Session this Sunday
16-08-26
will be Week C –
Edmonton’s Best Session! (most welcoming, best variety & you will play nearly every tune)
A typical Sunday (10-03-24) VIDEO” Many’s a Wild Night”
Join us every Sunday at 1:00-5:00
We will be at
HMCS Nonsuch
11807-Kingsway North-West
Most Sundays (excluding Easter,& Christmas) Just show up. (email to be on the invite list and to confirm we are on)
1-5 pm
The First Hour will be slower and accommodating.
Our 3 rules are
1) Keep it Irish
2) Instrumental only (no singing)
3) $5.00 entrance fee.
Come have fun!
Slán
Jay
Ireland 2025
Entry 7 – the session in Ennis. At John’s funeral Sean Murphy invited me to his session at Brian Kelly’s on the market. Sean is a wonderful box player and singer. His rendition of “Sunday Morning Coming Diwn” brought the house down. Also at the session was Sonya on Fiddle, Aidan on Harmonica, David on guitar, and Tracy from Australia on guitar and vocals.
Entry 6 – Farewell to John Culliney
John was a dear friend of 25 years. He battled cancer for 10 years but finally succumbed on Sunday October 5, 2025. I had talked to him the day before. He was very weak and couldn’t talk long. I mentioned each of the Kuchinskys from Edmonton and told him we loved him.
John spent 10 weeks with us in Edmonton in 2007
Entry 5 – The Ardara afternoon session
i’m at the Johnny Doherty festival. Calling to Nancy‘s bar and get to sit with some of Ireland and Donegal‘s very best FIDDLERS. That would be Martin McGinley, Seamus Gibson and Matt McGranaghan. 
They are all recognized tune composers some mighty tunes. I was much better prepared than a year ago and leaned heavily ion “Week D – The Music of DonegalWeek D – The Music of Donegal” from Jay’s Irish Session
Entry 4 – An evening with Hugh.
I called into Monroe’s Legendary 4:30 Friday session. I was delighted when Hugh Healy arrived from Ennis with his concertina. I played often with Hugh in Ennis in the early 2000’s, even once tagging along with the lads to the gig at Gus O’Connor’s in Doolin. He plays a “Vince” from 1919. I most likely have that name wrong. And it is POWERFUL! “Where do you keep the stack of Marshall amps” I asked him. “It can get louder” says he. Also at the table were Francis pipes, Maureen Brown fiddle, brother Brendan Brown on box. Very inviting and fun session. They put out 3 lovely pizzas for the musicians at 7:00. 
Session 2 also with Francis and Hugh was at Carroll’s and Session 3 also with Francis and Hugh was at Coili’s. That loud concertina and Hugh’s wonderful musicianship was quite necessary at Tigh Coili’s where the crowd was huge and loud. A full day of music!
Entry 3 – The trip to Grianán Ailigh
Entry 2 – Never wetter! I walked into Galway at 6:00 and the heavens opened up. “Lashing rain” does not do it justice. When I started my climb at College Road water was pouring down the gutters like the Amazon River. My borrowed rain coat did absolutely nothing to help me. And windy! Wow! By the time I arrived at Coili’s I was lookig like I’d been hauled in from a capsize. This was 02-10-25 and the event was “The tail end or remnants of Hurricane Humberto”
Entry 1:
The first time I flew west to go east. The 8 hour flight from Vancouver to Dublin was very good. Koodos to Air Canada for great service and also not losing my luggage. Took the CityLink bus from the airport to Galway which took an hour more than promised. Blame it on roadworks in Dublin. Got reacquainted with Rob & Mary in Renmore. After a lovely chicken dinner Rob dropped me in the town where I arrive late to Tig Coili’s but had an hour of tunese witn Joseph Flanagan (box) and Declan Corey (mandolin).
R.I.P. Eric Tan 61 years old
It is with heavy heart and tears in my eyes that I must announce the passing of our beloved friend Eric Tan. Eric left us yesterday, Sunday January 5th 2025, at 8:00 am. The most likely explanation for the cause of this is bleeding on the brain. This may have been caused by an aneurysm, a fall or a bleeding stroke.
I was at the house when he was in a state of confusion on Saturday which we thought may have been a hyperglycemic event. It was not. 911 was called and the ambulance took him to the Grey Nuns at 2:00 pm. On diagnosis it was determined he was gravely ill and the family was called in. He lasted the night.
Hug someone you love and tell them so.