when I talk about the lads, or about the next adventure being planed to see them preform once again. The second, on the other hand, is all set to sit right up close with me at a show (with Meet & Greet) this November. Thanks to Celtic Thunder our friendship is the strongest it's ever been.

So a big giant THANK YOU to the lads, to Sharon Brown & Phil Coulter, but a massive THANK YOU to my fellow Thunderheads. You all are amazing, never forget that! I hope to be able to call you all my friends for many years to come. We're all very different people, with very different goals, all brought together by one thing, music. It's a powerful thing, and speaks to us on all levels. Never forget that, it's about the music, and no matter what the future may bring, we have that, and we have each other.

Now, I must get some sleep. Tomorrow is a girls night in with some friends, and the rest of the week holds visits from family, a graduate luncheon, an awards banquet, the graduation ceremony, Riverdance, and martial arts training. It's a crazy week ahead!

As Keith would say keep 'er lit!!!

Peace,
Elina

Here's the song that started it all.