Castleisland is not a huge place but two pubs (Browne’s & Kearney’s) host a competing session at Brownes. It is the quieter of the 2 sessions.
Of interest. My late great friend, Mike Kenny now has a festival named for him.
The usual suspects at Browne's. Tony Halsall, Dan Lynch, Mackie & Joe Lane.
Mackie comes in announcing “I am drunk” but has loads of hilarious annecdotes.
The session starts and on guitar is Robert Quinlan who lived in Vancouver for 23 years but lives home in Ireland now. Also at the table are Joe Lane (box) and Dermott Scholard (box).
When I arrive at Kearney’s they say “We were ready to send a search party for you”.
The bar is full of people and musicians and very lively.
Of interest. My late great friend, Mike Kenny now has a festival named for him.
No winter here!
The usual suspects at Browne’s. Tony Halsall, Dan Lynch, Mackie & Joe Lane.
John McAulliffe & Meself (don’t take selfies Jay!)
John McAulliffe, one of the best informed man in Ireland, comes up to me and the facts start flying.
John McAulliffe & Meself (don't take selfies Jay!)
Jackie and Terrance have a new tradition of stopping at another pub in Brosna, The Woodview” before calling into Flannagan’s. The publican is Siobhan who is also a lovely singer.
In the session young Patrick Moriarity arives – equally adept at singing and box playing and he is only 17.
Patrick Moriarity
Another great night in Flannagan’s with polkas, slides, jigs, reels and songs a-plenty!
7:30 found me at the Salt House for my beloved Americana session. Mighty fun with Noriana Kennedy, Noelie McDonnell and Nicola Joyce. The are “The Whileaways”.
A great night by the fire and catching up with old friends. Since Bob Dylan won the Nobel Prize in literature last week Noelie sang several Dylan numbers -“Don’t think twice,It’d Alright”, “Tangled Up in Blue” and “I Shall Be Released”.
I finished the night at The Crane with Greg and Mary.
There is a mighty joy in Johnny's music!Shop Street, Galway City
Another sunny(ish) day. I walk into town and play with Johnny O’Halloran and Gerry Whelan at Coili’s. That went til 4:30, then at 5:30 the same crowd crossed the street and played at Taaffe’s.
The weather has been quite fabulous: +15 and sunny most days. Such is the case as I walk in from Renmore. I meet Sara Fuller on the path and we chat. She is in her second year of university studying occupational therapy, which apparently was pioneered in Canada. Who knew?
A coffee with V at his flat then he is off to walk the dogs – his own “Beauty” and Calvin’s “Cello”.
Session 1 was at Taaffe’s with Michael Chan (fiddle) and Gerry Whelan (banjo). Session 2 was at the Crane, also with Michael and Sean Horgan (box). In between the two sessions I walked out to Salthill and saw the beautiful full moon over Galway Bay. The photo I took would give you a toothache so here is one from the internet.Finish the night off with Curry Chips from Vinnie’s.
Had a mighty time in the Crane Bar with Mick Creehan (whistle), Pat O’Donnell (banjo), Mike (pipes), Mike (bodhran & spoons). Rob Fuller & I walk into town from Renmore and meet up with his friend Liam.
Gerry & Christine from Switzerland are in the crowd. We often are visiting at the same time so we are busy catching up. “How is Georgia?” “Oh she arrives on Thursday.” And we leave on Tuesday.”
Walking home on Lough Atalia Road a tall cyclist pulls up beside me. “Oh you startled me”. We begin to talk. He is Al (“You can call me Al”) Bailey from Trinidad, a filmmaker.
ristine & Gerry Marti
Back to his place for a bowl of soup at 3 am. We actually have loads in common; bicycles, bike repair, music films. And he knows who Mark Messier is and cites Mark as the top man in hockey. I agree. “How could you possibly know that?” “There was a woman once. She wanted me to know important things about Canada.”
It’s Friday and I’m bound for Galway city today. I want to say thank-you to Betty O’Connell at Kearney’s Bar for the lovely session we had on Tuesday. I have a coffee and chat with the lads.
This was not the event but you get the idea...
Then up the town to say good bye to Kathleen at the Half-Barrel. I see the half price sign at the Mental Health Ireland charity shop so I call in. There’s John Reidy taking a group shot of the ladies. “Keep your hands on your wallets!” I say to slag John.
It’s a special thank you day and they have tea and brack (fruit cake). “John you must have tea (pronounced tae) it’s lovely.” “No I can’t but give some to Jay.” She makes me a plate and there are THREE pieces of brack. “It’s very nice. My friend Peggy made it.” “Reidy is it?” says I, “I know her.” And that is the benefit of returning to a place sixteen times; I’m not a local but I am familiar with the people and events.
I talk to Gina and Joan and the talk turns to the times of the Black and Tans (British police – infamous for their ruthless cruelty). The local library was burned by the Black and Tans. “So was my house” says Joan. I live in The Kingdom House below. My grandmother was the first person to receive compensation from the British government in 1920.
Then to the Half Barrel, heello and godd-bye. Oh I forgot my insulin at the farm. And after three pieces of brack. They’ve gone out but Margaret, their daughter lives next door. She has a tin full of keys and after much searching I have my insulin and I’m on my way.
First the turf is skinned, then cut, then footed and when dry it is loaded. Check out the link on footing; there’s some hilarious quotes. (“It’s like the recession: you can look at it whatever way you want but there’s no easy way out”. And “It’s 4 sods that make up a central supporting structure, sort of like the U2 360 claw.”)
Walking up the bog
So what could be more Irish than tossing turf in the bog? I was over the moon to be on the work crew. In Canada a bog is lowland; marshland. In Ireland Bog is where there is turf or peat or sod. It is decomposed vegetation which can be burned in the fireplace. It can be on top of a mountain. And it covers 1/6 of Ireland.
Jackie, Annie Jason. Anthony, Joe and myself were the crew. Joe provided the tractor and wagon. The rest of us provided strong backs. It is cut in April or May then footed and left to dry then collected in the fall for your winter heat source.
Cut peat laid in the field to dry.
It was an absolutely gorgeous day : +15 and sunny. It is hard work tossing it into the trailer but you get in a rhythm and go. Better than using a horse and cart. It took less than 2 hours to get the first load in. Jackie had previously referred to it as “The biggest pile of shit I’ve ever seen!” To be true some was quite damp but more than half had dried nicely.
A foot of turf
Foots of turf
Of course there is food involved so we returned to the farm for “tea” which was the tea, and sandwiches and biscuits. It is very rural here and we were on back roads. Every passing car was met with a comment as such: “Oh that’s Bridie Taylor, she just lost her husband in the spring.” Or that’s Dan Daly – he’s getting a load of hay”. Great fun with the locals! Note what a eautiful valley that Castleisland is behind the crew.
Annie O'Connor, Jackie O'Connor, Joe Herlihy, Anthony Daly, Jason FlemingHard at work!
