Anybody have any experience with or advice regarding busking in ireland? i am thinking about my next trip to ireland, and was considering my options for acquiring some extra $$ while there. i can hold my own quite well on the whistle/flute, and thought busking might be rather enjoyable, in addition to the cash. for freaks sake, if i can sit in my apt or at session for hours and play why not relocate to, say, the ring of kerry, or the dingle penninsula, or where ever.
Talk about bringing coals to Newcastle! You probably don't need me to tell you, and I'm sure you are, but just try and make sure you happen to be Pretty Damn Good!
I certainly would not rely on busking money to feed and water me though. Be prepared to earn maybe just 10 euros an hour. Busking can be hard work, especially on the flute, as you feel compelled to play for the whole of your 1 or 2 hour spot. Your diaphragm, intercostal muscles (the ones holding your ribs together) and fingers will get sore. Also it can be quite a solitary activity - in fact, it IS! And watch out for other street people who might want you to share your earnings. I did this years ago in London. Once at King's Cross Station, I was wondering why I hadn't been given any money for the previous 20 minutes... I looked round the corner and there was a homeless guy collecting on my behalf! Like the coward I am, I immediately did nothing, as I couldn't prove anything, and I just moved on to another pitch. I don't know what the Gardai's attitude is, but the London Transport Police could move you on or arrest you. I was cautioned on a few occasions and moved on several more.
On the up side, it's a good way to get loadsa practice in, and you meet some interesting people.
I busked on my silver flute for yonks when I first got to Australia and actually earned enough to keep me in modest lodgings and supernoodles, but I'll tell you what, it did amazing things for my tone. As i was playing outdoors there was no reverb or 'helpful' accoustics, and it was the TONE that stopped people in thier tracks. As I was playing a lot of Irish songs many people would listen a while then tell me I 'Played that beautifully', not, "that was a beautiful tune' (even though they all were), The money was all in the tone and expression.
All the best with it, you will have heaps of great stories to tell one day if nothing else.
Gotta go, might be able to sneak 10 mins on the wooden one
B
busking in ireland is actually not as mad as it sounds. it is very rare to hear trad buskers on the street. most local musicians would be too embarassed to be seen "begging", so the way is left open for visitors and outsiders to really clean up. there is no law regarding busking over here, so you dont have to get a license or anything and the gardai cant move you either (unless they claim you are creating a "public disturbance"). Best of luck with it.
P.S. The more miserable and scruffy looking you are the better. So no designer labels!!! Oh, and watch for guys with really really white trainers.
My friend, Paul Wilkins from Kinvara, is blind and makes a living playing the accordian in Shop Street, Galway. He also travels to England and busks, and plays in lots of sessions around Kinvara.
He was in a band called Parsons Hat for a couple of years and made 2 cds.His wife, Jan, plays flute and whistle,
Ric
buskers with trad irish music seemed to be common to me, and mostly very good btw, while I travelled the west of Ireland during August. These boys in Galway where all teenagers and ready to record their stuff ....
I mis-spent my youth busking around the continent - most interesting was France where everyone hated French accordion music, the old people wanted wartime songs which they got, the younger end wanted ITM which they got. The Gendarmerie were not impressed.
My best spot was in York where I coined in that much, I had to go to the bank twice a day. I was playing 5 hours a day and payed some schoolkid musicians to save my spot first thing in a morning. (They were not very good so got more money from me than punters). In the mid 1980s miners strike, busking paid better than mining.
Tip - if you can get people dancing in the street at 10am, you are playing the right tunes - jigs and marches get the most reaction from people hurrying as they can step out to them.
Quite a few of my mates do it in Belfast. Probably OK in the bigger cities but definitely do NOT do it at a fleadh - not really seen as good form since most musicians will play on the street just for the sake of it.
Well, anything by John Denver works for a dollar over here in the bus station. Remember, the general public are not Flook or Lunasa fans. They will cast their farthings in the hat for a sweet rendition of Danny Boy or When You and I were Young, Maggie... he, he, try that for 6 hours straight.....
(I'll provide you my PayPal id for commish) upon request.
Isn't there an irish jig called "rocky top"? Anyway. Thanks everybody for all the feedback and advice! I'm quite encouraged, and think i'll give it try. At minimum, busking sounds like an adventure and, at best, if i'm lucky, a source of few extra euros to feed the craic habit...
ive never busked in dublin but i have found galway to be a good spot and if you can get friendly with a few of the local girls you might get a place to stay that would leave your takings intact all though you might have to pay for this ' in kind' as it were. (what are you waiting for?
there also lots of good pubs and craic to be had. For the trad heads the best of these are Tigh Ceolis (used to be called trigger martins) opposite that is Daffeys (or is it laffeys?) anyway next would be rosin dubh, then mick taylors, and then the Crane. these are in order of when you meet them after getting of the bus and head donw the town. There are lots of other good pubs but for the trad muso these are the probly the best.
Once you get settled in and realised your ticket home is out of date, you can head down to county clare. The busking down there is not much good really, but at this stage youll probably have managed to sign on the dole and mabey gata regular gig or two plus the busking should leave you some bit of finacial freedom. West clare (forgive me east clare) is a mecca for trad music in ireland though im not sure about its buskabilty.
After that you could probably go to limerick, and having taken a walk round the town get straight back on the bus/train and head for cork.
If you have a very good musical ear, an ability to disern hi pitch noises and indeed a grasp of many foreign languages, you should eventually learn to understand some of the alien like dialects down there. The busking is fairly good there and there are many good pubs. But be aware of the high levels of paronia. there are some pubs that you should only stay in for one drink each time. After a while when they get to know your face they become a little more open a and friendly and should accept you as one of their umm ..new arrivals.
Hope i could be some help to ya.
Busking in Ireland
Busking in Ireland
Anybody have any experience with or advice regarding busking in ireland? i am thinking about my next trip to ireland, and was considering my options for acquiring some extra $$ while there. i can hold my own quite well on the whistle/flute, and thought busking might be rather enjoyable, in addition to the cash. for freaks sake, if i can sit in my apt or at session for hours and play why not relocate to, say, the ring of kerry, or the dingle penninsula, or where ever.
# Posted on June 28th 2003 by Brendan
Re: Busking in Ireland
Talk about bringing coals to Newcastle! You probably don't need me to tell you, and I'm sure you are, but just try and make sure you happen to be Pretty Damn Good!
I certainly would not rely on busking money to feed and water me though. Be prepared to earn maybe just 10 euros an hour. Busking can be hard work, especially on the flute, as you feel compelled to play for the whole of your 1 or 2 hour spot. Your diaphragm, intercostal muscles (the ones holding your ribs together) and fingers will get sore. Also it can be quite a solitary activity - in fact, it IS! And watch out for other street people who might want you to share your earnings. I did this years ago in London. Once at King's Cross Station, I was wondering why I hadn't been given any money for the previous 20 minutes... I looked round the corner and there was a homeless guy collecting on my behalf! Like the coward I am, I immediately did nothing, as I couldn't prove anything, and I just moved on to another pitch. I don't know what the Gardai's attitude is, but the London Transport Police could move you on or arrest you. I was cautioned on a few occasions and moved on several more.
On the up side, it's a good way to get loadsa practice in, and you meet some interesting people.
Oh...and...... best of luck!
Danny.
# Posted on June 28th 2003 by Rudall the time
Re: Busking in Ireland
I busked on my silver flute for yonks when I first got to Australia and actually earned enough to keep me in modest lodgings and supernoodles, but I'll tell you what, it did amazing things for my tone. As i was playing outdoors there was no reverb or 'helpful' accoustics, and it was the TONE that stopped people in thier tracks. As I was playing a lot of Irish songs many people would listen a while then tell me I 'Played that beautifully', not, "that was a beautiful tune' (even though they all were), The money was all in the tone and expression.
All the best with it, you will have heaps of great stories to tell one day if nothing else.
Gotta go, might be able to sneak 10 mins on the wooden one
B
# Posted on June 28th 2003 by bacchus
Re: Busking in Ireland
busking in ireland is actually not as mad as it sounds. it is very rare to hear trad buskers on the street. most local musicians would be too embarassed to be seen "begging", so the way is left open for visitors and outsiders to really clean up. there is no law regarding busking over here, so you dont have to get a license or anything and the gardai cant move you either (unless they claim you are creating a "public disturbance"). Best of luck with it.
P.S. The more miserable and scruffy looking you are the better. So no designer labels!!! Oh, and watch for guys with really really white trainers.
# Posted on June 29th 2003 by eimhin
Re: Busking in Ireland
My friend, Paul Wilkins from Kinvara, is blind and makes a living playing the accordian in Shop Street, Galway. He also travels to England and busks, and plays in lots of sessions around Kinvara.
He was in a band called Parsons Hat for a couple of years and made 2 cds.His wife, Jan, plays flute and whistle,
Ric
# Posted on June 29th 2003 by ricthewhistle
Re: Busking in Ireland
buskers with trad irish music seemed to be common to me, and mostly very good btw, while I travelled the west of Ireland during August. These boys in Galway where all teenagers and ready to record their stuff ....
# Posted on June 29th 2003 by crannog
Re: Busking in Ireland
I mis-spent my youth busking around the continent - most interesting was France where everyone hated French accordion music, the old people wanted wartime songs which they got, the younger end wanted ITM which they got. The Gendarmerie were not impressed.
My best spot was in York where I coined in that much, I had to go to the bank twice a day. I was playing 5 hours a day and payed some schoolkid musicians to save my spot first thing in a morning. (They were not very good so got more money from me than punters). In the mid 1980s miners strike, busking paid better than mining.
Tip - if you can get people dancing in the street at 10am, you are playing the right tunes - jigs and marches get the most reaction from people hurrying as they can step out to them.
# Posted on June 30th 2003 by geoffwright
Re: Busking in Ireland
Many years ago some friends and I were busking in London, in Hyde Park just near Speakers
# Posted on June 30th 2003 by murfbox
Re: Busking in Ireland
Quite a few of my mates do it in Belfast. Probably OK in the bigger cities but definitely do NOT do it at a fleadh - not really seen as good form since most musicians will play on the street just for the sake of it.
# Posted on July 1st 2003 by breandan
Re: Busking in Ireland
Well, anything by John Denver works for a dollar over here in the bus station. Remember, the general public are not Flook or Lunasa fans. They will cast their farthings in the hat for a sweet rendition of Danny Boy or When You and I were Young, Maggie... he, he, try that for 6 hours straight.....
(I'll provide you my PayPal id for commish) upon request.
# Posted on July 1st 2003 by irish ruff
Re: Busking in Ireland
Isn't there an irish jig called "rocky top"? Anyway. Thanks everybody for all the feedback and advice! I'm quite encouraged, and think i'll give it try. At minimum, busking sounds like an adventure and, at best, if i'm lucky, a source of few extra euros to feed the craic habit...
any speculation about good busking locations?
# Posted on July 2nd 2003 by Brendan
Re: Busking in Ireland---galway info.
ive never busked in dublin but i have found galway to be a good spot and if you can get friendly with a few of the local girls you might get a place to stay that would leave your takings intact all though you might have to pay for this ' in kind' as it were. (what are you waiting for?
there also lots of good pubs and craic to be had. For the trad heads the best of these are Tigh Ceolis (used to be called trigger martins) opposite that is Daffeys (or is it laffeys?) anyway next would be rosin dubh, then mick taylors, and then the Crane. these are in order of when you meet them after getting of the bus and head donw the town. There are lots of other good pubs but for the trad muso these are the probly the best.
Once you get settled in and realised your ticket home is out of date, you can head down to county clare. The busking down there is not much good really, but at this stage youll probably have managed to sign on the dole and mabey gata regular gig or two plus the busking should leave you some bit of finacial freedom. West clare (forgive me east clare) is a mecca for trad music in ireland though im not sure about its buskabilty.
After that you could probably go to limerick, and having taken a walk round the town get straight back on the bus/train and head for cork.
If you have a very good musical ear, an ability to disern hi pitch noises and indeed a grasp of many foreign languages, you should eventually learn to understand some of the alien like dialects down there. The busking is fairly good there and there are many good pubs. But be aware of the high levels of paronia. there are some pubs that you should only stay in for one drink each time. After a while when they get to know your face they become a little more open a and friendly and should accept you as one of their umm ..new arrivals.
Hope i could be some help to ya.
# Posted on September 25th 2003 by litmusicsock
Re: Busking in Ireland
thinking off doeing some busking in galway im a good box player would i make much in a day
# Posted on April 16th 2012 by jim mcloughlin