Ireland September 99It's not so far away from Bretagne as there is a ferry from Roscoff to Cork and Roscoff is less than a 2 hour drive from Concarneau and so on Friday night at 12AM we set sail with calm seas and the prospect of an uneventful voyage. This was not to be the case though for by the time 6AM the next morning rolled around we were in the middle of a Force 9 gale and believe me when I say we were really rocking and rolling. It's a big car/passenger ferry but with 30 foot waves to contend with the ship was really being tossed around. People were being sick everywhere, dishes were crashing, kids were crying and even the crew were seen running frequently to the toilets. I arose from a sleepless night to try and find some coffee, took one look outside and decided to not look. I grabbed a book and found a chair in the middle of the boat, away from all windows and spent the rest of the journey reading.
Eventually we arrived in Cork, 2 hours late, all of us a bit green but safe. As for me, I had to be in Northern Ireland by 10 at the latest that evening for my show. Some nice folks I met on the ship drove me to the airport (about 15 K from the ferry terminal) which is where I would pick up my rental car. Normally I would have had to take a city bus to Cork center and from there catch a bus to the airport, a journey that would probably have taken me 2 hours at least. Without their kind help I never would have made my show on time that night which I did manage to do! The man at the car rental desk said it was impossible for me to drive to the north of Belfast in less than 8 hours but I told him I had a show to do and so off I went.
This was the first time I had ever driven on the left side of the road and I was very nervous about it, and not only for me either ! It's a bit tricky at first but if you pay careful attention you can do it ok. One thing I discovered about Ireland is that they don't have speed roads (4 lane highways) except close to major cities ! Generally speaking the roads are 2 way with hard shoulders and you pass down the middle with the hopes that everyone else will move to the side for you. The Irish are quite adept at this (the Danish have the same system by the way) and I had only a few " toe curlers " the whole time I was there. I did arrive in Magrefeld (sorry, this is not the correct spelling but I seem to have lost my notes from that time).
On this night I was just the opener for a local folk-rock band. I think it was a way to introduce me to the audience in the hope that they would return for my solo Sunday show. Really, no one knows who I am in Ireland and it is difficult to get people out to live shows anywhere, especially in this country which is overloaded with talented musicians and songwriters! I played good on Saturday though and so a few folks dropped in on Sunday night and we all had a good time.
Monday 20-9, I was back in Dublin for my first ever show here. I remember it as being about a 3 hour drive to the cities northern limits and then it took me almost 2 hours to drive through the city to the southern parts where my hotel was located. A driving rain storm did not help but Dublin is perhaps the most frustrating of all European cities I have ever driven in! Too many cars and not enough road space. I did make it though and so that night found me at the Cobblestone Pub in an upstairs music room. Great acoustics here and a good PA system gave me the opportunity to really stretch out. Only 5 people showed up for the concert though but I wasn't discouraged as I had a good show I think and, for me, anyway, Ireland is one fan at a time. I made some new friends and look forward to my return there if they will have me.
Tuesday was an "off" day for me and I considered staying in Dublin but, like most big cities everywhere, this is an expensive city and so I decided to travel on to Cahir which is where my Wednesday show would be. I found a little bed and breakfast and spent the afternoon exploring this beautiful little town. They have a beautifully restored 12th century castle there and it was quite fascinating to visit. There are not so many old castles left standing in Ireland but the few that remain are well worth the time and effort to visit. Josies Bar was my next show and the owners, Pat and Angie were wonderful hosts to me. They lose their lease at the end of October and will be looking for a new space. I wish them the best luck!
Thursday I was back in Cork for my second time at the Lobby Bar, perhaps Ireland best known small venue for singer/songwriters. An excellent sound system and staff make this room a real treat to play. The first time I play here (about a year ago I think) I had about 10 people show up but this time there were over 30 and I was pleased. I played good I think and a good time was had by all. Really, a must see place for music, with a real listeners room to enjoy music in.
Photo: Gerrie van BarneveldSaturday was beautiful and sunny warm and a nice drive into the country to a small pub in the farming community of Carig-on-Bannon was my next and final show. John Murphys little pub was noisy and fun and lots of folks showed up for the Saturday local event. Pat and Angie surprised my by dropping in and we all drank a bit of Guinness that night and had good crack ! John is quite a talented traditional Irish music harmonica player and after all the good folks stumbled out the doors those few of us remain for our last pints were treated to a real special performance by a truly gifted musician!
Well, that's the short story of my week there. I had an uneventful journey back across the waters to Roscoff and the whole week was over all too soon! Ireland is a country full of excellent musicians, singers, players and songwriters as I'm sure you know. I've yet to explore too much of this beautiful and friendly country and look forward to my return visits here with great anticipation. Thanks to my agent there Larry Roddy (Folk, Blues and Beyond) for all his efforts on my behalf. Hopefully in the spring of 2000 I can return. I certainly consider myself a lucky man to have the chance to share my music and songs in Ireland!
