I'm going to Ireland!!

JessieK · Post by **JessieK** » Tue Jul 03, 2001 10:23 am

Does anyone have any specific advice on what to avoid and what to go to this time of year in Ireland? I know it is the height of tourist season, and I don't want to do touristy things. I want to immerse myself in the music and culture. I am going to meet Hammy Hamilton in Cork on the 26th, and I think I'm going to go up the coast instead of down...then over to Dublin and Wicklow at the end. So, any advice on what to avoid or where to find an excellent hidden session?

Jessie

Daithi · Post by **Daithi** » Tue Jul 03, 2001 12:17 pm

I have nothing to contribute other than to say I envy you people who are heading over the pond to the Emerald Isle! How fortunate you are!

Have a wonderful, WONDERFUL time!!!

WhistlingGypsy · Post by **WhistlingGypsy** » Tue Jul 03, 2001 1:03 pm

Well if you plan on visiting Galway there will definitely be some great sessions upstairs at The Crane Bar on Sea Road (My brother and sister used to run the place). Also O'Connors in Doolin is a must if you are looking for great music and craic.

Gerry

StevePower · Post by **StevePower** » Tue Jul 03, 2001 1:52 pm

The difficulty and (also) the attraction for me with Ireland, is that it is 'a small country'. It's marvellous that you can just pop to Cork (pardon the pun) to meet famous instrument makers (and players, in Mr Hamilton's case) or that I can get the phone number for Geraldine Cotter, Joe McKenna and other luminaries from a man who knows another man who knows THE man (or woman).

The downside is that in Summer the popular places get busy - even off the beaten track. And yet some of them (all of them perhaps) are not places that you'd want to miss.

Cork, Dublin, Limerick, Waterford, Sligo etc are all fine cities (probably more like some small US towns) but nevertheless it would be a shame to come all that way and not see parts of West Cork (Skibereen, for example); The Ring of Kerry and Killarney National Park; The Dingle Penninsula; The cliffs of Moher; parts of Connemara (especially around Roundstone where Bodhrans are made - the scenery is breathtaking) and parts of Clare such as Ballyvaughan and Doolin. The difficulty is that there will be buses and coaches and people filling the roads whereever you go in this small country and in the pubs too.

I have a whole list of festivals and summer schools happening from the end of July, but mainly in Sligo, Leitram and Rosscommon. If you want details, send me an e-mail.

Don't forget to visit Adare (it'll be touristy, but fun!)

Steve

http://www.shannaquay.com

Ron Rowe · Post by **Ron Rowe** » Thu Jul 05, 2001 9:04 am

Jessie,
Didn't know if you saw this so I linked to it for you
http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php ... &forum=1&0

Since you plan on going to Galway it might be fun to check out.

Arto_Vallivirta · Post by **Arto_Vallivirta** » Fri Jul 06, 2001 9:36 am

Hello from Donegal town!

Yep, I'm currently at the tourist office of Donegal town. Tomorrow we're heading for Letterkenny and after that to Clare.
Chris, did you get my email, I'd really like to meet you.

Arto

Dougr · Post by **Dougr** » Sat Jul 07, 2001 4:53 pm

Don't miss Doolin on the County Clare coast - an awesome town with great traditional music. Also, I'll need to gently disagree about buying whistles on your trip. I bought an Ian Lambe whistle, which you can find at the traditional stores in Ennis and Doolin, and I have loved it. Also, the Bohdran shop in Roundstone has just about every inexpensive whistle ever made in stock.
Have a blast!

JessieK · Post by **JessieK** » Sat Jul 07, 2001 5:51 pm

On 2001-07-07 18:53, Dougr wrote:
I'll need to gently disagree about buying whistles on your trip.

What is it you disagree with?

Jessie

Dougr · Post by **Dougr** » Sun Jul 08, 2001 5:47 pm

Jessie wrote...
>What is it you disagree with?

Hi Jessie:
Earlier in the thread Chris Roberts wrote...

"4 Don't buy a whistle!! I bought a Feadog while I was there (didn't know what a whistle was at the time) and it has cost me hundreds of dollars."

In truth, I didn't buy my Ian Lambe until I got back to the States, but only because I ran out of time to get back to "Custy's" in Ennis before our departure. I was amazed to see quite a few whistles, particularly in Co. Clare shops, by local makers. Some of these had hefty price tags and were absolutely awful - which is what made the Lambe whistle stand out as a gem. More often than not we buy whistles sight unseen, based on word of mouth or C&F reviews. So any chance to hold, play, and hear whistles before buying is a real treat, and certainly the best way to find a whistle that looks, feels and sounds like what you want.
(WhOA! - don't leave home without it.)
Have fun!

Daniel_Bingamon · Post by **Daniel_Bingamon** » Sun Jul 08, 2001 6:32 pm

There's a music store in Cork on MacArthur that has some instruments and CD's.
Have a great time.