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![]() Personal blog of christian
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Catching UpWe’re in Westport, County Mayo (sister city to our own Westport area in Kansas City) for the second time in three days. Friday morning we passed through here on our way to Louisburgh, which held the festival we just returned from. It was SO great! Doug got to sit in among a few wee lassies, taking whistle instruction from the one I call “his girlfriend,” the wonderful Joannie Madden, of Cherish the Ladies fame. We’ve seen Joannie’s Irish traditional band perform three times in the states, so to be in her class in a local setting was a treat. At the same time, I brushed up (ha!) on my Irish singing in a class taught by Tim Dennehy, an Irishman who’s made many recordings over here and is well-revered. I first took a class in a small festival in Riverstown from this same man six years ago. He told us then that a singer should choose two or perhaps three songs a year to master, adding ornamentation after mastering the words and melody as we’re able. In six years time, then, I suppose I should have a repertoire of a dozen or so Irish songs under my belt. Thankfully, Tim did not quiz me on this! We worked on six songs over the course of the day, unheard of by any of us before we arrived. I was the only American in the group of six students; the others all being Irish themselves. They thought I was a rather good sport, I’m thinking. :) Internet access is still spotty here. To say the next Internet cafe is only a “short stagger” away would be to not tell the truth of the thing at all. In the cities, we’re good, but we’ve not spent much time in the cities, except for one night in Galway. In the remote areas and the small towns, they only chuckle when you ask. Everyone has a cell phone, though. The past three nights as we’ve sat in the pubs, with Doug joining in the sessions whenever possible, we watch the young fiddle and flute players. They plop their phones down on the table with their Guinness. When a call comes in, they notice the name and then turn to their mates (while each are playing their various instruments at blinding speed) and say, “It’s Jenny. I’ll call her back.” When I say they don’t miss a beat, I mean that literally!! I’ve been sick the whole time we’ve been here. The chemist in Louisburgh has me on acidopholus, figuring I’ve attracted an Irish bug. You’d think with my credentials, I’d be immune to Celtic bugs of all types, but not so. Today, I think I really am better. And happy, sick or not. Will catch up again soon, I hope. Need to go wade through three days of email, both personal and buisiness. Yikes! Then it’s off to enjoy the sunshine in Westport, and then on to Donegal. Much love to all. xoxoxox
Posted by Katy on 05/01/06 at 10:12 AM
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