The King and Queen drummed up a thirst for whiskey when they performed with a folk group during a celebration of Irish music, song and dance. Charles and Camilla were hailed as “naturals” as they played bodhran drums – after a quick lesson – while dancers gave a Riverdance-style performance in Belfast’s Titanic Quarter.
A few minutes later the couple were sipping Irish whiskey produced by Titanic Distillers, a new company that has transformed an Edwardian pumphouse, next to a dry dock famed for holding the Titanic, into a distillery.
Royal Visit to Northern Ireland
The royal couple began their visit to Northern Ireland at an open-air event showcasing the type of acts on display when Belfast hosts the all-Ireland Fleadh – the world’s largest festival of traditional Irish music, song and dance – for the first time in August. School children played Irish folk songs on penny whistles, banjos and guitars, jugglers performed and there were cross-community multicultural performances – from a Polish folk troupe, Mexican dancers and a group with individuals in national dress from countries like Malawi, East Timor and China.
Charles could not resist dancing with the eclectic group from across the globe and joked with Tendai Nyamayaro as the two men swayed to Syrian music. Mr Nyamayaro, originally from Zimbabwe but now living and working in Belfast, said: “I didn’t expect the King to dance with us – that was pretty cool.”
Learning the Bodhran
The royal couple sat down as Irish folk musicians played and each picked up a bodhran beside their seat and began to strum along. John Walsh, chief executive of Belfast City Council, stepped in to show the King how to hold the drum’s cipin, or beater, and the rhythm used to play it. He said afterwards: “I think they did very well, and as I said to them ‘you’re both naturals’.” He added: “The whole idea we celebrate at the Fleadh is getting people to participate and getting them to take up an instrument – that culture of producing music.”
