This just in via E-Mail;

I hope that they don't mind if I copy this advisory here, and really don't think they shall - otherwise I wouldn't be sharing it here.

So, FYI:

Dear Friends of Ceilidh House,

Please read the text below and take action accordingly (accordianly?) to support Celtic music in Maine. If you're in the Portland area on a Sunday afternoon, consider a stop at Brian Boru's for a fine Irish session, good victuals & liquid refreshment.
Tell them the music brought you in!

Forwarded text follows:

Dear Friends and Fellow Musicians,

I am writing to you in an attempt to gather support for the Sunday afternoon Traditional Irish Music Session at Brian Boru's in Portland. I have been participating in this session for over 5 years and I feel it is a rich musical tradition worth preserving.
Every Sunday, from 3 to 6pm, we come together to play the music we love, to share tunes and have some fun.

Everyone is welcome to join or just listen and there is never a charge to enter. We try to present this event as close to an authentic Irish session as possible with fiery tunes, the occasional song and a good-natured sense of humor. Over the years, the session has attracted visitors from all over the country and, in fact, the world. We have consistently provided Portland with a high level dose of quality Irish music and it has been our pleasure to do so.

Unfortunately, times are rough right now in the tavern and restaurant
business. Many of these establishments in Maine, and elsewhere, are reporting low earnings in recent months. In this business climate, entertainment tends to be one of the first places they look at cutting back. Currently, the management of Boru's is considering closing down the Sunday session due to these concerns.
While we completely understand the issue at hand, we also believe the session is worth saving. We are hoping to accomplish this by a show of support through an e-mail campaign and, for this, we are asking for your assistance.
Please take a few minutes to send a quick e-mail to Brian Boru's simply stating that you are a fan of the session and would love to see it continue. Feel free to be more elaborate but our case will be better stated with quantity rather than quality.

To this end, please forward this e-mail to any and all on your list you feel would support the Sunday session at Boru' s.

Send e-mails to: bboru@maine.rr.com
Please cc: to tomrota@msn.com
Write "Sunday Session " in the subject line.

We thank you in advance for your support. As always, we would love to see you down at Boru's any Sunday from 3 -6pm. Come for the tunes AND the $2 drink specials, be sure to say HI to the band.

Slainte,
Tom Rota & Tom Wilsbach from the Sunday Session band

********************************************************

Are any of you familiar with these folks?

I went to one of these Sessions a couple of years ago, despite my general aversion for settled parts, and the talent was so phenominal that I mostly just sat there with my jaw hanging open in awe.

For the most part, I was courteously ignored.

Probably just as well I kept my hairy old gob shut and my whistle in my haversack, quietly sipping on my tin dipper of Guinness, then slipping away when that was done - as if Brian got his Alpha Charlied (it's a military term) with all of his Session savvy, I would likely have been dragged outside and summarily executed had I so much as attempted to get involved.

Of course, I have no way of knowing if it's still that way there - but if it is, I would consider myself to be exclusively audience and leave my whistle home.

   Well enough, then; They were really good!