Howth is a fishing village that I used to work out of and picked up a lot of music and song there over the years.
The following week, I got to play out there with my old friend Brendan Mahon, amongst other people, along with numerous other musicians. Eric was away in Sweden, I believe it was and Austin was somewhere in Denmark, still it was a good sesssion even without them.
There was a lot of music and crack in between times here, there was also a great 50th Anniversary party for my parents, but there wasn't much music there other than the disco. Still it was a great night.
The following week, I found out that Mick Mulcrone was up in Mayo and after talking to him, I also found out that Noel Higgins and Bill Wolfe were also going to be around, so I arranged to meet up with them, first in Westport at Mick's session in (a pub whose name escapes me now) and then in Gurteen during the Festival.
This is Noel Higgins on the box and Mick Mulcrone on the flute, both Noel and Mick used to live in Alaska. Noel is now living in Albany and Mick is back and forth between Portland, Oregon and Newport in Mayo, Mick teaches at Portland University, when he's not renovating his house in Newport, Co. Mayo.
These photos were taken on the Sunday in Gurteen after a great Saturday night session in the same pub, The Roisin Dubh, with Roger Sherlock, Micky Callaghan, Brendan Tonra, Joe Sheridan and a host of other great players.
What was really amazing was that this was during the Michael Coleman Fiddle Festival and Brendan Tonra was the only one playing fiddle that night, it was nearly all flutes and accordions, hardly a fiddle to be seen at all that night or the next day either.
We were supposed to meet up with a few of the musicians from the night before, but after talking to them around noon, it seemed it was a little too early for them. So we started a session Sunday afternoon with just the four of us and within an hour or so, there were at least a dozen or more people playing, it turned into a great session.
Bill Wolfe here with Noel again. Bill, Noel and Mick used to all live in Fairbanks, Alaska. I first met them all in the early 80s when I first arrived in Alaska. Although there were a lot of other musicians there back then, I always enjoy playing with them, although it seems like now there was never enough sessions. The Boatel and The Big I were a couple of the places they used to play but there were other venues too. The music scene in Fairbanks (and Alaska) is not the same since they all left.
Bill (Wolfe) pictured here on the left, is now in Nashville Tennessee working for the USGS and of course playing Irish music there too.
Over the years, I got some great music from all three of these musicians and I was delighted to be able to have a tune with them in Ireland. It might even become an annual thing, there was talk of it anyway.
The music was so good in the Roisin Dubh, we didn't have time to go see them picking the "Coleman Country Queen" in Teach Murray, just a few doors down.
On the left here is the sign just as you go into Gurteen, which is the home of the Coleman Music Centre.
The four of us (Bill Wolfe on Flute, Noel Higgins on Accordion, Mick Mulcrone on Flute & John Walsh on banjo) in the Roisin Dubh, Gurteen Co. Sligo, for the Sunday "Morning Session" before it really got going.
I think at one point in the day there were at least six flutes going and a few accordions, a guitar, a fiddle and a few other bits and pieces besides ourselves.
It's a lovely little festival, "The Coleman Traditional Festival", not a big festival at all and not at all crowded, although we missed all the concerts, the sessions were great. I'd highly recommend it for the sessions alone. I know there were other sessions going on while we there both in Gurteen and nearby and I heard that the Sunday night sessions in some of the nearby towns were also worth a visit.
In case you found this page by mistake, Fánaí are Jamie O'Brien on vocals & guitar, Dan Possumato on Accordion & Melodeon, John Walsh on banjo, mandolin & Vocals.
Over the next few weeks, I will be adding more to this page and especially to this portion of it, but for now, I really wanted to just get something up here about the tour and my trip to Ireland New York etc.,
This is Jamie on the left, pictured here at Annie Bailey's Pub in Lancaster, PA. I think Annie Bailey's is a fairly recently established pub in Lancaster.
This is Dan on the right, at I believe, the Auld Sheebeen in Fairfax, VA.
I might be wrong about where this picture was actually taken, but we did play at the Auld Sheebeen formerly Ned Devine's. We played there, two nights, it was a lot of fun and the food was great too. Jamie is already booked to go back there and do a solo spot and they want us back as a trio the next time we're around.
We really did have some great nights on the tour, playing at the Coatesville Irish Music series was certainly one of the highlights and the session after was brilliant, Jake Schumacher was there along with numerous others, but it was great to get a tune in with Jake, it's been a long time.
Our last gig playing for the GWCC Ceili was just most definitely the other great night of the tour, we were joined by Matt Shortridge on Fiddle and Jesse Winch on drums, no doubt about it, it was a fun night. Hope we can do it again very soon.
I went along to the GWCC gathering the Thursday before we were scheduled to play for the Ceili and was asked up to play with Tina, Matt and Marc, great night. I walked in the door and not two minutes later, I had won a basket of stuff, they really don't know how to shuffle down in Maryland, just kidding.
More to come, as time permits.
News from the previous Fánaí Tour.
Go to Alaska Irish Music Home Page.