2011 Children's Area at Irish Fest

This year the Kid's Club will be celebrating the Year of the High Kings of Ireland and their Queens.  The designation King of Ireland (Irish: Rí na hÉireann) and Queen (regnant) of Ireland was used during the  periods of the High Kings. 

Gaelic Ireland consisted of as few as five and as many as nine main kingdoms, subdivided into dozens of smaller kingdoms. The primary kingdoms were Connacht, Ailech, Airgíalla, Ulster, Mide, Leinster, Osraige, Munster and Thomond. Until the end of Gaelic Ireland they continued to fluctuate, expand and contract in size, as well as dissolving entirely or being amalgamated into new entities.

Well this year every young person entering the kingdom of the Kid's Area will be a High King or a Queen.

Stay tuned for more exciting news about Irish Fest 2011.   But get your costumes together for the High King and Queen Costume Contest this year on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

2010 - The Year of the Irish Woman

Many things happen at Irish Fest in all the different areas, and one that was particularly fun this year was the Heritage Area.  The feature was the Year of the Irish Woman.  (I actually had a picture in there with my Mom, Grandmother and Great-Grandmother!)  But, the important part of this is that Barbara Scanlon was the Woman of the Year at this year's Irish Fest.   There are so many things that can be said about Barbara, but it is enought to know that she has been working at the Fest before the Fest as we know it; when it was at Brookside.    She is the Children's Area resident Fairy Village expert, and she helps us when we venture into the old Irish Fables, and that doesn't begin to touch her expertise in Genealogy.  We have the pleasure of having two of Barbara's Grandchildren in the Kid's Club.  The first one I want to introduce is Kelsey.    Kelsey is like her Grandma, she danced this year at the Feis, and worked as much as she could doing anything and everything in the Main Children's Area.   So, Barbara's legacy this year was three generations working at Irish Fest together, and there were many smiles,  not to diminish the one that Barbara had when Eileen Ivers presented her award! 

Thank you Barbara and all of the lovely Scanlon Family.

MVP Rookie.... Jeremy Roush

Our very own Jeremy Roush (terrace inflatables) took the Irish Fest Prize for most Valuable Rookie (male) this year.  And yes, it was a deserved win.  Jeremy was there from sun-up to midnight getting the inflatables ready for activity each day.   He kept an eye on all of our Irish Fest guests who had a great time jumping, sliding, and running.   And was interested in keeping all of our guests safe and smiling. 

Thanks Jeremy, great Rookie year!

Moolarky - The TRUE Scoop about the Name (no Malarky!)

Hannah has a cow and has named me (2010 cow) and the blog this year.   I had to ask Hannah about her inspiration for my name.   I know I am beautiful, and funny, but chatty and prone to exaggeration.   How in the world did Hannah know that? 

Her answer:

I came up with the name Moolarky from something my great-grandma, Mary, used to say to my dad, Sean, when he was a boy. He used to tell a lot of stories. Most of them weren't always true. Gram, who was from Sligo County, Ireland, would tell him he was "full of malarkey".


Hannah

OUR NEW COW AND NEW BLOG....Introducing Moolarky

A new blog year welcome from Moolarky.   Hannah (10 yrs old) from Lee's Summit has named me and named our blog for this coming year.  And Hannah has won the giant cow.

We will let you know Hannah's inspiration as soon as I speak to her.    I feel much better now that I have a name,  and will see if this blog can live up to MOOLARKY!

Moora Retires....soon

Stay tuned as we are about to have a new cow take over the blog.  I am sad, but I can use the rest. 

More Thanks from Irish Fest

A special thanks to our talented artists/vendors.  How could we have an Irish Fest without the great Face Painting of MJ, Kristi, Amy, Katie, Sheryl, and Jo?  And this year we had special Glitter Tats, we thought they were a hit (even my Mom got one), by Lexi and Annika, so we need to bring those back.  

And where would we be without Dan and DJ, our talented balloon artists? 

Well thanks to all of you, we wouldn't have a Children's Area without you!

Shawn