This is my first post since returning from Scotland in 2011. This time we are in Ireland, and will also be visiting Wales, England, and Scotland. I'll be posting pictures and harp videos along the way.
Here is my first video, recorded on the Burren near Doolin with pictures from the Ring of Dingle and the Ring of Kerry.
This is how it all started. You will see this typed a bunch: "With support of the North Carolina Arts Council and the partnering arts councils of the Regional Artist Project Grant Program."
Jo Ellen and I ready for the big adventure.
We arrived on Friday. Before going to Sligo on Sunday to pick up the harp that I'll be playing for the next month, we decided to to run around doing touristy stuff in Dublin for the weekend. First stop...Guinness.
The harp is from 1702.
Not this harp. They didn't have laser harps in 1702.
Some pictures from around Dublin:
We've never actually been in a Hard Rock Cafe, but why not take a picture...
Dublin Castle:
What does this bridge look like?
We had walked 8 miles after an all night flight. Add major jet lag and a Guinness tour, we succumbed to a touristy cab ride back
Then I popped into Claddagh Records. Great collection of traditional music. Now they carry my CD as well, so if you visit Dublin be sure to pop in and grab one.
Temple Bar:
This is one of our favorite pictures-the dudes that took the last picture:
We met so many nice people in the pubs-great craic, lots of laughs, interesting folks from all over, new friendships, and a good time all together.
Trinity College-pictures from the library, the "Brian Boru" harp (actually from the 1500's-images of this harp are used as the symbol of Ireland). The document is the 1916 Proclamation of Irish Republic document.
We went and looked at the famine memorial too.
And the tall ship
The fellow that gave us the Trinity College tour told us of a bunch of students in the 1600's throwing pebbles at a professor's window in this building. He didn't like it. It got out of hand. Pebbles turned to rocks, glass shattered, gunshots were fired, death ensued. History tried to repeat itself. Jo Ellen caught me before things got out of hand.
200 year old Oregon Maples thrive on campus:
Being immortalized in stone means having birds crap on your head...just sayin...
After the weekend in Dublin we went to Sligo to pick up a beautiful harp built by Rick Kemper. The folks we got it from, John Joe McGloin's family, treated us to coffee and scones. They are lovely folks with a beautiful home and amazing views from their windows.
And it was on to Doolin where I made that first video:
Carol, the hostess of the Doolin Cottage B&B said there was a lady playing harp camping at the hostel next door. It was Sunita. She is touring Europe with Fred on a tandem bicycle towing a harp behind on a wheel cart. Oh boy! Tunes! We had a blast. Pip the Border Collie seemed pleased.
