My wife and I will be in Ireland April 1 till somewhere around the 14th. Any recommendations on when and where to catch sessions while we are there? We are also going to Scotland for a week Ireland. Same thing. Any sessions that we should catch. My hopes are to catch some traditional music every evening if we can.
Thanks for any information you can supply.
There was a small session at Waxy O’Connor’s pub near Queen Street station in Glasgow on Sunday evening when I was there in August. I caught the end of it which was at 6 or 7 pm.
Cheers,
Aaron
Lovely session in ‘Hootnannies’, Inverness, Scotland. Not sure about the day, but still remember the guys, friendly, welcoming and good musicians. Lots of ITM, some Scottish and beautiful singing.
http://www.hootananny.com/default.asp
Here’s a link to Hootananny in Inverness. I was there last summer and the sessions were mid-week. Also, check out The White Hart in Edinburgh on Thursday nights. The Tass (I think that’s it) also had several sessions - that’s in Edinburgh too.
Here’s a link to the Edinburgh Pub Guide at The Undiscovered Scotland.
http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/edinburgh/pubguide/index.html
Have fun …
Oh and do try Tennants Velvet!
sniff Now you’ve gone and made me travelsick for Scotland.
http://www.hootananny.com/default.asp >
Here’s a link to Hootananny in Inverness.
That’s it! I knew I could’ve missed some letters…They were so nice to my wife that non-musician parteners took her and had dinner with her. No need to say that I took advantage of this to play muuuuch longer. 
I didn’t like The Tass in Edinbourgh though. I met there with an old friend who plays whistles and pipes. There were 9 fiddlers playing. Nothing wrong with them, but they seemed to be really concentrated about learning tunes, looked like a beginners class. We listened for an hour with our cases at sight. Nobody said anything to us, rather felt consciously ignored. Maybe we could’ve said something but not wanting to seem sissy kept talking of the old times with our instruments sadly in the dark of the case.
…I think I should make it again…Edinbourgh is well worth a visit…every year!
Post this question on www.thesession.org --you’ll be bound to get a bunch of responses. That site also has a helpful list of sessions.
Sessions in Scotland:
Glasgow:
Babbity Bowsters in the Merchant City on a Saturday Afternoon
Ben Nevis bar on Argyle Street on a Wed, Thurs and Sunday.
There is also the Park Bar, Snaffle Bit and the Islay Inn near by who all do Scottish Music and sessions. They are all full of west coasters which makes for great craic.
The Lismore near Byres Road on various days of the week.
The Uisge Beatha on a Thursday (I think)
The Victora Bar near the Clyde has a great Irish session on Fridays.
Sharkies in the Gorbals has another great Irish Session on a Wednesday.
There could be others but if you pick up the Gig Guide, which is free and available in loads of pubs and the Tourist Info, you will find them in there.
Edinburgh:
Sandys bells is good almost any night of the week.
The Malt Shovel has a great session on a Thursday and has an amazing selection of malt Whiskey (Yum)
Elsewhere:
The Glen Clova in Angus (go to Kirriemuir and follow the signs) has a really friendly session on the First saturday of the month. You get a bed for the night and a big fry upin the morning if your playing.
The rest you can find on thesession.org as there are too many for me to list.
The Glen Clova in Angus (go to Kirriemuir and follow the signs) has a really friendly session on the First saturday of the month. You get a bed for the night and a big fry upin the morning if your playing.
Man…that’s a really friendly session. Another excuse to make it to Scotland…
Hiya,
No secrets here, but two reliable places for good sessions in Dublin are Hughes’ (19 Chancery Street, up behind the Four Courts) and the Cobblestone (in Smithfield).
Ádh mór!
Jennifer
Thanks all for the information. We leave tomorrow.
Have a nice trip, enjoy.
(I really mean: 'b*^¿~¬#**d, I wish I were you 
)
Cheerio
That’s a real shame. I think Wednesday at the Tass was traditionally a session derived form the adult learners project - so they might have been beginners. If so, they may not have had the confidence to invite you in - I’m sure they weren’t being rude on purpose. Thursday night used to be a great session but numbers started to decline. It’s down to about once a month just now, but hopefully it will get back on it’s feet soon.
Monday night at Sandy Bells you should hear some nice flute playing.
Oh, they weren’t rude at all, we actually didn’t clearly asked or talked to them so…blame myself too. We had some pints and a nice time listening and sharing family pictures.
Sandy bells…sandy bells…sandy bells… (memorising.)
Hopefully next summer…
Sandy bells…sandy bells…sandy bells…
http://www.footstompin.com/articles/session_pubs/sandy_bells
I run that one, it is not a session as such but a gig for our band Ar An Uisce.There is a session in The Uisge Beatha on a Sunday frae 5.30pm to midnight.
Slán Go Foill
Uilliam