Hi
I know I'm breaking the rules here... and I know there are some belfast sessions listed already... However - I'm coming over to Belfast for the first time on Friday (21st), just for the one night. Since I have so little time, I don't want to be wasting it going from place to place (assuming I can find my way round) looking for a decent session that's still happening... so I wondered if any of you lot knew of a good one that would definitely be on this week.
Also - since I'll be there Sat afternoon, any suggestions as to places one must see?
Cheers much in advance.
xDx
There are two great sessions on a Friday, in Maddens bar and the Hercules bar. They are within 1 mins walk of each other so if you don't like one, you can easily pop along to the other. The music will be of a high standard and also rather fast. The musicians will be more than happy to have you join in but you might find yourself left behind sometimes! Any time I'm home from London I find I have to adjust to the pace somewhat. Just bear in mind that the tunes played are not always from the standard session repertoire, so be prepared to do a fair bit of listening. I would recommend the Herc before Maddens as it goes on slightly later and the pipers who play there (Patrick O'Hare and Francis McIlduff) are excellent. Tell them Con
Cheers guys... now I'm confused. I think I'll try both. I'm gonna be chicken anyway and leave my fiddle at home and just be a spectator... soak up some irish character.
if you're not sure then go to Madden's. Brendan's correct in saying that it's a bit more laid back than the Herc; you've got Madden's and Madness to chose from.
I'd say it wouldn't hurt to bring your fiddle along just in case. The folks who play at Madden's really are dead on & would be sure to ask you for a tune. Make sure u know to go upstairs, as some people look for the session on the main floor (where they sometimes do have music).
Have returned from Belfast. Wanted to pick your brains as to whether either Madden's or the Hercules has a "green/blue" type issue. The friend I went to stay with lives with her husband on the RAF base... and when we mentioned the names of those two places to the taxi driver on our way in, he said our accents wouldn't be popular. As a result we didn't go. However, I'm going back over in April with my boyfriend, so if I can get a bit of reassurance we would visit them then. I don't care much for the politics, but I would very much like to hear the music.
What do you all think?
xDx
i was in maddens a couple of years ago and there was no problem at all with accents ( or anything else,come to think of it).
maybe the problem was with your taxi driver?
i would give it a go next time.
leave any uniforms at home though...
Well, historically the part of the city centre that maddens & the herc are located in are, well, 'green'. And most folk tend to get suspicious when they have to buzz to get into a pub. That being said, the one fella there who is a regualr fiddle player there is a bloke from england. Really, maddens is just like a wee hole in the wall where, when inside, no one would think twice. Also, quite a few tourists come to the spot, which tends to add an increased air of neutrality.
I don't want to say it's totally fine - just knowing that a mate of mine invited some friends of a different religious persuasion out to a pub, sayin that no one would mind or think twice. Which was true - none of her mates would mind at all. But just by chance a few fellas were visiting in there who did care. And when something happened, she felt really responsible for it.
but really... madden's is fine. and the herc is slightly less renouned but pretty much the same.
why? well, I know the buzzer system wasn't installed in 1916 or anything, (& i don't think they had access to those wee tellies they've got just inside used to see who's out there) so, it's a more modern fixture.
I guess, just around the beginning of the 70's and into the 80's there were pub bombings... think it was around the gusty spence times. and well, madden's would be one of the more obvious targets i guess. when so many pubs were being bombed etc, you tend to be more carefull who you let into yours. hence the buzzer. it's just sorta been left behind from those times.
i mean, I don't know how many time the crown (a pub across from the europa, a big hotel) has had those tiles on the front of it blown off, and have just had to once again pick up the tiles and try & piece them back on. And that's just from the europa being bombed across the street.
It depends on what time you turn up as to whether the buzzer is needed or not. If you're there before 8 you can usually walk straight in. If you do need to buzz, just tell them you're there for the session.
ya - i should have said that. Just because there is a buzzer doesn't mean that they won't let you in if they don't know you. It's just, if you show up holding a crow-bar and wearing a balaclava, it may just be a wee bit more difficult
the hatfield apparently has a session as well... now that's a dodgy place (not that i haven't gotten the odd carry-out from there)
my good friend from the Ormeau rd told me that the Hatfield as a session is no more as they suuccumbed to a 'band' which does the feed the pig music now.
BUT,as i'm not resident in Belfast,don't take this as gospel and maybe give the pub a ring just to make sure.
with regard to Maddens- i once had a long talk with a very informative (from him to me,that is!) feller who may have had something to do with the premises - stuff about underground streams/rivers in Belfast etc and a lot more besides;i'm recall
he had a bit of a limp and was very welcoming.
i would think that you should be ok within the city centre confines but just use common sense as you would in any city.
the regular fiddle player might have been Andy.
best wishes
Andy? well... the fiddler I'm talking about seemed to be dead-on, you know? Dusty used to go down there the odd time too, and Murrough O'Kane's brother...
but really - the hatfield, I'd be really cautious of that place. just not had the best of luck, that pub - i guess.
Try Fibber Magee's (a wee pub out the back of Robinson's across from europa) on a sunday nite. Its usually gud craic, irish music played by a group tho, not usually a session but a good wee nite's entertainment
First visit to Belfast.
First visit to Belfast.
Hi
I know I'm breaking the rules here... and I know there are some belfast sessions listed already... However - I'm coming over to Belfast for the first time on Friday (21st), just for the one night. Since I have so little time, I don't want to be wasting it going from place to place (assuming I can find my way round) looking for a decent session that's still happening... so I wondered if any of you lot knew of a good one that would definitely be on this week.
Also - since I'll be there Sat afternoon, any suggestions as to places one must see?
Cheers much in advance.
xDx
# Posted on March 18th 2003 by drizzt
Re: First visit to Belfast.
Hi
There are two great sessions on a Friday, in Maddens bar and the Hercules bar. They are within 1 mins walk of each other so if you don't like one, you can easily pop along to the other. The music will be of a high standard and also rather fast. The musicians will be more than happy to have you join in but you might find yourself left behind sometimes! Any time I'm home from London I find I have to adjust to the pace somewhat. Just bear in mind that the tunes played are not always from the standard session repertoire, so be prepared to do a fair bit of listening. I would recommend the Herc before Maddens as it goes on slightly later and the pipers who play there (Patrick O'Hare and Francis McIlduff) are excellent. Tell them Con
# Posted on March 19th 2003 by Conán McDonnell
Re: First visit to Belfast.
Both have good musicians in attendance but my personal preference is for Maddens - not quite as hectic as the Herc.
# Posted on March 19th 2003 by breandan
Re: First visit to Belfast.
Cheers guys... now I'm confused. I think I'll try both. I'm gonna be chicken anyway and leave my fiddle at home and just be a spectator... soak up some irish character.
# Posted on March 20th 2003 by drizzt
Re: First visit to Belfast.
if you're not sure then go to Madden's. Brendan's correct in saying that it's a bit more laid back than the Herc; you've got Madden's and Madness to chose from.
Con
# Posted on March 20th 2003 by Conán McDonnell
Re: First visit to Belfast.
I'd say it wouldn't hurt to bring your fiddle along just in case. The folks who play at Madden's really are dead on & would be sure to ask you for a tune. Make sure u know to go upstairs, as some people look for the session on the main floor (where they sometimes do have music).
Enjoy!
# Posted on March 21st 2003 by searai
Re: First visit to Belfast.
Have returned from Belfast. Wanted to pick your brains as to whether either Madden's or the Hercules has a "green/blue" type issue. The friend I went to stay with lives with her husband on the RAF base... and when we mentioned the names of those two places to the taxi driver on our way in, he said our accents wouldn't be popular. As a result we didn't go. However, I'm going back over in April with my boyfriend, so if I can get a bit of reassurance we would visit them then. I don't care much for the politics, but I would very much like to hear the music.
What do you all think?
xDx
# Posted on March 23rd 2003 by drizzt
Re: First visit to Belfast.
i was in maddens a couple of years ago and there was no problem at all with accents ( or anything else,come to think of it).
maybe the problem was with your taxi driver?
i would give it a go next time.
leave any uniforms at home though...
# Posted on March 24th 2003 by biggus dave
Re: First visit to Belfast.
Well, historically the part of the city centre that maddens & the herc are located in are, well, 'green'. And most folk tend to get suspicious when they have to buzz to get into a pub. That being said, the one fella there who is a regualr fiddle player there is a bloke from england. Really, maddens is just like a wee hole in the wall where, when inside, no one would think twice. Also, quite a few tourists come to the spot, which tends to add an increased air of neutrality.
I don't want to say it's totally fine - just knowing that a mate of mine invited some friends of a different religious persuasion out to a pub, sayin that no one would mind or think twice. Which was true - none of her mates would mind at all. But just by chance a few fellas were visiting in there who did care. And when something happened, she felt really responsible for it.
but really... madden's is fine. and the herc is slightly less renouned but pretty much the same.
# Posted on March 24th 2003 by searai
Re: First visit to Belfast.
Serai
Do you have to buzz to get into Madden's?
Why?
xDx
# Posted on March 24th 2003 by drizzt
Re: First visit to Belfast.
why? well, I know the buzzer system wasn't installed in 1916 or anything, (& i don't think they had access to those wee tellies they've got just inside used to see who's out there) so, it's a more modern fixture.
I guess, just around the beginning of the 70's and into the 80's there were pub bombings... think it was around the gusty spence times. and well, madden's would be one of the more obvious targets i guess. when so many pubs were being bombed etc, you tend to be more carefull who you let into yours. hence the buzzer. it's just sorta been left behind from those times.
i mean, I don't know how many time the crown (a pub across from the europa, a big hotel) has had those tiles on the front of it blown off, and have just had to once again pick up the tiles and try & piece them back on. And that's just from the europa being bombed across the street.
anyway - it's not as bad as it sounds. really.
# Posted on March 25th 2003 by searai
Re: First visit to Belfast.
It depends on what time you turn up as to whether the buzzer is needed or not. If you're there before 8 you can usually walk straight in. If you do need to buzz, just tell them you're there for the session.
Con
# Posted on March 25th 2003 by Conán McDonnell
Re: First visit to Belfast.
ya - i should have said that. Just because there is a buzzer doesn't mean that they won't let you in if they don't know you. It's just, if you show up holding a crow-bar and wearing a balaclava, it may just be a wee bit more difficult
(not that i haven't gotten the odd carry-out from there)
the hatfield apparently has a session as well... now that's a dodgy place
# Posted on March 25th 2003 by searai
Re: First visit to Belfast.
my good friend from the Ormeau rd told me that the Hatfield as a session is no more as they suuccumbed to a 'band' which does the feed the pig music now.
BUT,as i'm not resident in Belfast,don't take this as gospel and maybe give the pub a ring just to make sure.
with regard to Maddens- i once had a long talk with a very informative (from him to me,that is!) feller who may have had something to do with the premises - stuff about underground streams/rivers in Belfast etc and a lot more besides;i'm recall
he had a bit of a limp and was very welcoming.
i would think that you should be ok within the city centre confines but just use common sense as you would in any city.
the regular fiddle player might have been Andy.
best wishes
# Posted on March 25th 2003 by biggus dave
Re: First visit to Belfast.
Dave, the guy you spoke to was the former owner of the premises, S
# Posted on March 25th 2003 by Conán McDonnell
Re: First visit to Belfast.
Andy? well... the fiddler I'm talking about seemed to be dead-on, you know? Dusty used to go down there the odd time too, and Murrough O'Kane's brother...
but really - the hatfield, I'd be really cautious of that place. just not had the best of luck, that pub - i guess.
# Posted on March 26th 2003 by searai
Re: First visit to Belfast.
Try Fibber Magee's (a wee pub out the back of Robinson's across from europa) on a sunday nite. Its usually gud craic, irish music played by a group tho, not usually a session but a good wee nite's entertainment
# Posted on May 3rd 2003 by Angie83