I'm a visual artist from Canada & am planning to do the Cill Rialaig Project artist's residency for a month or so in one of the five stone studio/cottages overlooking the ocean at Cill Rialaig near Ballinskellig in County Kerry (a small village that is close to Waterville, St. Finian's Bay & Cahirciveen). I hope to be a visual artist by day and a fiddler by night, and was wondering if anyone could tell me what the sessions are like in that neck of the woods! (are there lots of polkas and slides played in Kerry?) I will have a rental car, so will be able to drive to sessions in nearby towns if they're worth checking out. I'm not sure at this point exactly when I'll be there...but I wanted to check out the traditional musical scene before I committed to going. Any information or advice would be much appreciated! ~aoife
Larsheen...would there be sessions be in the small villages, do you think? Or maybe only in the summer? I'm wonderign how far I might need to drive to find them.
Sorry, Aoife, but Larsheen has not provided you with accurate information. I know this area very well indeed. The only pub in Ballinskelligs does have an occasional session, but your best bet is to head over the headland to The Moorings in Portmagee - also the best place to eat in the area. Waterville has little on offer, so that just leaves Knightstown on Valentia Island and Cahersiveen - both are long drives, if you're not familiar with the territory.
Thanks Geoff!!! I'd be willing to drive to Caharsiveen and Knightstown if they were really good sessions....do you think that they are? And what about the session at The Moorings (thanks for the tip about the food) in Portmagee...how far is it, and what's it like? Lots of tunes, or songs, or both?
Try Macarthy's or McArthur's (?) Bar in Dingle, up the street on the other side of the road from An Droichead Beag. I recall having a very nice tune in there many years ago. It wasn't busy, and it was during the summer. Of course, things may have changed since I was last there, so......
Well the Droichead is still going strong, tunes there every Friday, Saturady and Sunday night. Was playing there last night with Des Kelliher, Sean Leahy and Benny O Carroll and had a great night. Definately recomment a visit. John Bennys and the Marina also have trad sessions at the weekends so you should be spoiled for choice in Dingle.
This part of Kerry is not exactly known for its lively traditional music scene I'm afraid! If anyone has ever been to the Cahirciveen 'Celtic' music festival on the August Bank Holiday weekend they will know what I mean. The Moorings in Portmagee do host a small set dancing weekend in May, this is your best bet. You will need to drive long distances even in the summer to find a session of any kind.
Thanks to everyone for all of the suggestions! I will check them all out during my month-long stay, and then I guess I'll do a bit of session hopping all over the rest of the country!
~aoife
sessions in county kerry
sessions in county kerry
I'm a visual artist from Canada & am planning to do the Cill Rialaig Project artist's residency for a month or so in one of the five stone studio/cottages overlooking the ocean at Cill Rialaig near Ballinskellig in County Kerry (a small village that is close to Waterville, St. Finian's Bay & Cahirciveen). I hope to be a visual artist by day and a fiddler by night, and was wondering if anyone could tell me what the sessions are like in that neck of the woods! (are there lots of polkas and slides played in Kerry?) I will have a rental car, so will be able to drive to sessions in nearby towns if they're worth checking out. I'm not sure at this point exactly when I'll be there...but I wanted to check out the traditional musical scene before I committed to going. Any information or advice would be much appreciated! ~aoife
# Posted on April 25th 2006 by aoife
Re: sessions in county kerry
Larsheen...would there be sessions be in the small villages, do you think? Or maybe only in the summer? I'm wonderign how far I might need to drive to find them.
# Posted on April 25th 2006 by aoife
Re: sessions in county kerry
Sorry, Aoife, but Larsheen has not provided you with accurate information. I know this area very well indeed. The only pub in Ballinskelligs does have an occasional session, but your best bet is to head over the headland to The Moorings in Portmagee - also the best place to eat in the area. Waterville has little on offer, so that just leaves Knightstown on Valentia Island and Cahersiveen - both are long drives, if you're not familiar with the territory.
All the best,
Geoff
# Posted on April 25th 2006 by MacCruiskeen
Re: sessions in county kerry
Thanks Geoff!!! I'd be willing to drive to Caharsiveen and Knightstown if they were really good sessions....do you think that they are? And what about the session at The Moorings (thanks for the tip about the food) in Portmagee...how far is it, and what's it like? Lots of tunes, or songs, or both?
# Posted on April 26th 2006 by aoife
Re: sessions in county kerry
Crowley's bar in Kenmare on Mondays and Tuesdays, sessions start 9.30 pm - welcome.
# Posted on April 26th 2006 by five
Re: sessions in county kerry
Try Macarthy's or McArthur's (?) Bar in Dingle, up the street on the other side of the road from An Droichead Beag. I recall having a very nice tune in there many years ago. It wasn't busy, and it was during the summer. Of course, things may have changed since I was last there, so......
# Posted on April 26th 2006 by On Sabbatical
Re: sessions in county kerry
Well the Droichead is still going strong, tunes there every Friday, Saturady and Sunday night. Was playing there last night with Des Kelliher, Sean Leahy and Benny O Carroll and had a great night. Definately recomment a visit. John Bennys and the Marina also have trad sessions at the weekends so you should be spoiled for choice in Dingle.
# Posted on April 27th 2006 by Jonathan Roche
Re: sessions in county kerry
This part of Kerry is not exactly known for its lively traditional music scene I'm afraid! If anyone has ever been to the Cahirciveen 'Celtic' music festival on the August Bank Holiday weekend they will know what I mean. The Moorings in Portmagee do host a small set dancing weekend in May, this is your best bet. You will need to drive long distances even in the summer to find a session of any kind.
# Posted on April 27th 2006 by cluaintarbh
Re: sessions in county kerry
Thanks to everyone for all of the suggestions! I will check them all out during my month-long stay, and then I guess I'll do a bit of session hopping all over the rest of the country!
~aoife
# Posted on April 27th 2006 by aoife