Siobhanathon 2007

Now I am not known for my great way with words or good memory ( as Juke put it, I am a useless cock ). but the Siobhanathon 2007 was such a great weekend I thought I would have a go.

            Wednesday, a few of the Crew met up at Jukes shop and started to get ready for a long weekend.  We got the smoking, hospitality and Crew tents up ( a couple done in the dark because we were too busy chatting and larking about ) and all went home to prepare ourselves.

             Thursday was much the same but we did get it all ready in the end ( even though the landlord decided to change his mind at the last second on some pretty major things ) and went to sleep on site knowing that it was probably the last full nights sleep we would get for a couple of days.

            Friday morning and the sun was shining and getting hotter.  We stuck a couple of the Crew in the gate tent and waited, not sure if anyone would turn up or not.  Happily they did, and quite a few, soon the field started to look like a rally was going on,  tents, bikes and people enjoying the sunshine.   The first band on let us down (we wont be asking them again! ) but Molly from the training school stall agreed to step in and take their slot.  It was getting very hot by now and the main marquee was like a sauna, but Molly played anyway and did us and herself proud.

            Some Kinda Mushroom headlined for us on Friday night, and as we expected blew us away.  One of the best young bands I have ever heard, and a really good bunch. ( we will be asking them back )  Still very hot in the marquee they played to a handful of people but everyone outside could hear them and were having a great time ( apart from the guy who complained about the noise, from just under a mile away! ). I think any event that has them on the cards will have people turn up to see them.  As the temperature dropped people started to stagger to their tents telling us what a great night it had been and how much they enjoyed the band.

            Saturday morning and the sun was shining again, 2 hours sleep is all I got thanks to the 3 youngest members of the crew keeping me up most of the night drinking tea and chatting.

             Bikes coming and going all day was a great sight and soon we had started to run out of room for them to park.   By this time everyone there was starting to go a nice shade of red ( sure Siobhan was looking on us and making the sun shine ) and the drink was flowing freely.  Silly games started with a tug of war.  Leah and a few others had been round forcing people to make teams for it. While the tug of war was going on Leah and Keata ran about with pints of water soaking the teams ( not such a bad thing on a very hot day ).  Then came the wheel barrow racing,  more water and laughter and more than a little cheating going on.  Then dizzy sticks.  Now if you have never played this daft game my advice is don’t!  Creature shouted and screamed at everyone during the games and even had a go at dizzy sticks himself.

            We got a few bikes into the centre for a bike show and the chance for people to win a prize.  The guys at Fat Maggot were printing t-shirts as fast as they could once people heard that they would put anything they wanted onto them, and the girls doing the food kept us all fed with some great nosh. ( roast pork, stuffing and apple sauce rolls kept me going! )

            The bands were still playing in a sauna to a hand full of people but each one of them did their best and kept us entertained.  Openface ( memnoch ) did a great job and his whole family were very good company.  Spooky Slim played 2 sets and went down very well, Absolute Zero played their hearts out,  and then came Termoil!. What can I say about Turmoil?  I like this band and would happily pay to see them, and they always get people bouncing about like loons.  They had set-up early for us so that all the others could use there kit, they even had a go in the silly games.

            Creature dragged Juke and myself up on stage to share a minutes silence for Siobhan and to announce the total we raised over the weekend.  A whopping £3675!!!!!.

            So basically it was a very, very good weekend.  Friendly, hot, lots of drink and some of the best entertainment you will ever see at a rally.

            Thank you everyone who came and supported us or helped out.  Leah,  Keata, Deb and Rich for turning up and letting us know what we did all the hard work for.  a (Leah and Keata, I haven’t forgotten the soaking I got Sunday morning! )

            I know I have missed loads out and that other reviews will be better and more detailed, but  remember,  I AM A USELESS COCK ! 

Words by Gary

The Siobhanathon 2007

What can I say? Firstly, Gary my mate, you are far from useless! Without your help and encouragement, this project would never have taken off. No you can’t remember anything for more than a few minutes, and yes, my t-shirt does state you are a ‘useless cock’ but I can assure you babe, that is so far from the truth…………..

Anyway, back to this years Siobhanathon. Wow! What a party that was!

As Gary said, Wednesday night we set up the all important Crew tent. Well, first things first! This is where the 8 main people of the Crew sleep. Those being Gary, myself, our partners, Mark and Loz, and the ‘young ‘uns, Adam and Lee. We are the founder members of the Siobhanathon project and decided to but ourselves a tent where we could ‘conflab’ on the runnings of the rallies. That very rarely happens as it goes, coz the tent has become a party marquee in it’s own right!

Thurday did find the sun shining, as Gary said, and we were all ready for one hell of a weekend ahead of us.

We had a few people turn up on the Thurday night to help us out, and the Crew has now grown to about 15 members. Wiothout these people, 2007 would never have happened, and their input and support is priceless.

Friday was the best day ever! People poured in and got in the party mood as soon as they came thru the gate. It was very humbling for Gary and I to stand and watch those who had travelled miles, come thru the gate with huge smiles on their faces. All there for one primary purpose, to raise cash for Leah. And she and her sister Keata, were the true stars of the weekend.

 We gave Leah a pink baseball cap that a friend had gotten made for her in Florida. Leah wore this cap all weekend so everyone knew who she was.  But I am sure Leah would have made sure we all know who she was anyway!

Saturday was just awesome……….so much better than we had expected. People travelling from all over to come and support this very worthy cause. Made us so proud we were almost moved to tears.

Gary has talked about all the games, and his words are perfect. I have nothing to add to them apart from they were such great fun, and next year they will be even more ridiculous!

The cash we raised was amazing, and because of that, we were able to help not only Leah and her family, but also a wee boy called Luke McDonald.

More about Luke later………..

My final wards are these:

I would like to thank, from the bottom of my heart, each and every one of you who came along and made the weekend such a success. As always, any rally is only as good as the people who come make it. You guys made the Siobhanathon 2007 a huge success, and for that we thank you whole heartedly.

Gary and I hope the Siobhanahton will go from strength to strength, and if the support is there, we shall continue to hold events to make this project a success for many years to come.

Thank you all, you are stars, each and every one of you.

Words by Juke