Merlins Rest Pub

One of Merlins Rest’s most notable friends is the writer Bill Watkins, or “Will Bill” as we sometimes refer to him. You can find him here a few times per week sharing his stories of a life spent in his native Ireland and around the United Kingdom. And he makes kilts to order for a number of our patrons and friends, as well as helps schedule or lead cultural and music events. Further, Bill is the man who has selected nearly every piece that decorates our pub, including the family crests along the upper walls.

If you have an interest in obtaining your own crest or a kilt, just flag him down. Fridays, for instance, is a good night, as that’s the Kilt Night. And Wednesdays you’ll often find him taking part in the folk jam. You might also leave an email for him through the pub.

A bit about Bill’s background, work and books follows.

BACKGROUND

Bill Watkins was born in Birmingham in 1950 into a Welsh/Irish family. As a teenager he traveled to “Sister Scotland,” where he discovered “a country that’s like Ireland but without the rules.”

He has made a living as a musician, maritime radio operator, theater lighting director, and film-lighting gaffer. He has also contributed numerous articles to Private Eye (a satirical magazine in the UK), The Glasgow Herald, and the Irish Gazette, an Irish-American publication from Minneapolis-St. Paul. He lives and entertains in Minneapolis, Minnesota where he is a freelance druid.

PUB DESIGN

Bill’s company, KELTCOM, designs and builds Irish and British Isles pubs. Recent clients include Merlins Rest in Minneapolis and Carmody Irish Pub in Duluth. If you are interested in obtaining his services, you may contact him by email or here at Merlins.

BOOKS

Bill’s Celtic memoir trilogy is nearly complete! The third book, The Once and Future Celt, is due to be published by Scarletta Press in 2008. The previous two, Celtic Childhood and Scotland Is Not for the Squeamish are available for purchase through various online retailers, but the best way to acquire a copy is with a pint at the pub! Ask the bartender.

 

AND BECAUSE WE’D LIKE TO EMBARRASS HIM…

Exhibit A