I called into The Half Barrel to chat with publican Kathleen O’Connor. Looks like we’ll play there on Fair Day, Tuesday November 1st. John Lordon was having a pint so I jopined him to talk politics, history, stories and not much in general – just fun pub talk. Then I visited with Joe & Ellen Herlihy. I guess I am going with Joe, Jackie and Annie to the bog tomorrow. Back at the farm Jackie and I played our favourite tunes; The Galway Reel, Josephine Keegan’s No. 1, Cosa Mulligan, The Morning Mist Hornpipe, The Spotted Dog Jig, Eddie Kelly’s No. 2, and so on. Jackie is quite excited about his new Danish Quadrille.
guitar Edmonton lessons
Tuesday Night in Kearney’s
The Tuesday session featuring Jackie and Terrance is flying. Nine musicians arrived to a fairly packed house. Betty O’Connell is running the bar now and doing a mighty job. Can you say “slides and polkas”? It is Co. Kerry after all. A new face to me is Sean Browne who is handy on the box.
The Return to Kerry
It’s Monday and I can’t wait to play at Flannagan’s in Brosna. I pull into the farm in Castleisland and meet Jackie and Annie. Don’t the have two new grandchildren since last year Mary has a boy (that makes 3) and Margaret has a girl (that also makes 3). The girl is Emma. Jackie and I get right to it playing the old tunes and the new ones. “I haven’t played that reel since I last saw You” says Jackie.
I drive Jackie’s Volkswagon Golf to Brosna and Terrance will drive it home. We had a roaring night of music with all the old friends; Dave Dooley on whistle, Terrance McQuinn on banjo Myself on fiddle, banjo and vocals, Paddy from Scotland on mandolin and vocals and Jackie O’Connor on box. And most people in the bar sang a song for us. An altogether great night!
Galway, Lough Atalia
I said good-bye to V as he went to walk his bordr collie “Beauty” along the sea to Salthill. I walked back to my car in Renmore along Lough Atalia, which means Salt Lake.