So sad to say good-bye to Kerry and all my friends here. BUT – one last session at Prendeville’s with Jackie O’Connor, Terrence Quinn and PJ on bouzouki. The town was flying as they
sell their livestock right on main street.
Later that night Georgia and I are in Tig Coili’s on Shop Street, Galway City. Fun times with Liz Hanrahan and Kevin Whelan.
Played tunes all day long at the Patrick O’Keeffe festival. I was actually on the Pub Trail program with Jackie Dan Gerry O’Connor – Con’s Bar at 7 pm. Georgia stayed till half 8 then ran off to meet Greta Curtain at Browne’s. Well didn’t the lads have plans to go to a session in Abbeyfeale at Murphy’s Bar. So Good bye Georgia we’ll see you tomorrow at noon. I stayed in Browne’s till 1:30 playing ith Danny O’Mahoney, Donal Cullinane, Mike Walsh and Cyril O’Donahue from Clare.
We were celebrating Michael Flannagan’s birthday in Brosna today so I must make the 200 km trip back south. I stopped to see my friend Dave Harper in Tubber which is in the Burren close to Crusheen. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Burren
The Burren is a beautiful area of the country with unique vegetation. Harper bought himself a cottage recently and is using his building skills to make a beautiful home for himself and his partner Yuka.
Then back to Castleisland where I met up with Jackie O’Connor. He gave me a huge feed of cabbage and bacon then we warmed up on some of our new tunes. Terrence collected us at 9:30 and we drove to Brosna. It is fun for me to listen to the 2 lads chat about Kerry history, local characters and football. We arrived at Flannagan’s bar and the place was packed to the rafters with patrons there to wish Michael Flannagan a happy 93rd birthday which had occurred the previous day. So if I have this right he was born on October 20th, 1918. Michael was in fine form directing various patrons, including myself, to sing a song. The amount of food they put out was quite amazing; wee Irish sausages on toothpicks, sandwiches and birthday cake. It seemed I was meant to eat a plate of 20 sandwiches by myself. There was a lovely 10 year old box player, Patrick Moriarity, who gave us some great tunes. He place 3rd in the All Ireland this year. Jackie, Terrence and I played til near 1am then made our way home.
Another great night in Flannagan’s. Michael was in fine form and sang the house favourite “Red is the Rose”. Jigs, reels and hornpipes till the cows came home.
