Monday 23-10-17 Ennis to Kerry

I leave Renmore at 1:00 and down the road to Ennis to have the dinner with John Culliney. Would it ever stop raining?! Of 18 visits to Ireland this is by far the worst weather which includes Hurricane Ophelia and Storm Brian.

Johnny has the huge meal prepared -Bacon & Cabbage; an Irish classic. I eat basically 2 dinners, then we catch up on the gossip and out come the fiddles. We have our favourite sets which we played often in 2007 when John stayed with us in Edmonton. We would play at my Christmas gigs at West Edmonton Mall as well as home parties and the Tuesday session at O’Byrnes Irish pub.

Now down to Kerry. If I have a ‘local” in Ireland it must be Flnnagan’s Bar in Brosna. I arrive alone as Jackie, Terrance and Dave have other concerns. But it’s old home day and I am frequently greeted with “Welcome Home!”. My Canadian nervousness of perhaps being the only musician tonight is quickly dispelled when in walks Pat McCarthy a fine strong singer with guitar and Mikey O’Connor also with guitar. Good times til the crowd thins out at 1:00. The Baron (Timmy O’Sullivan) is scheming for a way to keep the party going so I could have a drink (or 3) and then head back to the farm with him. Better heads prevail and I head back to Tony Halsall’s in the rain (sigh).