Hello everyone. I am planning to take a road trip for a few months to parts of Europe from May next year. The intended route (entirely flexible!)will be UK to France then up through Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Denmark then down to Austria, Northern Italy and finally Switzerland. What I would like to ask is for information on festivals and music sessions and posssibly make contact with anyone living in these countries who can help with finding where the craic is at. I am mainly interested in Irish traditional music. I play the flute and have just taken up uillean pipes in the last year. Many thanks : 
You’re content with turning south in Denmark?
Your loss I guess, you’ll miss all the best parts 
I have been tpo five of those places and if you are in major cities you will find places to session. I remember seeing a couple likely session spots in Vienna, Austria; Heidelberg, Germany; and Colmar, France. In Vienna if you are in the Pedestrian area (right around Albertina Square) I think there is an Irish Pub on one of the smaller back streets. On the main street in Heidelberg there is a place called The Dublin Pub they may have a session as they were advertising live Irish Trad, but I was not in town for it. In Colmar if you go into the pedestrian part of town and walk along the art museum you will run into buildings, turn left and a couple blocks down there is an Irish Pub on one of the corners across the street from a Winery.
http://www.europeanirish.com/PubsShops/
http://www.europeanirish.com/Music/
Maybe this will cover all your wild ramblings sufficiently 
If you’re in Copenhagen on a sunday afternoon, the place to go is Bloomsdays in Niels Hemmingsensstr. session starts 15:00
Has been going for so long (20 years?) that it’s called bloomsday afternoon - and has a tune by the same name.
But Henke is right. If you’re up the continent this far could be worthwhile making a cross over to Sweden. Only takes an hour’s drive to Lund. Don’t know if there are still sessions in the Bisshop’s Arms? (Steampacket?)
Do send me a PM when you’re in the neighbourhood
cheers,
Jeroen
Yes there are still sessions at the Bishop’s Arms in Lund, Sweden, as Pixxy says. Only once a month though, so you have to get the timing right.
If you arrive in Copenhagen around late October/November, 2007, then don’t miss the Copenhagen Irish Festival.
Many thanks so far for all your replies-really helpful. I am planning to go to Copenhagen as i once met a banjo player at the Willy Clancy week in County Claire in about 1989. His name was Andres Holberg Neilson. Does anyone by the remotest chance know of him? And as you say if Swedan is only an hour away I should visit there too!
sorry about the spelling mistake in Sweden!
Eh! Maybe I’m missing something but if you want to play Irish Trad. why isn’t the Emerald Isle on your journey. Unless you are including Ireland in the UK … a major faux pas!!! Of course, there’s good ITM in UK and probably in ‘mainland’ Europe in places but rather spread thinly, I would guess.
Oh not neglecting the old country!-have been many times and love it but the trip next year is to see places I ahve not seen as much as find music along the way 
Hi Ladypiper,
I’m currently in Duesseldorf in the North-west of the Germany, so if you are passing through, let me know! There is usually a session to be had here somewhere (Duesseldorf, Cologne, Bonn) …
All the best,
Helen.
Just be careful in Colmar though. People have been known to walk along the art museum and run into buildings…
Nice to see you too Gary. If I remember correctly the building one would run into is the “House of Heads.”
Come to think of it I remember seeing a pub in Salzburg, Austria also.
Only one? Nuts to visiting Salzburg then. Imagine the crowd at the bar!
Hiya, ladypiper. If you’re thinking of coming to Wales, let me know. There are a few sessions about. Lots play Irish stuff, as well as from other traditions (even Welsh!)
If you were about in August. there’s our National Eisteddfod, our main cultural festival, with music and dance and all sorts going on.