When I was in The Spotted Dog a while back I caught Tessa Lowe handwriting a press release for Brainstorm, an open mic night of music, poetry and drama for recovering mental health users and general public on the last Wednesday of every month in The Old Crown Pub from 8pm. Here ’tis, in its entirety:
LITTLE CHRISTMAS COMES TO THE OLD CROWN
On Wednesday 26th November there will be a special Brainstorm event honouring landlord Tony Hickey and his sisters Miriam and Trisha, who have continued the tradition laid by Pat and Helen Brennan of playing host to the monthly jamboree that is the open mic night every last Wednesday of the month in that most ghostly and historic hostelry.
Miriam was talking to Tessa Lowe of Brainstorm about how her mother always celebrated ‘Little Christmas’ in Ireland on 6th December every year. Brainstorm was trying to come up with a suitable theme for November, which was to have a strong Irish flavour, by way of a thank-you for the ten or more years of having been at home in The Old Crown.
So, as 25th November is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary in Ireland and November 22nd is the Feast Day of St Celilia (who, as we all know is the Patron Saint of music) and as Brainstorm events are nothing if not musical, and poetic come to that, it all fell blindingly obviously into place.
Little Christmas it would be.
Emmit Till, who headlined a Bob Dylan convention in London recently, will be performing a set with an Irish flavour as well as featuring one or two of his own much-loved songs.
Rob Kerrigan, he who was the first St Patrick when Birmingham’s St Patrick’s Day Parade was at last allowed to resume will be on the bill in a tribute to Ronnie Drew.
Rob is more frequently to be found enjoying his pints and the craic in The White Swan in the company of the rest of the Kerrigan clan but three of the brothers will be joining in great harmonies with him to mark the sad passing of that legendary Dubliner.
The beauteous Angel of The Old Crown will be coming down from the loft early this year to grace the evening and Marian and Trisha will offer hot punch and mince pies, bacon and colcannon, potato farrells and soda bread as additions to the menu especially for the occasion.
All the usual suspects will be there in force on the night, with their repertoires extended to enhance the Irish Little Christmas flavour and the rest, as the saying goes, will be history.
Slots are available for anyone who wants to play, sing or perform poetry or otherwise add to the festivities and newcomers will be made very welcome. They are advised to come early (before 8 o’clock) as it is famously a very full programme, even when it is not Christmas in November!
