Ireland Trip 2015 – Jay The Fiddler

2024 Jay’s Trip to Ireland Post 1

June 9, 2024

I touched down in Dublin Wednesday at 830AM. Caught the bus to Galway and called on the Fullers in Renmore. I went that first night to Tigh Coili’s and had an amazing session led by Declan Corry (mandolin) and Geraldine (Ger) Clancy (fiddle). Talked too late to a Peruvian couple. Thursday I went into Galway (about 2KM) up College Road. I got a sim card for my phone (20 euro for 4 weeks – unlimited text, talk and 5G). Played the early session at Taaffe’s led by old friend Anders Trajberg on bos. Then I caught the end of the slightly less early session at Coili’s, again led by Ger Clancy. Waited around for the late session led by the great Johnny O’Halloran (melodeon) from Inishbofin. Getting kind of tired by now. The session scene has rebounded well after the pandemic with the same sessions at the same time with the same players. The Fullers have a holiday home in S Donegal in the town of Ardara (Arrrr-dra). Yes there are sessions. Played Friday with Peter Campbell (fiddle) whom I played with several times between 2000-2005. As well as his father (JImmy) and uncle (Vincent) who have both passed away since my last visit. Saturday night was in the wee Glen Tavern -https://www.facebook.com/theglentavern/- up the mountain 7 kms from Glenties. I have been there before and knew many of the players. They were playing distinctly Donegal tunes: mazurkas, Germans, highlands, waltzes. Week D anyone? Tonight I will find The Rusty mackerel in Teelin with one of Ireland’s best bos players, Dermott Byrne.

Here is the Newly Mown Meadow a tempo

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mVEVwCbtL5uYkvO7s0JZWW3woXyXAUfv/view?usp=sharing

Slánte Jay

Off to Ballaghaderreen

October 29, 2015

Had a lovely visit with Corrina McGarrigle this morning. She is by now a famous cake decorator, giving classes all over the country. Her company is “Lovin’ from the Oven“. Loved the pics of her anime cakes (Haku the River Spirit) and Harry Potter dragon. Will leave Galway for Co. Roscommon soon.

All Night at Coili’s

October 29, 2015

When I called into Tig Coili’s in the afternoon to enquire who the musicians would be that night the barman told me “Paul Bradley & Declan Corey”. “Paul is living in Wicklow now” I said, “oh, no he still comes in”. It wasn’t Paul unfortunately , who is one of my favourite musicians, but Declan with Joseph O’Flahery on accordion. A nice surpris was the arrival of Jon Brindley from Lancashire who played fiddle and sang beautifully. In fact when the first session broke up it was he and I who kept it lit til the 10:00 session started.

Also Gerry Mulholland would stand on the bench and sing or compose a recitation on the spot. He had the audience enthralled.

The 10:00 session featured Declan Corey and Ger Clancey on fiddle. Great tunes coming fast and furious with loads of modern compositions. Ithought the 7 hour sessions were done after the POK festival, but apparently not.

Galway is a port city of course so I am including a picture of the docks by night.

Out the back lads, the Gards are out front!

October 28, 2015

After playing 6 hours in Kearney’s on Monday, Terrance collected me and out to Brosna for the regular Monday night. Terrance and Jackie left early but I was returning with Dick the Dutchman. We were have the most lovely tune, joined by young Patrick Moriarity on box, when the Garda rapped on the window at 2:30 am so the 20 remaining scurried out onto the street. Left my coat in the bar in the rush so had Joe Herlihy drive me out in the morning.

Photos of Castleisland

October 21, 2015

I was asked about the old photo I posted, “Do many of those old buildings survive today?” In fact most all of them do! Flagstone and block construction, some are over 100 years old.

…and on the 11th day it rained!

October 21, 2015

But we still went cycling. Joe Herlihy took me for our 3rd cycle around Kerry. We started out the same and went to Clogher but then he took me into the hill country where many walking trails have been developed. It is called “Glanageenty“. This link gives the history of the area. It is a beautiful wooded area. So we saw 3 plaques: 1) the Earl of Desmond who was beheaded by the British in 1583, and commeorated in 1983, 2) Captain Robert Monteith who was a captain bringing arms into Banna Strand, Co. Kerry in 1916. His contact wa not there and the ship was captured by the British but through many hardships and hiding he eventually made it back to his home in the USA, & 3) The Holy well, where if you watered your horse he would not thirst for the rest of the journey. Sure it was raining lightly, I suppos it was “Soft Abundant Rain”. Lots of hills and trees. As I travel around Ireland it seems to be mostly cultivated so a forest was lovely.

Prime Minister elect- Justin Trudeau

October 21, 2015

I voted the day I flew. For me it was definitely “ABH”.

Anybody but Harper. So I am excited with the Liberal majority and the hope that brings. Trudeau’s acceptance speech as class and uplifting. As he quoted Abraham Lincoln from 1861 – “the better angels of our nature.”

Now Lincoln was battling slavery and an impending civil war. Trudeau is trying to reverse a decade of Conservative cronyism, scandals and heinous and mean-spirited cut backs. He talks a great talk…

Monday October 19,2015. Good News & Bad News

October 20, 2015

Well not really. Daniel Jackie & Annie’s grandson in Dublin has a rash, possibly chicken pox, and cannot go to the caregiver so Annie catches the next train to Dublin from Farranfore. Also Terrance can’t come to Brosna which makes me the driver so no drink for me. The good news is we can stay all night, which we do! There are people from a funeral in the pub so Noreen asks us to wait on the music. But the regular crowd is antsy and threatening to leave. Finally we start late but we also end late; 2:30 which is 2 hours later than usual. The crowd was full of singers, all directed by the Baron, Timmy O’Sullivan. Country songs are popular but there was a lovely song about Knocknagashel. I sang “Back Home Again” by John Denver which had been requested last week by a different Timmy O’Sullivan(!). It “went down a bomb.” Jackie & I played Hector the Hero to great response, espececially from Paddy from Glasgow who tried to give me the story about Hector the Hero over the great crowd noise. Apparently written by a John MacDonald from Scotland. Then we played the Auld Resting Chair to which Mary from Albany NY, whistled along.

Sunday in Kerry

October 20, 2015

Joe Herlihy took me on another cycle in the farming area of Castleisland. There are no hills in Kerry, yeh right!

Jackie gets onto Irish tune composers then is curious to hear & learn everything they have written! The “composer du jour” is Tommy Peoples, the greatest living Irish fiddler (as well as Cathal Hayden). We work on Grainne’s Jig which is for sure a Peoples composition and La Cosa Mulligan, which likely is not. As well what does that mean? La Cosa Mulligan translates from the Spanish as “The Mulligan Thing” which makes no sense at all.

On an unrelated note, Jason is keeping 4 donkeys on Jackie’s land. “There’s a grant for the ass” says Jackie.