Yup…I sold a guitar and I’m splurging on almost two weeks in Ireland. Yay!! I’m hoping to visit all the whistle and flute makers I can find. I’m going from Dublin to Galway to Clare to Kerry to Cork to a few places and then Wicklow to Dublin again. There might be some more places added at different times. I’ll rent a car. I’m excited. Anyone have any suggestions or live there and want to meet me?
Jessie
“I sold a guitar and I’m splurging on almost two weeks in Ireland”
That must have been one heck of a guitar!
My wife and I went a couple of years ago for a week. It was great!
Have a great trip!
Chris Roberts
Two places I loved were Adare (outside Limerick) and Dingle.
Joe
Thanks for the suggestions! I know about roundabouts and such from traveling in England. I have a funny story about roundabouts and Lindt chocolate. I was 10. My mom and I laughed for what seemed like hours in the back of a car while the rental car guy tried to give my dad directions out of London, like “go to the first roundabout and get off at the first left, then go to the second roundabout and get off at the first left, then go to the third roundabout and get off at the second left,” to which my dad would reply, “one more time?” Well, my mom and I stuffed our faces with Lindt choclates so as not to laugh rudely.
The guitar was a 1953 Gibson J-185 that had belonged to Carly Simon.
Jessie
Jessie,
If you’re going near Ballyshannon in Donnegal county, I can recommend a very nice B&B with a very musical host family. I had a nice time playing some tunes with them while I was there.
It’s Aspen B&B. Phone: 072 52065
email might be: gluke@eircom.net
John R
A great book for anyone here but especially for anyone going to Ireland:
Ireland](http://www.mqup.mcgill.ca/wilson.htm%22%3EIreland), A Bicycle, and a Tinwhistle
I take it out and re-read it a couple times per year. It’s great.
The guitar was a 1953 Gibson J-185 that had belonged to Carly Simon.
That IS some guitar!
Hooray! I’m going to Ireland as well.
Jessie, when are you going there?
I will be in Ireland from next monday till 15th of July.
And LittleMy, your brother is now a bass player in my band. Thank you again!
/Arto
Hi Jessie and Arto,
I’m leaving for Ireland tonight and will be there until September 5. Besides Willy Clancy Summer School I have no solid plans -just a backpack, boots, tent, flute and whistle -so I’d love to meet up with both of you. I’m flying into Shannon and will be adventuring around that area for a week until Willy Week, so… Send me an e-mail and I’ll get in touch with you when I’m in Ireland. I really hope to see you both (Jessie, I’m still trying to figure out how to convince you to put me in your will as the heir to your whistle collection, and then have you mysteriously disappear, but don’t let that worry you) 
All the best,
Chris
[ This Message was edited by: ChrisLaughlin on 2001-06-30 10:22 ]
Rich…I LOVE that book and have read it twice…I just took it out yesterday to read again.
John…thank you, but I don’t think I’m going to get to Donegal. 
Arto…looks like I am going to miss you. I’ll be there from July 26 to August 6.
Chris…I am so envious of you…spending a whole summer there!! You carefree young’un! I am worrying about leaving my cats for two weeks. I think I’ll get a pet sitter. But I’ll still feel guilty. So, Chris, yes absolutely, let’s get together!! Are there internet ports in public around in Ireland?
Jessie
Eh!
There are internet cafes almost everywhere in Ireland. I remembers using one in Galway and Ennis, but there are many others…
I’ll be in Ireland from july 1st to august 7 (then I’ll leave for Scotland and Spain/Portugal). If you wanna keep in touch, and maybe meet while we’re there, my e-mail is:
Would be great to have a few jams!
And LittleMy, your brother is now a bass player in my band. Thank you again!
That’s great! I want a recording!
~Julie
What part of Spain are you visiting Azalin? Be sure to see the north it is a seafood lovers heaven
As some will know, I live (and the new Shanna Quay ‘shop’ is based) in Adare, County Limerick. We’ll be open for business from 20th July 2001, and if anyone is around the village at 7pm, you are most welcome to watch The current Earl of Dunraven (whose family virtually built adare several hundred years ago) officially open the store - and partake of a glass of wine and a ‘bun’.
As for roundabouts, we have one at the bottom of the high street. It has been the scene of some very ‘near misses’, I can tell you!
Best wishes,
Steve Power
Does anyone have any specific advice on what to avoid and what to go to this time of year in Ireland? I know it is the height of tourist season, and I don’t want to do touristy things. I want to immerse myself in the music and culture. I am going to meet Hammy Hamilton in Cork on the 26th, and I think I’m going to go up the coast instead of down…then over to Dublin and Wicklow at the end. So, any advice on what to avoid or where to find an excellent hidden session?
Jessie
I have nothing to contribute other than to say I envy you people who are heading over the pond to the Emerald Isle! How fortunate you are!
Have a wonderful, WONDERFUL time!!!
Well if you plan on visiting Galway there will definitely be some great sessions upstairs at The Crane Bar on Sea Road (My brother and sister used to run the place). Also O’Connors in Doolin is a must if you are looking for great music and craic.
Gerry
The difficulty and (also) the attraction for me with Ireland, is that it is ‘a small country’. It’s marvellous that you can just pop to Cork (pardon the pun) to meet famous instrument makers (and players, in Mr Hamilton’s case) or that I can get the phone number for Geraldine Cotter, Joe McKenna and other luminaries from a man who knows another man who knows THE man (or woman).
The downside is that in Summer the popular places get busy - even off the beaten track. And yet some of them (all of them perhaps) are not places that you’d want to miss.
Cork, Dublin, Limerick, Waterford, Sligo etc are all fine cities (probably more like some small US towns) but nevertheless it would be a shame to come all that way and not see parts of West Cork (Skibereen, for example); The Ring of Kerry and Killarney National Park; The Dingle Penninsula; The cliffs of Moher; parts of Connemara (especially around Roundstone where Bodhrans are made - the scenery is breathtaking) and parts of Clare such as Ballyvaughan and Doolin. The difficulty is that there will be buses and coaches and people filling the roads whereever you go in this small country and in the pubs too.
I have a whole list of festivals and summer schools happening from the end of July, but mainly in Sligo, Leitram and Rosscommon. If you want details, send me an e-mail.
Don’t forget to visit Adare (it’ll be touristy, but fun!)
Steve
Jessie,
Didn’t know if you saw this so I linked to it for you
http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?topic=45&forum=1&0
Since you plan on going to Galway it might be fun to check out.