Marc Gunn is Celtic American Musician and Podcaster. Good food, good drink and good company. Folk ballads, Irish drinking songs, fantasy, Sci Fi, and cats on the autoharp. Embrace independent Celtic music!
Monday, June 30, 2008
Help Finish Naming "Assisi", Part II
I got a lot of great song names for my Assisi song. Below is the list. Pick your three favorite names. Or if these inspire a new name. Let me know that too.
Assisi Serene Assisi Assisi Pacem Assisi Pace Trascendente Walking in Assisi Breath of Assisi Assisi Tranquility Song Of Assisi The Peace of St. Francis of Assisi Desire of Assisi Dream of Assisi The Stillness of Assisi Interlude for Assisi The Joy of Assisi Assisi Walk The Birds of Assisi A Peaceful Walk in Assisi Breathe Assisi Assisi Pastoral Fiori de Mela di Assisi
I was watching Rick Steves this weekend, a feature on Italy, Assisi in particular. I love Assisi. I've only been once, but it was the most-peaceful and soulful place I've been in my entire life. Pure bliss. Afterward, I composed this tune thinking of Assisi, St. Francis, the cathedral and the that happy sense of peace. I want to use Assisi in the title, but I can't think of what that full title is. What do you think?
Originally published at Marc Gunn .com. Read. Interact. Breathe. It's easy; it's free.
I did something interesting this evening. After publishing the Celtic MP3s Music Magazine, I grabbed a bunch of music that is featured in Song Henge, and I put it into an iTunes playlist. Then I hit play.
Wow!
Oddly enough, I've never done that before, but I gotta say, there's a lot of amazing music featured in Song Henge. Hours of entertainment. Some of which I haven't even played in the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast yet. Dare I say, there's too much? Naw! It's just right for listening.
How to Avoid Reclusion at Seven O'Clock in the Morning
I was watching the movie Finding Forester a couple days ago. It is supposedly based on the life of a J.D. Salinger. So I read up on Salinger in Wikipedia. He is known for being a very reclusive writer. After a few reviews of his books, he seemed to disappear deeper and deeper into his reclusion.
After seeing the film, I thought unsympathetically, "Well, if you don't like reviews, don't read 'em!" This morning, I woke up to a deeper understanding.
I found out last night I had a gig booked, and I missed it. The error arose from a partial miscommunication, but more so, a screw up on my part. I have email that I haven't touched that is several months old. This one was from May. The correspondence was not complete in my mind. It was left open, but I never followed up on it.
This morning, I received news that I was on the schedule. I must say I was mortified and embarrassed. I sent a couple grand apologies for my screw up. Now comes the waiting period. That's what I hate most, having to wait to be forgiven... if forgiveness is coming. More than likely it is.
Nevertheless, I spend my morning beating myself up wondering, "What's the point? Why do I put myself out there and allow myself to be humiliated? To be ridiculed?"
The ridicule is in my mind though. The embarrassment, the same.
Still, I find myself wondering self-depreciatively about that, and I come to understand why Salinger disappeared, hiding from the world. It's a trap, you see.
If you step outside your door, you must face the wind and all the obstacles in your path. Most are non-consequential, but now and then, the big challenges block you. You can run back inside and not face them, and not grow, or you can face them head on. Bow your head in shame, submit your apologies and continue on the journey to face new opportunities for growth.
I confess, a big part of me wants to run back inside and hide, not to face the embarrassment. But I know that I can't. That is the coward's way. I must accept responsibility for my actions. As a result, I will grow as an individual.
Then, as an added bonus, I will learn that the error wasn't mine. Isn't it crazy to think about all the worries that we allow to plague us. Most of them are inconsequential in the grand scheme of life.
Originally published at Marc Gunn .com. Read. Interact. Breathe. It's easy; it's free.
Join Marc Gunn as he promotes the release of his newest musical romp through traditional Irish music with a kitty-cat twist, Whiskers in the Jar.
Friday, July 25, 2008 Haeuser House Concert @ 8PM Robert, LA Suggested donation $10 RSVP to ghislainederouen@hotmail.com or call 225-266-3979 Jamie will provide directions to the event.
House concerts are the coolest way to catch any musician. Just feet away, you can enjoy live music at it's finest, acoustic, and free from smoke or other distractions. Find out more about house concerts.
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Marc Gunn is a musician and podcaster specializing in the celtic culture of music. He plays Celtic and folk music on the autoharp promoting himself with podcasts and free music downloads. He's given away away more Celtic MP3s than anyone else on the planet and turned the autoharp into more than just a folk instrument. Do you love your Celtic heritage? Do you love Celtic and folk music? Do you want free MP3s? Marc Gunn is the man who will make your Celtic musical dreams happen.
Originally published at Marc Gunn .com. Read. Interact. Breathe. It's easy; it's free.
The Cactus Cafe is the premiere folk music venue in Austin. The Cactus is an intimate live music performance venue, and since the Cafe opened in February 1979, the Cactus has acquired a national reputation, showcasing the top local, regional, national and international acoustic music acts on the circuit today. It is also the premiere Celtic venue in Austin. All of the coolest Celtic groups who tour through Austin stop off at the Cactus Cafe, including my band, the Brobdingnagian Bards.
Weds, July 30, 2008 Cactus Cafe @ 8PM 23rd & Guadalupe, University of Texas at Austin Texas Union Austin, TX 78705 (512) 475-6515 Benefiting Thundering Paws, a Central Texas animal shelter.
Marc Gunn is a musician and podcaster specializing in the celtic culture of music. He plays Celtic and folk music on the autoharp promoting himself with podcasts and free music downloads. He's given away away more Celtic MP3s than anyone else on the planet and turned the autoharp into more than just a folk instrument. Do you love your Celtic heritage? Do you love Celtic and folk music? Do you want free MP3s? Marc Gunn is the man who will make your Celtic musical dreams happen.
Originally published at Marc Gunn .com. Read. Interact. Breathe. It's easy; it's free.
CD Release Party for Marc Gunn's 'Whiskers in the Jar' Irish Songs for Cat Lovers
Saturday, July 26th, 2008 Saltwater Grill @ 2-4 PM 1340 South Carrollton Ave. New Orleans, LA 70118 Benefiting the Louisiana SPCA Free parking - Kids Welcome
Join lovers of cats and Irish music as we celebrate the release of Marc Gunn's newest musical romp through traditional Irish music with a kitty-cat twist. Marc will perform songs from the CD, and $5 per CD sold will be donated to the Louisiana SPCA.
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Marc Gunn is a musician and podcaster specializing in the celtic culture of music. He plays Celtic and folk music on the autoharp promoting himself with podcasts and free music downloads. He's given away away more Celtic MP3s than anyone else on the planet and turned the autoharp into more than just a folk instrument. Do you love your Celtic heritage? Do you love Celtic and folk music? Do you want free MP3s? Marc Gunn is the man who will make your Celtic musical dreams happen.
Originally published at Marc Gunn .com. Read. Interact. Breathe. It's easy; it's free.
Wow! This came off really nice. The Brobdingnagian Bards were at Brigit's Garden in Ireland, playing atop this fairy mound. The tune is "Fellowship of the Ring" from our Lord of the Rings CD Memories of Middle Earth. It was a beautiful day as we played. The wind, the lush green grass. John Wilmott of Celtic Ways did a brilliant job capturing the magic of the moment.
Originally published at Marc Gunn .com. Read. Interact. Breathe. It's easy; it's free.
I got an email today. It was a list of "Not Exactly" truths from Obama. Basically, conservative propaganda. I only skimmed it because, honestly, I didn't care what the email had to say. If you think Clinton or McCain haven't had just as much "not exactlys", then I have a bridge to sell you. They're all politicians. They stretch the truth. Everything they tell me, I take with a couple grains of salt and then wait to see their actions.
That got me thinking, I support Barack Obama for president. But why?
My number one issue this year is the war. And any president who wants to take us out of an unjust, illegal, hate-filled war, yeah, I'm keen on supporting them.
Yes, Obama's slogan for change is promising. Bush has run the last eight years by instilling fear in the American people. In Dungeons & Dragons, people who rule by fear are evil. That's what I see as Bush's regime--evil. So a change from ruling by fear is a good change.
But the number one reason why I trust Obama to do a better job than McCain (or even Clinton) is the way he's run his campaign. It is smooth and intelligent. He graciously accepts blows and doesn't lower himself to the Texas politics level (If you saw how Anne Richards ran her political campaigns, you'd know it was all about attacking the individual on a personal level instead of a political one. Very dirty. Very juvenile.).
I don't follow every political thing that comes up. Usually it's the big stuff. And Obama has faced his challenges like a champ. Yes, he's made mistakes like his "bitter gun owner" comment in PA, but even the way he rebounded from that was presidential.
I believe that Obama has character, a strong character, that will bring about much needed change. That sort of character will show the people of the United States and the world that he will make a difference, a positive impact to the way this country is run.
Go Obama!
Originally published at Marc Gunn .com. Read. Interact. Breathe. It's easy; it's free.
The wee CD for the kitty cat lovers, Whiskers in the Jar: Irish Songs for Cat Lovers is now on iTunes complete with the cutest mews your hears will ever hear. Fun Irish music about cats. What's cooler than that?!
Originally published at Marc Gunn .com. Read. Interact. Breathe. It's easy; it's free.
"A writer, when he's asked to discuss his craft, ought to get up and call out in a loud voice just the names of the writers he loves... I won't name any living writers. I don't think it's right." J.D. Salinger.
It was intriguing when I read that quote. Aside from Turlough O'Carolan, my Celtic music icons are almost all alive. I would be hard-pressed to create a list of dead Celtic music idols. Outside of Celtic music, the list grows a bit, but it is still 20th century.
I guess I find it notable, because the reputation of musicians outside of the classical genre seems highly limited. The advent of recorded music changed that in the 20th century.
Maybe I'm just drawing a blank on popular musical heroes of the past. I guess it's just interesting to think about the impact of recorded music on our society.
Originally published at Marc Gunn .com. Read. Interact. Breathe. It's easy; it's free.
I finally went to the doctor this morning because my sore throat kicked off my sinusitis and as of yesterday, I lost my voice.
It's scary losing your voice when it Is your living. Singing, podcasts, they are both essential parts of my living. To lose them... well, it was the final straw that said, as much as I hate it, I need antibiotics. So the doctor put me on the Z-Pack. I can feel my sinuses clearing up already.
Since then, I've been sleeping and taking it very easy. I watched Rock Star this afternoon. In the movie, the Road Manager tells Mark Wahlberg that his job is to live the dreams of other people who wish they were rock stars. That makes me chuckle. Here I am a "rock star" and I'm sick after being on the road... again.
Ah well, I never claimed I wanted to be a rock star. I'm much more interested in connecting with my audiences than most rock stars.
I have been thinking about what's left with my health. Over the past couple of years, I've made a lot of changes to my lifestyle. I eat healthier. I avoid medications. I've gotten into yoga and meditation. I stretch and breathe. I go to acupuncture. Yet, my health is still teetering. I think it's time I really start making time to exercise.
I've never been a fan of exercise for exercise's sake, at least. Instead, I like doing something productive that allows me to exercise. In the past, I would catch up on my podcasts while walking around the lake. I think I need to return to that habit. Too long I've left my health on the wayside to other things. I spend a lot of time working on the computer. It's time I set aside more time for exercise. It's about the only thing I haven't done to boost my health. So it's time I do that. Tough when it's hotter than hell outside, so I guess I'll start doing stuff in the morning or evening before it gets too hot.
This is my new commitment. It is essential if I want to continue the life of a "rock star"... or life at all.
Originally published at Marc Gunn .com. Read. Interact. Breathe. It's easy; it's free.
It's confirmed. I'm having a second Austin CD Release Party at the Cactus Cafe on Tues, July 29th Weds, July 30th (it changed) at 8:30 PM to benefit Thundering Paws. I'll have more details soon. Meantime, mark your calendars!!!! Kitty cat and Celtic songs with an American folk touch.
Originally published at Marc Gunn .com. Read. Interact. Breathe. It's easy; it's free.
I'm moving all of the articles that used to be listed on my Celtic Songs & Folk Music Downloads page to this page. It's interesting info, but not useful overall.
I've had a sore throat since I got back from Ireland. I didn't go to the doctor, because of our crappy medical system, my insurance doesn't cover this problem (ie. We need universal health care). But that's fine, I don't want antibiotics in any case. So instead, I've made several visits to the student acupuncture clinic. Musicians get a discount.
The goal of Eastern medicine is to strengthen your immune system so that your body fights off infection instead of just attacking the symptom, like in Western medicine. It's much smarter, because that's really what my body needs. My immune system is weak, and it needs strengthening. Now I'm in the last few days of the sore throat. I wish it was over sooner, but at least I'm taking better care of my body.
This week:
-- Quote of the Week: "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness." Mark Twain. I read that quote on Rick Steves website a few years back and it became my Livejournal slogan. It's so true. As soon as you leave your home, your world is opened up to different people and cultures, you often can't help but realize that our narrow-minded views are not so significant to the grand scheme of things. So please, do yourself a favor, take a trip. We are ALL guilty of narrow-mindedness. We all need healing.
-- CD Release Success! My first CD release for Whiskers in the Jar: Irish Songs for Cat Lovers was a brilliant success. Had a nice-size, overflowing crowd for the shop. I need to start finding bigger venues. I'm still waiting impatiently to hear back from the Cactus whether that gig is confirmed or not. I do have a potential house concert in Dallas for a CD release in early August. Anyone in Houston? I'm still not sure about the East coast stuff yet. Not looking likely at present unless I can find some promoters out there to organize something. Contact your promoter (or become one) and let's make something happen.
-- Mention on The Fump. I love it when other groups mention me in song. In this fun FuMP track, Project Sisyphus mentions the Bards. And in a few days, you'll hear a Worm Quartet dedication... of sorts, to me.
-- Waiting for Bilbo Comic book. Did you read Waiting for Frodo by Debbi Ohi? It was a comic preparing for the release of Lord of the Rings. She just started her latest comic, Waiting for Bilbo as we prepare for the release of The Hobbit.
-- CD of the Week: Julie Delpy by Julie Delpy. I adore Julie Delpy. I first became enchanted by her from Before Sunrise, one of my favorite movies. In her follow-up movie, Before Sunset, Julie Delpy sings. I saw she had a CD and when I listened and heard one of the movie songs on her album, I bought it. It's actually really cool. It's got a nice folky, alternative, european jazzy feel to it. A couple songs remind me of Voltaire, strangely enough. I think more of the Then and Again variety of song. I've had it on loop since I bought it yesterday. I think this'll be a new favorite.
-- Pub Songs Podcast - Live in Gougane Barra. I posted the podcast last week. It features some ramblings from our first day in Ireland. It's the only talking podcast I did there, but I'm hoping to put a few pub songs into a podcast this week. And I've had a request for a bards reminiscence of our trip to Ireland for A Brobdingnagian Minute. I'll see what we can do. My sore throat has stopped me from releasing a Celtic and Ren Fest podcast, but I'll get on that soon.
-- Irish Songs & Lyrics updated. I added a few new lyrics from Going for Brogue to the Irish Songs & Lyrics directory.
-- MarcSongs Podcast - A Drop of Nelson's Blood. I just realized that this was episode 52 of the MarcSongs Podcast. That means there is over a year's worth of free music that you can listen and download if you're subscribed. Many of these songs are podsafe. Podcasters can find my podsafe music here.
-- Brobdingnagian Bards confirmed for GenCon. I don't have the details yet. All I know is that GenCon is Aug 14-17 in Indianapolis. I think Andrew's gonna try and set up some shows around the event.
-- There's a Faerie Bazaar out at the Rocky Hill Ranch on June 28th, the old home of the late, great Excalibur Fantasy Faire. I'm gonna go visit. You should too. It's free!
The CD release for Whiskers in the Jar: Irish Songs for Cat Lovers at Things Celtic today went surprisingly well. I say "surprisingly" because I've had a sore throat for a week now. I played about five songs from the new cat CD, another five from the first album, and then a few tidbits thrown into place. I was hoping to record the show, but time and energy prevented it. And that's okay. My voice was rather rough from the soreness. Again, it went well.
What was really exciting was the number of people who turned up for the show. There must've been 20-30 people, all cat lovers. They were singing and meowing along. It really made the whole show fly by. I also announced my next CD release in Austin. It's at the Cactus Cafe at the end of July to benefit Thundering Paws, but the details are pending. I'm waiting for the final word from the venue. So I probably shouldn't even be mentioning it, but oh well.
Oh! It was also exciting to see that there were a lot of out-of-towners at this show--a few from Dallas, a couple from Houston, one family came in to me for a girl's birthday. That makes me happy. Now I need to write a good cat birthday song to go along with all my other birthday songs I write.
Thanks to everyone who came out for the show!
Originally published at Marc Gunn .com. Read. Interact. Breathe. It's easy; it's free.
Mr. Smith Goes to the Hospital - A Fast Fund Raiser for a Fast Filker
From Jean Prior:
Tom Smith, rightfully billed as the World's Fastest Filker... for those of you who don't know, Weird Al could be considered a filker, if part of the definition includes taking an existing tune and writing new lyrics for it... was recently laid up by a rather nasty fall that tore up his leg and will have him out of commission until the fall. Tom's medical bills are probably going to wind up larger than the GNP of a small country without oil reserves, and he unfortunately has no medical insurance, because getting to cons and performing for people like us and selling his music is his actual day job.
To that end, a lot of us Dementia sorts are trying various fundraisers, and the biggest and baddest and best one is available at http://www.partiallyclips.com/tomsmith. You not only get a chance to donate, but you get FREE MUSIC for doing so, including covers of Tom's songs from all the coolest kids in the filk and dementia circles, even a crappy cover I did for the heck of it! Buy Tom's stuff, donate, get free music, what's wrong with this picture?!?
Nothing, that's what. :)
If you can help, please do. Every little bit matters.
Tom is an amazing person, and to add a personal note, he went above and beyond the call of duty when we were caught by an internet scam last year. He was brilliant. I really hope you will consider helping out an incredible musician in need.
Legend says that after Lord Nelson fell in the Battle of Trafalger, his body was sealed ina cask of rum to preserve it. When the sailors heard of this, they drank their fill. Thus, grog became known as "Nelson's Blood". This walkaway shanty is also known as "Roll the Old Chariot Along" or "Roll the Golden Chariot Along." I arbitrarily chose the later just for the heck of it. The song was also taken up as a hymn for the Salvation Army. The tune is very catchy. Feel free to make up verses as you go. It's great for that.
Tribute to Turlough O'Carolan and Austin CD Release
MARC'S MUSINGS -- June 17, 2008
- Marc's Music News - Climbing the CD Baby Charts - CD Release at Things Celtic - Tribute to Turlough O'Carolan
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Marc's Musings
Greetings Amici,
Good food, good drink, good company. That was my mantra for the last Brobdingnagian Bards Vacation Tour of Ireland.
The weather was cool, cool, cool. Lush, green vegetation, and a dozen good friends to share company with. It was absolutely magnificent. I wish I could say we had another one planned, but alas, we'll just have to make do with the photos and memories of the good food, drink and friends. I think it will tie me over for a while. But I miss everyone already. That's the sad part about ending a tour.
MARC'S MUSIC NEWS
I have some exciting news for my music. Whiskers in the Jar: Irish Songs for Cat Lovers is now on sale at CD Baby. I set the official CD release date as July 14th, but that doesn't affect you at all. You can buy your copy now and get it direct from the friendly folks at CD Baby where the album has already climbed to #13 on the Top Now CD Charts. Course, if you already own the album, I'd really appreciate it if you would post a review.
Speaking of reviews, I am looking for some more to post online. I was looking around to see what reviews I could post on my ReverbNation site and realized I didn't have many official solo reviews from magazines, blogs, newspapers, etc. Which means, I need to try and garner a bunch of blurbs and such for this album. It is by far the best sounding album I've ever done. While there are a lot of reviews on CD Baby, it's always nice to have more professional-looking reviews for publicity purposes.
Yesterday, I posted a new Pub Songs Podcast. It was recorded live in Gougane Barra, Ireland. What a beautiful place! That's where that picture above was taken. Perfectly serene. The podcast features a few a cappella songs sung in a sing-a-long fashion.
I'm also trying to edit a few pub shows for A Brobdingnagian Minute and maybe the next Pub Songs Podcast. And if I really pull it together, I'll have a MarcSongs Podcast with a live track for you as well.
MARC GUNN LIVE! To honor the release of Whiskers in the Jar, I have an instore this Saturday at Things Celtic.
Summer Solstice Cat CD Release Sat, June 21, 2008 Things Celtic @ 2PM 1806 W. 35th Street Austin, TX 78703
I'm gonna try and do a few songs from the new CD, which means I need to re-learn some of these lyrics. It won't be all cat songs though. I have a bunch new music I plan to share as well.
As always, if you'd like to see me live, make sure you demand me on eventful. The demands in Dallas seem to be growing. So I'm gonna try and put together a CD release somewhere up there this summer, but it will take some maneuvering as I'm not that great with booking gigs.
TRIBUTE TO TURLOUGH O'CAROLAN Turlough O'Carolan was the most-famous harper of Ireland. He wrote and preserved hundreds of tunes that are still popular today. To the right, you can see me at O'Carolan's tombstone in Ireland. It's kinda funny how we autoharpers seem to connect with O'Carolan.
The day we visited his grave held special meaning for me. Andrew and I played "Eleanor Plunkett" and afterward, when I was alone, I composed a lovely little tribute to O'Carolan.
Interestingly, "The Lady of Setliff Manor" was partially inspired after listening to some O'Carolan music. I released it on Soul of a Harper. I'll have to see if I can record this new tune at some point. Maybe when I finally release that instrumental autoharp CD I'll add it there?
--- Thanks for listening. I hope you are well. Slainte! - Marc Gunn
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Marc Gunn is Celtic Geek songwriter from Austin, Texas with a strange affinity for ballads, Irish drinking songs, acoustic Alternative Folk, podcasting, Sci Fi, and cats.
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Originally published at Marc Gunn .com. Read. Interact. Breathe. It's easy; it's free.
It's so great to be back home with my kitties. When I walked in, they let me tummy rub them for a record time. I think they too were thrilled to see me. Now it's time for catch up!
-- Quote of the Week: "Good food. Good drink. Good Company." Marc Gunn. That is my new mantra, what I look for in life. And most definitely, it was my theme for my trip to Ireland.
-- Speaking of the Vacation Tour of Ireland, the trip was brilliant. I finished posting all my blogs for the trip today and hope to have pictures up very soon. Here are the blogs: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, the last few Days. Oh! And with the colder weather, Murphy's became a new favorite drink in Ireland. Yum!
-- CD Release Party THIS SATURDAY! The official release date is July 14th, but this Saturday, June 21st at 2pm is my first CD Release Party at Things Celtic (in Austin). It's a Summer Solstice CD Release too! Admission is free. I'll play a few tracks from the album, plus a nice mix of new and used music for your listening pleasure. Michael J. McCoy will share excerpts from this new book afterward.
-- I have a few podcasts to post. The new MarcSongs Podcast will feature a live track from Ireland. Somehow, we never recorded A Brobdingnagian Minute, but I have a Pub Songs Podcast from the first day which was recorded in Gougane Barra. The Celtic and Ren podcasts will be out in the next few days.
-- East Coast CD Release? So I may go up to visit friends in mid-July. Which might be perfect for this CD Release. Just depends on the transportation from Long Island to Pittsburgh. Email me if you're interested in helping put something together.
-- I fell a few slots on the ReverbNation folk charts. You can help me climb by posting a widget on your website and blog and tell to listen to my new music. The eventful demands continue to grow.
-- LiveJournal users remember that you can read all my homepage posts when you friend this site.
-- Some friends are having a Faerie Bazaar out at the Rocky Hill Ranch on June 28th, the old home of the late, great Excalibur Fantasy Faire. I think I might drop by to visit. I may even bring my autoharp out there.
-- CD of the Week: "American Highlander" by The Rogues. I haven't heard the album yet, but my copy just came in the mail. Bagpipes and drums. The Rogues kick butt!
Back home safe, aside from the week after effects of a cold I caught in Ireland. Guess there are worse things. ;)
Vacation Tour of Ireland, Day 6
We left Tubbercurry early as usual into John's home turf, County Sligo. Our first stop was an adventure. It was the Carrowkeel Passage Cairns. I napped all the way there, but when we arrived in valley between two mountains and were told we could hike up to the Cairns, I was excited.
I was one of the last to make my way up the trail. The site was gorgeous. Sheep lined the road (along with their droppings;-), and there were photo ops all along the road that were like something out of a biblical picture. Beautiful!
When I saw one such picturesque scene with a large rock beneath a tree and climbed up for a closer look I decided to keep climbing. While most followed the path, yes, I climbed OVER the mountain.
The mountain was covered with heather. It wasn't blooming, but it was fabulous nonetheless. And the view! You could see most of Ireland.
Down the other side I was tired but joyful as I continued up the long and winding road. Then it was up the side of another mountain, less decorated by heather, to the cairns. Strong stone structures with a cool story behind them. The first I entered and bumped up my leg. I should've known then that trouble was brewing.
The next cairn we went into... Well, John said they had 18 people in one once. I can't imagine that. After crawling in and hearing all the shuffling about in this tiny stone structure, I started feeling claustrophobic and had a panic attack. Weird, because I never have 'em. But I quickly crawled back out and breathed well.
We left the mountain, again, filled with joy in the blissfully cool air. But I kinda wonder if it was too cool now.
From there was a big blunder. John took us to the Celtic Ways "Two Worlds Theatre". The site is no where near done. It was basically a construction site. I'm sure it'll be great when it's done, but at the time it ticked me off, because it really was just a waste of time. We made for it when we arrived at the Cromleach Lodge.
Wow! Can you say "Schwank!"? The room was ginormous! Big, glorious bathtub and a vista that was breathtaking.
Earlier in the day, we had passed some caverns and a bunch of the tour folks wanted to go see inside the caverns. But not me. Instead, I took a nice hot bubble bath, and relaxed, chatting with Jamie as we sat and sipped bourbon.
That's when it first struck me. It started with an upset stomach, then chills. I caught a cold. I was able to make it through a brilliant dinner and still enjoy it, but by the time we finished, I was spent. I had to miss seeing Claire Roche perform. Instead, I went to bed and slept for the next nine hours.
Vacation Tour of Ireland, Day 7
The next morning I was still a bit tired. I slept as we drove to the Shannon Pot. Before we arrived, we stopped at the grave of Turlough O'Carolan, the great blind Irish harper who wrote and preserved hundreds of tunes. At the grave, Andrew and I played "Eleanor Plunkett" and composed a couple of original pieces on the fly. At a holy well, I drank some water to hopefully heal my cold. Looks like it didn't work. *sigh*
The Shannon Pot was the next destination. This was the source of the River Shannon which extends throughout Ireland. It was an enchanting pool and crossing to the other side, John instructed us on the creation and spirituality of making Brigit's Crosses. It was quite relaxing and perfect for my dazed sense from the cold.
From there we made our way into Northern Ireland for another afternoon of disappointment. We went to the Augha Killy Maude's Men of Straw Theater. This was basically a museum to keep the Mummer tradition alive. The problem was the guide there apparently didn't have any guests, so it turned into an hour and a half lecture that could've been summed up in twenty minutes. Very disappointing.
So I was extra happy to get back to the Cromleach Lodge for another evening of amazing food and self-pampering. After dinner, we went for a walk on a trail with delicious darkness in the trees. When I got back, I played a few songs until Andrew was ready to join me. Then we put on a wee show in the lounge. It was short, but I was tired, and we only had one day to go.
Vacation Tour of Ireland, Day 8, The Last Day
Our last drive for the trip went to Tara Hill. This was the court of the High Kings of Ireland for 3000 years. Too much of the day was spent driving, but since I was sick, I don't remember much. I think we stopped at an old tower somewhere, and a Celtic cross. But again, I was tired.
Tara was lovely as usual. We arrived later than anticipated so our tour was a bit too brief with not enough story. But since I heard some of it last year, I was fine. It was the rest of the group I felt had missed out. The day was cold. The vista spectacular. And I picked up a nice book of Irish songs when I saw it was by Brendan Behan, author of "Come Out Ye Black and Tans" and many more.
Then finally, we arrived at Deer Park Howth. Some of us decided to go for oysters before dinner, so John was kind enough to drive us down Howth to find some place to eat them. We did. They were spectacular, as was the company. The dinner was poor, but ahhh the oysters. Then a group of us drank wine, beer and more as we spent our last evening together in Ireland.
Final Thoughts
All in all, it was a fantastic time. Good food. Good drink. Good company. We had it all. The rest was just beautiful sites to see in between those. I wish I didn't get sick, and there were definitely a couple sites that fell flat at the end of the tour, but overall, wow! How I wish I could do this every year. Ah well…
Now I'm in the airport at JFK, waiting to fly back home. I must admit, I can't wait to get home and see my cats. Plus, I have a lot of catch up to do. Podcasts. Andrew and I never did A Brobdingnagian Minute sadly. But I have a Pub Songs one to do. And there are some live sessions I'll post.
Yes, the session in Leenane was by far my favorite. It reminded me a lot of Lisdoonvarna from last year. I hope to do that again some time.
And Gougane Barra. That was definitely my favorite spot of the trip. I wouldn't mind just staying there a few nights of peaceful-filled bliss and meditation in that valley. Yoga. That would be something amazing to do in some of these serene spots. I need to get back to that.
It's hard to believe that there are only a few more days left on this tour. Time has flown by.
This morning, we left Leenane at our usual time, around 9:30am and drove along the road to Westport. We stopped at a few gorgeously scenic locations. One with waterfalls and rhododendron out the wazoo! It was spectacular, even with the light mist of rain. And the mountains... oh! They were covered with scintillating mist. They were just delicious.
We stopped just outside Westport to visit an old abbey and statue of a famine ship that commemorated the deaths of thousands of Irish as they were deported from Ireland during the 1840s. Then off to Westport.
Westport was a cute little town. There were a number of shops that I wanted to venture into. But before I hit the shops, we went to eat. There were a number of restaurants listed in Rick Steve's Ireland, but we arrived before noon and none of them were open. So we found one just down from Matt Malloy's. I ordered Irish Stew, and all the food was tasty. Yes, I snagged a few bites of others. ;)
Afterward was shopping time, but I wasn't in the mood. So I visited the cathedral and then as I was walking around town, John Wilmott mentioned Matt Malloy's again. So we went back the pub and found it open. Inside, I ordered a Guinness. We chatted, and I even met a local musician, also in for a pint.
Then it was back to the bus and off to Hennessey's Irish Heritage Center. The center was a delight. We started with tea and homemade scones. Then we went into this old Irish home where the proprietor told us stories about his family living in this now three room house for two hundred years. He collected stories from a lot of people in County Mayo and had some great tales to tell. The house was fascinating and full of preserved history.
The rest of the tour varied. There was a lot of history about Irish people, tools and what not. It dragged a little long, but it was the personal stories that really stood out every time. My ears would perk up excitedly from beginning to end.
We left the heritage center for our final destination, Tubbercurry in County Sligo. It's a nice gem for a somewhat dirty looking town. But there was a nice restaurant and pub across the street, and the whole of us went there for dinner, followed by one of the last Irish ceilis.
Apparently, the ceili is dying in most of Ireland. John said the Scottish ceilidhs are full of young people, but this was mostly elderly folk. But that didn't stop it from being an awesome event. Set dancing, brooms, accordions, poetry recitations, solo singers and more. Andrew and I played a few songs, and now I can barely sleep.
I must confess that this trip has me daydreaming about doing more vacation tours. I have all these cool creative ideas for them. I just wish it was a viable option. Ah well. I reckon I need to crash as we have another busy day ahead, and I'm already plenty sleep-deprived.
Originally published at Marc Gunn .com. Read. Interact. Breathe. It's easy; it's free.
Oy am I tired. Today was a busy day. Fortunately, I had a good night's sleep last night, maybe too much of one. I woke just after nine. My wake up call was supposed to be at 7am so I could join the rest of the tour in the pretty town of Adare, to have a look around. I was a bit late, but made it in time for breakfast before I the bus took off.
We drove up the coast a bit to the Burren and stopped at the Singing Stones. The name reminds me of Three Amigos, and while there was no singing tree or stones for that matter, it was a beautiful place. Rocky terrain with several rocks standing on in, which some were wondering if they had some cultural meaning. I'm guessing a bunch of kids decided to stand them up because they looked cool. The view was lovely and the sound was fascinating. Andrew and I started talking 50 feet away as if we were five feet away. We could hear each other perfectly.
From there we drove to a Burren perfumery. It was a quaint little place. The café had some of the best coffee I've had in a long while, certainly in Ireland. And the smells… I love the scents we create. There's such power to it.
There was a lovely garden that after wandering around a bit, I ran back to the bus and grabbed my autoharp and Andrew's recorder. We played in this nice stone backed nook that would be an amazing stage at a Ren Faire. Soft, relaxing music was just the start for our final destination-Brigit's Garden.
Brigit's Garden was beautiful, relaxing garden built around the theme of Brigit with landscaping around the various Celtic holidays. It was all human constructed but beautifully designed for peace, serenity and even some playfulness. We had a short tour and after a very late lunch, Andrew and I played a few serene songs on top of a hill in the garden, which attracted a number of interested visitors.
Afterward, I walked around, playing a little bit, some with Andrew and some alone as I saw the site. Then we boarded the bus once more for Leenane, Connemara in County Galway. In this small hotel with had another delicious dinner and a group of us went into town to check out the two pubs. The first was hot and packed watching some football game. I'm not entirely sure what the game was. It wasn't quite soccer or American football. We found out about that when we went to the second pub where there were fewer people, and the temperature was cooler.
I was pretty out of it. But Andrew and I played a few songs. After he left, we had a wee sing-a-long and slowly others in the pub got interested, and we had a bigger sing-a-long. One lady, Brigit, oddly enough, came up and raved about my voice, which was nice as I wasn't sure what the "natives" would think. Last year in Lisdoonvarna, it was all fans. This year was split with fans and locals. And the locals enjoyed the songs. Brigit said I had a whole Pearl Jam sound to my voice. I thought that was amusing considering I used to play Alternative Rock.
Well, I stayed up far too long, and we wandered home feeling wiped. Another day ahead and oy am I tired. I should get more sleep, but I'm having too much fun!
Originally published at Marc Gunn .com. Read. Interact. Breathe. It's easy; it's free.
Oy! What a day. I woke up too early. I couldn't sleep last night, so I pulled in four hours of sleep. It made for a rough start to the day for both me and Andrew who I woke up from my insomnia.
I was awoken in time for breakfast and ate quickly. We drove off North. This day was a bit less eventful than the previous two days. A couple of our group had to depart for business, sadly. So we had a few more deadlines getting places.
We drove up through the McGillicudy Mountains and stopped briefly a couple times. And in Inch, we stopped for some panoramic views of the ocean, but I was a bit disappointed we didn't stay longer.
The restroom break in Dingle was nice, but again short, and then we were off to the Celtic and Prehistoric Museum. That was a little interesting, but I think I would've preferred spending time on the beach, rather than visiting a tiny museum.
After that, we were famished and made our way back to Dingle for lunch. That lifted our spirits with some more good food, and spirits. We wandered for a brief bit before we drove to Adare in County Limerick.
All in all, it was a bit slower day than I would've preferred, but it brings us closer to our destination tomorrow at Brigit's Garden. And the stop at Adare in County Limerick was grand. The food was wonderful. Then we heard that a piano player would be in the pub at 9pm and liked to have musicians play with him. I showed up 30 till and sang songs as the pub got more and more packed.
The piano player never showed up, but closer to 10pm, Andrew did. And we played some more songs to a packed crowd. So packed in fact that our instruments were probably unheard by most people, but our tour group enjoyed the show, and that's what matters the most.
Afterward, the few remaining folks went outside, sat, chatted and drank until pass out time. Then off to the Jacuzzi bath tub. What a great way to end the day! The food, drink, and friends once again made up for the slowness of the day.
Originally published at Marc Gunn .com. Read. Interact. Breathe. It's easy; it's free.
I woke up early in Gougane Barra. Not sure if it was the whiskey the night before or if my schedule is just totally messed up. But I got up, showered and went for a walk outside. Others in our group beat me to it. The weather was cool. The water was placid. I think blissful might be the word of the trip. Because it was.
We had a filling Irish breakfast with Cashel cheese. Mm… How I love cheese! The sun shone in throw the windows. And it was a pleasant dream looking out across the lake as we ate. Finally, we boarded the bus and started our next journey.
John told us that the weather was exceptional. So we would stop at a couple extra sites, one, a stonecircle overlooking Bantry Bay. There were tiny roads but we made our way up there, and the vision was spot on. The sky was uncharacteristically clear. The bay was bea
