I went down on Wednesday night and played a few tunes in O' Loughlin's I think it was called. We had a good night. Dropped down again today but there was very little music around. Everybody was watching the Kerry vs Limerick match. There was no live tv coverage of the Tipperary vs Galway match - I was very upset by this!! But Tipp won so it didn't really matter!!! I did find one good session in a small pub called Fahy's (I think). Paul Bradly was playing - super player.
A friend of mine from the US was doing the classes etc for the week and had a brilliant time.
hey
I went down to Willie Week on the Sunday and went to the clsses and to some sessions. I had a great time some good sessions in the Armada but we weren't allowed into play on the Thursday Night. They said it was "hotel policy". Didn't go to any sessions in Miltown at night but went to one in Michael A's and it was brilliant.
Went to some fantastic sessions with Mick and Eamon Coyne and Ron Cavana, one at Curtin's in Miltown, one in Meaney's in Mullagh. Also Mick Coyne and a bunch of other pipers did a session in the back of Friel's (Lynch's) with the theme of singing and pipering, kind of a tribute to Willie Clancy - and Niamh Parsons was there too. They were playing for about 8 hours or something... fantastic.
Had a couple of good nights at Gleeson's of Coore, and then generally just loads of sessions in Miltown and Mullagh. Didn't play much, because I'm only a novice, but sang quite a bit. Saw Frankie Gavin playing in Hillery's... went to the Piping Recital and heard Ronan Browne, among others... Heard a really beautiful singer called Andrew Murray from Inisboffin (?).
Saw David, sadly no Conan. Went to the Central on the Monday but didn't see anybody else - Crannog, were you there?
And had a few lovely walks in the sunshine. Now back to London, to find the street around my house has been cordoned off because of gunshots. Ho hum.
Ah! Good safety tip there Accordion! The trick with the local hotels is to get there a bit early and have a bite of food. After 9 or so, the doors close and nobody is let in for the music. If the Armada is the hotel down the street from the fiddle classes at the school, then it's worth the wait. At least 5 sessions are scattered about the lounge/bar area and it's lovely to just sit and listen. Last year, it was Matt Cranitch and his boys at the bar and they had the place jumping until the sun came up. I still listen to that recording and am amazed at the power of the polka for getting people up and dancing.
Went along to the Central on Monday, and a couple of other days, but there didn't seem to be much of a session for joining in when I got there. Met David quite by accident on Wednesday - a fine mandolin player, - and was it my imagination, or did there seemed to be more mandolins around this year than before?
Good bits - thought the flute/whistle concert was the best I've been to (anyone have a recording ?) , seeing sean-nos dancing to Harry Bradley playing "The Irish Washerwoman" in the back of Queally's, Barney McKenna joining us in a session in "Cleary's", various sessions in Mullagh at night (Kieran Crehan is still a mighty player), "The Miltown Journal" (hilarious) and just the overall "craic". Guinness.
Bad bits - seriously out-of -tune players (more of them than usual, I thought), food still a problem, fast - and I mean fast -, sessions. "No show" by "Ptarmigan", unfortunately.
Whisky (never again etc...etc... ).
I had a great time, and wouldn't miss it. Sorry I only managed to meet David from the "Session". We must organise it better next year. See you then.
Willie Week
Willie Week
Just back from a good weekend in Milltown Mallbay , some good sessions both instrumental and singing especially the one in Michael A's yesterday.
Who from here went and how did u get on.
# Posted on July 13th 2003 by dub
Re: Willie Week
I went down on Wednesday night and played a few tunes in O' Loughlin's I think it was called. We had a good night. Dropped down again today but there was very little music around. Everybody was watching the Kerry vs Limerick match. There was no live tv coverage of the Tipperary vs Galway match - I was very upset by this!! But Tipp won so it didn't really matter!!! I did find one good session in a small pub called Fahy's (I think). Paul Bradly was playing - super player.
A friend of mine from the US was doing the classes etc for the week and had a brilliant time.
# Posted on July 13th 2003 by carrie
Re: Willie Week
hey
I went down to Willie Week on the Sunday and went to the clsses and to some sessions. I had a great time some good sessions in the Armada but we weren't allowed into play on the Thursday Night. They said it was "hotel policy". Didn't go to any sessions in Miltown at night but went to one in Michael A's and it was brilliant.
# Posted on July 14th 2003 by accordion
Re: Willie Week (**C.McDonnell - do not read**)
Just got back... need a holiday now!
Went to the Central on the Monday but didn't see anybody else - Crannog, were you there?
Went to some fantastic sessions with Mick and Eamon Coyne and Ron Cavana, one at Curtin's in Miltown, one in Meaney's in Mullagh. Also Mick Coyne and a bunch of other pipers did a session in the back of Friel's (Lynch's) with the theme of singing and pipering, kind of a tribute to Willie Clancy - and Niamh Parsons was there too. They were playing for about 8 hours or something... fantastic.
Had a couple of good nights at Gleeson's of Coore, and then generally just loads of sessions in Miltown and Mullagh. Didn't play much, because I'm only a novice, but sang quite a bit. Saw Frankie Gavin playing in Hillery's... went to the Piping Recital and heard Ronan Browne, among others... Heard a really beautiful singer called Andrew Murray from Inisboffin (?).
Saw David, sadly no Conan.
And had a few lovely walks in the sunshine. Now back to London, to find the street around my house has been cordoned off because of gunshots. Ho hum.
# Posted on July 14th 2003 by Nell
Re: Willie Week
Ah! Good safety tip there Accordion! The trick with the local hotels is to get there a bit early and have a bite of food. After 9 or so, the doors close and nobody is let in for the music. If the Armada is the hotel down the street from the fiddle classes at the school, then it's worth the wait. At least 5 sessions are scattered about the lounge/bar area and it's lovely to just sit and listen. Last year, it was Matt Cranitch and his boys at the bar and they had the place jumping until the sun came up. I still listen to that recording and am amazed at the power of the polka for getting people up and dancing.
# Posted on July 14th 2003 by Caoimghgin
Re: Willie Week
found some others carrying instruments with them in Shannon (don
# Posted on July 14th 2003 by crannog
Re: Willie Week
Went along to the Central on Monday, and a couple of other days, but there didn't seem to be much of a session for joining in when I got there. Met David quite by accident on Wednesday - a fine mandolin player, - and was it my imagination, or did there seemed to be more mandolins around this year than before?
Good bits - thought the flute/whistle concert was the best I've been to (anyone have a recording ?) , seeing sean-nos dancing to Harry Bradley playing "The Irish Washerwoman" in the back of Queally's, Barney McKenna joining us in a session in "Cleary's", various sessions in Mullagh at night (Kieran Crehan is still a mighty player), "The Miltown Journal" (hilarious) and just the overall "craic". Guinness.
Bad bits - seriously out-of -tune players (more of them than usual, I thought), food still a problem, fast - and I mean fast -, sessions. "No show" by "Ptarmigan", unfortunately.
Whisky (never again etc...etc... ).
I had a great time, and wouldn't miss it. Sorry I only managed to meet David from the "Session". We must organise it better next year. See you then.
# Posted on July 18th 2003 by Kenny