“Six in the bed by the old pierhead/and up at the crack of dawn.” Or two in the bed at the Mercure Hotel and up at the crack of noon. July 7, first annual Liverpool Feis, three minutes from the hotel door to the docks, adjacent to the Liver Birds, ferry gently gliding by, sky a lucent azure dome, and as awesome a gathering of Irish acts as will reassemble anywhere any time soon.

An atmosphere of concrete did little to induce a mellow mood. We had to resort, although Van the Man (or Van the Person as we are quite possibly required to call him these days) stoned many to their souls without need of inducement.

Next year, I was assured by Gerry O’Boyle, there’ll be green fields, grassy knolls and hidden hollows for mellow huddling.