I am so sorry your father had this episode of illness, and hope he's now feeling better, it must have been very worrying in the light of his previous health problems.
I think Saturday is a better day to go to the Potty Festival. There were certainly crowds of people watching the dancing, and singing along with the Shantymen. In past years I've stayed on into Saturday evening and there were always lots of musicians and singers performing together spontaneously in the various pubs.
I prefer Adnam's beer myself, but I don't drink nowadays.
Can well understand your love of Irish music, the tunes are so much more complex and haunting. I'm half Irish myself.