I am going to Westport over the New Year and I would like to play in a session over in Westport. Which pub would you recommend going to?
Are the sessions open in Matt Molloy’s pub?Is it a mostly tourist venue with performers playing into the microphone?
Thank you.
There are two separate music things happening there. One is with a microphone and performers in the back room. The other is a session. It’s not open, but if you are a competent musician, you can ask gently if you can join in. The leader, Mick Coneely (not sure of the spelling of his name and not sure if he’s still the leader - it’s been a few years) is a bit, um, elitist, but he warms up slightly if you prove yourself.
We stopped in Matt Molloy’s pub last summer and there was a great session going on in the front. There seemed to be two younger newbs to the session, but they held there own just fine. Some great musicians to be found. Good luck.
-Casey
All I would like to know is whether the Matt Molloy’s pub has an open session. I would be good enough to play in session but I don’t want any of the elitist stuff that you get from “so-called” session leaders.
What about the other pubs in Westport?
As someone who had the mixed fortunes to play for a time in a tourist trap I can empathise with Mick and everyone who didn’t feel the need to respond to the unreasonable expectations of every session aspirant.
Many people have diluded themselves to the extent to believe that Irish music in pubs is, or should be, a free-for-all where superior musicality and skill are not to be respected or deferred to (in cases it seems that superior ability is actually frowned upon!)
In short, I would point out the obvious: If you sit in to a session where you are effectively lowering the standard of the music it is foolish to expect to be welcomed with open arms on every occasion.
There may well be sessions where you will be welcomed with open arms, but, regardless of how good you think you are or how much you think you deserve, it would be foolish to expect this of every session.
My advice (for what its worth): make yourself a good musician to the extent that these points are no longer an issue.
A lot of the present attitudes to the playing of Irish music are a recipe for resigned sub standardry.
Regards,
Harry.
I agree with Harry entirely. I would not, at that time, have attempted to join a session there on whistle or flute. I did, however, sing a few songs in that session. Mick ended up asking me to do a third, though he probably wanted me to do only two, because the tourists were screaming and physically restraining me from getting up out of the chair to leave the session. I tell you, add a little alcohol and people who aren’t accustomed to the combination of that and music go a little crazy.
I am not fond of open sessions. People tend not to know or care about keeping up musical standards.
Flauta Dolce,
I think it depends on what exactly you mean by elitist stuff. My experience from Matt Molloy’s sessions has been welcoming. But then again, I reckon I know too little tunes to be a nuissance. 
Were there someone who’d ‘almost know’ every tune played and tried to toot along, I think, might end up being frowned upon.
From what I’ve experienced and heard, there’s plenty of good music to be heard at MM’s any night. When considering to join in for a tune, Harry’s advice is something I do agree on. (And hopefully I haven’t acted against it too many times myself.)
Besides, just Mick Lavelle’s songs and humour would be reason enough to call in. I do hope he is still in good health. Speaking of Mick, would anyone by any chance have words for the song “There’s life in the old dog yet”? Mick sang it the last time I was in MMs..
You’ll find it’s big in Clare at the minute through PJ Murrihy’s recording (groan) Ronnie Drew also recorded it, you can probably google it
Thank you for your input, guys.
One is always improving, that goes without saying.
I know how to play a lot of tunes and I can actually hold my own in any session but there have been the rare occasion when I felt uncomfortable in a session.
Anyhow, I thought I would explain what I meant by “elitist”…
The musicians have chosen to play in a different key (in C or E flat) and I don’t happen to have bought a flute in those keys yet. It happened on a few odd occasions. The keys were chosen on purpose as the musicians wanted to practise amongst themselves.
The musicians have chosen to play Scottish highlands for the entire duration (It happened in a pub in Dublin ). That can be quite tiresome.
The musicians are paid giggers and the session is not in fact open, only that it appears so. I have been to a session when the giggers put their instruments down irrespective of the fact that the musicians joining the session were actually very good (experienced) musicians.
I get the impression that the MM pub is a tourist trap and the music is churned out or played in a relaxed manner.
My question is: Is the standard in MM’s pub good ? As I just want to gauge the atmosphere of this particular session. I get the impression from looking at links on Utube over the internet that the pub can be very noisy.
Also, back to my second question: What about the other pubs in Westport?
Only been there once but I had a great night. Invited to play with the musicians, kept well watered (well, Guinnessed and Whiskeyed) by the bar staff, the music much appreciated by the audience. And ended up selling a flute to the flute player. Should go there more often!
I had a wander around the town earlier in the afternoon and there were a few other bars offering music, but I don’t know what form that takes.
Terry
I actually haven’t found MM’s (too) noisy. At least not when sitting in the musicians’ table.
Now as for the elitism.. The sessions I have attended in the tourist trap in question have been in D. Reels have been played abundantly with some jigs and plenty of room for the occasional barn dance or polka. The players have resumed playing when a visitor has joined in without putting their instruments down, save to get a drink.
As for playing in different keys, there are other reasons for that than elitism and exclusivism. For instance there are musicians wishing to play a session with a particular instrument pitched differently from what we perceive as standard/concert pitch.
I have to admit, though, that I was quite annoyed to find my favourite session constantly rising to E-flat because of a certain concertinaplayer partially favouring his Eflat box and partially keeping it that way because his D (C/G) concertina was being repaired. In the end I got annoyed enough to get an Eflat body for my flute. 
I also know of a certain flute player that joined in a session that was in C# due to a set of pipes the piper wanted to play for a change. He just pulled the tuning slide out and played away. Then again, doing that in tune takes some true musicianship.
Thanks for your feedback everyone. Lovely site Terry, enjoyed reading through it.
What time does the music normally begin? I suppose it is on all day.
What about the other pubs in Westport? Do they pale in comparison to Matt Molloy’s? Does the man himself ever come to play in the pub area?
Thanks again.
I stopped in one night in September of last year hoping to hear some music, and lo and behold Mr. Molloy himself was there playing. The place was packed. A couple of other flutes and a fiddle I think. A few good singers from the crowd. It was a nice night.
The standard at that session was quite high.
I’ve heard a pub in Westport called Hoban’s has music, but I didn’t stop in myself.
Enjoy,
MC
Gee. Wonder why it was high.
I wish I managed to make it there when Matt is playing. He hasn’t been around on either of the times I’ve called in. Ah well, have to check back there.
Go, fer chrissake. If you feel comfortable join in. If not, then listen. The times I’ve been there the music was mighty and the players were welcoming. YMMV. But go anyway.
Harry has low tolerance for punters so don’t necessarily be put off by his admonitions. I agree with him, but still… A session is not always the same thing. It’s always good to be prepared to sit on the end of the bench, humbly, and to have no expectations regarding your skill level.
Rather I have a high tolerence for good music.
I have no problem with punters as long as they don’t start making problems. Where there are problems I find that it is generally in where people’s expectations outweigh the subtle reality of what a session actually is, and also where people have an unrealistic value on their own input.
I’m all for just geting up and going somewhere else if the lunatics want to take over the asylum. One thing we have in Ireland is plenty of alternate venues… and I do enjoy a game of pool.
Regards,
Harry.
Hi there,
I am not seriously worried about my playing but the noise in the pub…It will be noisy there, won’t it? I don’t like noisy and loud sessions and while nobody should tolerate poor quality playing, if a session is bad, I won’t take out my instruments.
Any time I was there it was pretty noisy… and that was just the crowd!
Gary Hastings used to play there on a Wednesday night. Don’t know if that’s still the case. I imagine it would be quiter this time of the year.
Regards,
Harry.
Hey, Cocusflute. What’s a “punter”?
Function: noun
1 : one that punts : as a chiefly British : a person who gambles; especially : one who bets against a bookmaker.
I.e., somebody who is taking a chance and hopes he knows the tune. As opposed to somebody who knows the tune.