A LARK IN THE PARK

On Wednesday 11 April we were very honoured to be invited to provide the live music for a day of family-based events organised by Collegiate pupils in association with Enniskillen Museum in an attempt to win back Forthill Park for general public use.  As everyone knows, this lovely open space in the middle of town has for far too long been the resort of some very dodgy types who have spoilt it for more law-abiding citizens.  Came the day, and the sun shone (intermittently – we also had the inevitable April torrential showers), the picnic parties came out in force, there were games and general jollifications… and us!

The bandstand in Forthill Park is a piece of genuine Victoriana, all wrought-iron curlicues and finials, but unfortunately it’s also extremely small.  Too small in fact to accommodate all members of Fermanagh Concert Band, so as on one or two other occasions we reduced ourselves.  Not in the ‘honey, I shrank the kids’ sense, but by restricting ourselves to one player to a part.  By doing that, and taking into account the fact that some members couldn’t be there anyway as the gig was scheduled for the middle of a working day, we managed to squeeze into the space available.  When the rains came, we squeezed up even further but then had to hurriedly spread out again.  What no-one had noticed until the deluge poured through it was that a panel of the bandstand roof had been removed, leaving the centre of the band exposed to everything the heavens chucked at us!  However the sun came out again fairly quickly so the fun wasn’t dampened for too long.