Is there a place in Ireland more welcoming with just as high standards in trad music than Doolin, Clare??? If so let me know. Off all next weekend and will be puttin a few miles on da car.
i dont get the big attraction and hype surrounding music in clare. there is just as good if not better music (not just sessions) in a huge number of other places in the country. years ago clare was great for music but has waned in the past number of years with people moving to more urban areas. dublin is a great area for music. theres lots of good music in galway city also, but you're bound to find a decent session if you go to most built up areas in the country, not just in doolin, but its whatever music you enjoy playing really.
I was very lucky to join Brian Rooney's session in North London this May. John Carty was back in the city then, so I managed to listen to and even have some tunes with two of the best Irish fiddlers at once. James Carty was also there, and we had a nice chat. "Key Maniac Lad" originally informed us of the session on this discussion board, and we decided to meet up with "spoon" there. It was an amazing session, and we all had a great time. But, it's a shame that the fiddle legend from Leitrim don't play in the pub any more.
Try Lisdoonvarna on weekends. I joined very memorable sessions there a few times, and it's much less touristy than Doolin and Ennis.
If you get to West Cork, the Friday night session in Ballydehob is always welcoming. Standards vary a bit depending who turns up. this session moves round four different pubs, I think it's in the Sandboat bar this Friday.
"...there is just as good if not better music (not just sessions) in a huge number of other places in the country. years ago clare was great for music but has waned..."
Right you are. No reason to come to Clare. We don't know what we're doing here. If we could we'd all go to urban centers as you say but they wouldn't let us bring the cows so we stay here even though the music has waned. I wouldn't bother coming here if I was you. I wouldn't even bother coming here if I wasn't you. We're all just waning away. In fact we might not even be here even if you did get here.
cocus you remind me of the sarcastic priest in father ted. lol.
my comment was not to say there still isn't music in clare, but what i was comparing it too was the days of when clancy was still around. i think compared to then music has been on the backfoot when musicians were two a penny there. but i dont think you can compare the number of musicians or sessions close by in galway to those in clare. its not meant to be an insult just a statement. of course there is still music there, i go down to the fests all the time, i was in tulla few weeks ago. but without the fest places like miltown would go under, just look at how many pubs have closed in the past couple of years. there are no more pubs on the ennis road, and o'connors is gone aswell.
Right on cocus. Its just a desert here now. Just echoes and the howling of the wind across the burren.
Aah yes, I remember happy days of great sessions in the back of Paddy Arthurs shop in Ennis, you remember, the one with the big slab of hairy bacon under the counter. Sometimes there was no bacon so we had to eat a musician as they were so plentiful.
I expect nobody will turn up to the nov tradfest at all this year, do you remember last year when we spent the whole day hunting for a session but could'nt find one because all the pubs had closed down.
Any way we're all going to move to galway, cause ruairi reckons its really buzzing and get the flock out of this awful county into a good solid urban place where all the real musicans are........
'I'm referring to the number of musicians per square inch.'
Isn't there a maximum of one?
Shallow and pedantic, as per usual.
I think fiddleruairi is right, to an extent. Clare has produced some of the most remarkable musicians ever to play trad: Clancy, Casey, Crehan, Joe Ryan, Paddy Canny etc. A few of the members of this golden era are still around (the great Peadar O'Loughlin would be an example) and a new generation of players are coming thru firmly rooted in that tradition.
In the late 90s Ennis seemed to produce a pleathura of sessions (and indeed cds) that all sounded the same - very much in the trazzy bulls itty commercial style of irish music - fiddle players hacking away, flute players putting in silly frilly bits all over the place and guitarists that looked and sounded like they were having an epileptic fit. Not reminiscent of the fine musical tradition Clare has at all.
I spent a weekend last December in the new hotel in Doolin and found it very strange. There was this newly built hotel, with a bar done up to look old, with pictures of Clancy hanging on the walls, as if he was a 'regular' in there at one point. The music for the evening was a guy with a guitar and drum machine singing covers. Again, hardly reminiscent of the fine musical tradition. I did walk down the road to hear Kevin Griffin playing, which was nice enough, but hardly awe inspiring.
I think there are a number of other places to go in the country to hear better music at present, and would also suggest, like fiddleruari, that Dublin is a great spot, with a number of great musicians playing out and about on a regular basis.
Its crucifying to hear all this talk ...no one can beat good music where ever it is ......Im searching this last 30 years for the perfect weekly session ...it just dosnt happen .....sometimes its good sometimes its bad ...sometimes its your way sometime its not ...a lot of new tunes make a difference ...new compositions..new settings ....that means solo performances until the rest of us learn the way to play it......my favourite session is cryians pub carrick-on- shannon...with mystro fiddler mossy martin .......
comming there shortly ...me and me son ...im a fiddler and wee v a eflat concertina an a bflat concertina ....me eldest is 35 and a lovely fiddler ........make a link ......i was first there with bart....we need to buy a load of turf ...can anyone quote ..the lorry is an 8 wheeler and normally holds 25 tonns of muck.......c
best session in Ireland
best session in Ireland
Is there a place in Ireland more welcoming with just as high standards in trad music than Doolin, Clare??? If so let me know. Off all next weekend and will be puttin a few miles on da car.
# Posted on October 6th 2008 by deisendoolin
Re: best session in Ireland
Barney's Bar in Antrim Town, a lot better than Doolin.
# Posted on October 6th 2008 by bodhran bliss
Re: best session in Ireland
uh oh...
# Posted on October 6th 2008 by fiddleruairi
Re: best session in Ireland
i dont get the big attraction and hype surrounding music in clare. there is just as good if not better music (not just sessions) in a huge number of other places in the country. years ago clare was great for music but has waned in the past number of years with people moving to more urban areas. dublin is a great area for music. theres lots of good music in galway city also, but you're bound to find a decent session if you go to most built up areas in the country, not just in doolin, but its whatever music you enjoy playing really.
# Posted on October 6th 2008 by fiddleruairi
Re: best session in Ireland
C'mon, everyone knows that the best session in Ireland is in South London....
# Posted on October 6th 2008 by Will Harmon
Re: best session in Ireland
Bob's Bar Kanturk Co.Cork, 6pm ........WWWoooooo
# Posted on October 6th 2008 by CFlood
Re: best session in Ireland
Fiddleruairi is right - plenty of great muscic around.
# Posted on October 7th 2008 by bb
Re: best session in Ireland
I was very lucky to join Brian Rooney's session in North London this May. John Carty was back in the city then, so I managed to listen to and even have some tunes with two of the best Irish fiddlers at once. James Carty was also there, and we had a nice chat. "Key Maniac Lad" originally informed us of the session on this discussion board, and we decided to meet up with "spoon" there. It was an amazing session, and we all had a great time. But, it's a shame that the fiddle legend from Leitrim don't play in the pub any more.
Try Lisdoonvarna on weekends. I joined very memorable sessions there a few times, and it's much less touristy than Doolin and Ennis.
# Posted on October 7th 2008 by slainte
Re: best session in Ireland
If you get to West Cork, the Friday night session in Ballydehob is always welcoming. Standards vary a bit depending who turns up. this session moves round four different pubs, I think it's in the Sandboat bar this Friday.
# Posted on October 7th 2008 by cathycook
Re: best session in Ireland
"C'mon, everyone knows that the best session in Ireland is in South London...."
Pah! Southern Wusses! North London rules!
# Posted on October 7th 2008 by CreadurMawnOrganig
No good music in Clare
"...there is just as good if not better music (not just sessions) in a huge number of other places in the country. years ago clare was great for music but has waned..."
Right you are. No reason to come to Clare. We don't know what we're doing here. If we could we'd all go to urban centers as you say but they wouldn't let us bring the cows so we stay here even though the music has waned. I wouldn't bother coming here if I was you. I wouldn't even bother coming here if I wasn't you. We're all just waning away. In fact we might not even be here even if you did get here.
# Posted on October 7th 2008 by David Levine
Re: best session in Ireland
Jeeeez but you guys have short memories!
Don't you remember?
Thanks to Concertinaplayer, I thought we all agreed that Sandy Bell's MUST be the best session in Ireland!
# Posted on October 8th 2008 by Ptarmigan
Re: best session in Ireland
# Posted on October 8th 2008 by piobagusfidil
Re: best session in Ireland
cocus you remind me of the sarcastic priest in father ted. lol.
my comment was not to say there still isn't music in clare, but what i was comparing it too was the days of when clancy was still around. i think compared to then music has been on the backfoot when musicians were two a penny there. but i dont think you can compare the number of musicians or sessions close by in galway to those in clare. its not meant to be an insult just a statement. of course there is still music there, i go down to the fests all the time, i was in tulla few weeks ago. but without the fest places like miltown would go under, just look at how many pubs have closed in the past couple of years. there are no more pubs on the ennis road, and o'connors is gone aswell.
# Posted on October 8th 2008 by fiddleruairi
Re: best session in Ireland
oh yea i never said there wasnt any good music, im referring to the number of musicians per square inch.
# Posted on October 8th 2008 by fiddleruairi
Re: best session in Ireland
Right on cocus. Its just a desert here now. Just echoes and the howling of the wind across the burren.
Aah yes, I remember happy days of great sessions in the back of Paddy Arthurs shop in Ennis, you remember, the one with the big slab of hairy bacon under the counter. Sometimes there was no bacon so we had to eat a musician as they were so plentiful.
I expect nobody will turn up to the nov tradfest at all this year, do you remember last year when we spent the whole day hunting for a session but could'nt find one because all the pubs had closed down.
Any way we're all going to move to galway, cause ruairi reckons its really buzzing and get the flock out of this awful county into a good solid urban place where all the real musicans are........
# Posted on October 10th 2008 by banjoburger
Re: best session in Ireland
'I'm referring to the number of musicians per square inch.'
Isn't there a maximum of one?
# Posted on October 10th 2008 by MacCruiskeen
Re: best session in Ireland
'I'm referring to the number of musicians per square inch.'
Isn't there a maximum of one?
Shallow and pedantic, as per usual.
I think fiddleruairi is right, to an extent. Clare has produced some of the most remarkable musicians ever to play trad: Clancy, Casey, Crehan, Joe Ryan, Paddy Canny etc. A few of the members of this golden era are still around (the great Peadar O'Loughlin would be an example) and a new generation of players are coming thru firmly rooted in that tradition.
In the late 90s Ennis seemed to produce a pleathura of sessions (and indeed cds) that all sounded the same - very much in the trazzy bulls itty commercial style of irish music - fiddle players hacking away, flute players putting in silly frilly bits all over the place and guitarists that looked and sounded like they were having an epileptic fit. Not reminiscent of the fine musical tradition Clare has at all.
I spent a weekend last December in the new hotel in Doolin and found it very strange. There was this newly built hotel, with a bar done up to look old, with pictures of Clancy hanging on the walls, as if he was a 'regular' in there at one point. The music for the evening was a guy with a guitar and drum machine singing covers. Again, hardly reminiscent of the fine musical tradition. I did walk down the road to hear Kevin Griffin playing, which was nice enough, but hardly awe inspiring.
I think there are a number of other places to go in the country to hear better music at present, and would also suggest, like fiddleruari, that Dublin is a great spot, with a number of great musicians playing out and about on a regular basis.
# Posted on October 11th 2008 by skip canlon
Re: best session in Ireland
Its crucifying to hear all this talk ...no one can beat good music where ever it is ......Im searching this last 30 years for the perfect weekly session ...it just dosnt happen .....sometimes its good sometimes its bad ...sometimes its your way sometime its not ...a lot of new tunes make a difference ...new compositions..new settings ....that means solo performances until the rest of us learn the way to play it......my favourite session is cryians pub carrick-on- shannon...with mystro fiddler mossy martin .......
# Posted on October 18th 2008 by camlough
Re: best session in Ireland
Ah Mossy -he's great alright.
# Posted on October 18th 2008 by bb
Re: best session in Ireland
comming there shortly ...me and me son ...im a fiddler and wee v a eflat concertina an a bflat concertina ....me eldest is 35 and a lovely fiddler ........make a link ......i was first there with bart....we need to buy a load of turf ...can anyone quote ..the lorry is an 8 wheeler and normally holds 25 tonns of muck.......c
# Posted on October 18th 2008 by camlough