Kelsey, Garrett, Kathryn, and Gavin Thompson prepare to provide a bit of Irish flavor for the Second Annual Paddy's Party at the SPCA this Saturday evening. The Thompsons will perform Irish jigs, reels, and step dancing, to accompany the Irish food and festivities at the fundraiser. Photo by Phil Houseal

Details:
The Second Annual Paddy’s Party will be held this Saturday, Mar 17, 2007, at the Trudy Brune Hill Country SPCA on Hwy 16 South. Guests will enjoy food and wine provided by area restaurants, plus green beer and Irish soda bread "made by real Irish." The event begins at 5:30 p.m. Donation is $15 per person. Call 990-9085.

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Paddy’s Party

by Phil Houseal
March 14, 2007

As a kid back on the farm, I spent many an hour crawling in the yard looking for a four-leaf clover. My brothers and sisters found plenty, but I always came up empty-handed.

So I am gratified to uncover a four-leafed treasure in the form of Kelsey, Kathryn, Gavin, and Garrett, the children of Drew and Monda Thompson. These talented teenagers will perform Irish music and dance for the Second Annual Paddy’s Party at the Trudy Brune Hill Country SPCA this Saturday.

Bringing in Irish music was the idea of board member Patrick Gribbon.

"He is not Saint Patrick, but he is 100% Irish," cracked his wife, Gail.

Gribbin will be at the door, greeting everyone in his Irish brogue with the phrase “cead mile failte,” which means “one hundred thousand welcomes.”

"When the SPCA thought of doing this last year, we started it without entertainment," Gail Gribbin said. "Then we met the Thompson family, and we are so excited about having them perform for our little get-together."

Gavin, 16, and Garrett, 14, play guitar and fiddle, while Kelsey, 18, and Kathryn, 11, don the Irish garb and provide the step dance. Mother Monda sometimes joins them on flute.

Irish jigs and reels are a refreshing contrast in this land of polka and two-step. Everyone who has seen Riverdance will recognize step dancing, characterized by the rigid upper body posture and fast footwork. One legend says the dance evolved when an English king banned dancing of any sort. So when people gathered in pubs to dance, they kept their upper bodies and arms stiff so that guards looking in the windows would not realize what was going on.

“That is the beauty and the challenge. You must keep your torso solid, while bouncing around on your toes,” said Kelsey, who studied Irish dance while the family lived in Montana. Kelsey, as do her siblings, has classical training in dance and music. “Classical ballet is very technical. It is fun to dance to upbeat Irish music, and it doesn’t have to be technically perfect.”

“Since we pretty much all came from a classical base, it is fun to take a break from that and do this,” said Gavin, the guitarist. Brother Garrett agrees. “You get to do anything you want; you get to add to it; you get to improvise.”

After weeks of daily practice, the Thompsons are eager to perform.

"I like performing because I can do it full out," said Kathryn, the youngest. "It's fun to practice and perform together because we can help each other out."

Carolyn Ward, who chairs the event, hopes folks will take time to come out for the music, food, and fundraiser, as well as to see the one-year-old facility.

“It's just going to be a fun, family-oriented activity - something different,” Ward said, noting that visitors will be able to visit the dogs and cats housed at the shelter during the event. “It's a really beautiful place, and it is a worthy cause. All of our income goes to finding the animals homes, and spaying and neutering them.”

And, after all, it is St. Patrick's Day.

"There are a bunch of us that are Irish in town," Gail Gribbon said. "So wear green, drink green, and bring green!"

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