Mead and Beer??

I was at our Irish Fest on Thursday evening. Being a wee bit Irish it's one of my fav festivals to attend. They were selling mead and I'd never had it before but noticed kilt wearers walking through the crowds holding a beer in one hand and a cup of mead in the other. So I think this must be the thing to do, right, drink them together? I got myself a beer and a mead and I must say it was quite tasty. Had a few more and woke with a headache on Friday. So do you think they were just planning on drinking one and perhaps purchased the other for a friend? .. or is this the Irish way....to drink one's mead with a beer, or vice verse??

I asked Vicky in Ireland this, but being busy with school and all she hasn't answered. So if anybody knows, I'll need to know before next years festival....or I can just do what I did this year and drink them both at the same time.