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I'll be there.

[quote:9v67aqr1]I was a bit skeptical of this whole "Great Irish Beer Festival" from the beginning, but I am telling myself to go in with an open mind and tasting mouth/stomach.[/quote:9v67aqr1]
I'm choosing to be optimistic about this (or any other) festival as anything that attempts to raise the profile of decent beer is to be applauded. If the public attendance is good enough this year I'm sure it will be better supported in future. I wouldn't imagine the GBBF or GABF were anything like the current events in the first year.

I do understand that these events do need initial support to start off, but there are few Irish brewers who produce cask conditioned beer for English festivals. This event could have been a great platform push/ introduce the Irish public to cask beers.

I agree 100%, but the brewers need to show up or send the product for it to be available. Maybe the notice was too short for a lot of brewers this year.

I planned to go but can't make it now. I have 3 tickets with the drinks vouchers attached if anyone's interested.

I be in Galway tonight on a stag, may as well hang around tomorrow for the beer festival?

There may have been drink taken, yer honour.
[img:3abtv7f9]http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc236/thebeernut/galway.jpg[/img:3abtv7f9]
Left to right: Steveb, me, Mrs BeerNut, Bigears, Mike. Photo by Eeelpoulpo. Sensibly gone by this point: Westbrew and Jspruit.

Great to meet you all, and extra special thanks to Steveb for steering us safely through the streets of Galway afterwards. It's probably just as well we couldn't get in to The Bierhaus...