FISH CURRY AND FRIENDS

I went to Killybegs at lunchtime with Paddy and Emily. I met up with Stíofáin, Marcas and Crianna and we had lunch together at the fish-and-chip restaurant (Guess what we had for lunch?) After lunch I bought a load of fish to make a fish curry. I picked up some cod, salmon, smoked haddock and fresh haddock.
After the sean-nós class I invited Edie to have dinner with us at the house. I had already invited Stíofáin and Marcas. Seán and Hank and Helen also joined us.
This was our last dinner together at the house. I was especially happy that Edie came because I had lost contact with her over the years. This was a really nice way to renew the friendship.

GEAROIDÍN NEIDÍ FRANC

Seán (or is it Colm?); Mary; Batsheeba


Tony Birtil with unidentified lady; Simon and Luisa


Anna and Murt; Veronika and ?


Derry folk (Padraig and ?); Eilis and Eibhlin


I had dinner at home tonight. Hank made spaghetti bolognese for everybody. It was a really nice dinner with Hank and Helen, Seán from Belfast, and myself. Ruth, the English-speaker came in later. I made a “triffle” for dessert that was well received.

After dinner we went back to the college for a special evening of music. Gearoidín is travelling around Scotland and Ireland with a group of young musicians including her own son, Gearóid. The musicians are young people from Scotland who have competed in Feiseanna in Scotland. The idea is to strengthen the links between the Gaedhlig-speaking areas of Scotland and the Irish-speaking areas of Ireland – especially Donegal.
Gearoidín was wonderful, as usual. She told two stories and sang several songs. Afterwards she gave me a big hug. It was a little strange to see her here and know that she was not going to be around for the big sean-nós concert on Thursday but I think she has moved on as an artist and I am very happy for her.

AMHRÁNAÍOCHT

Pól Ó Muiri reading one of his poems.

Me and Beryl

After the Pól Ó Muirí poetry reading we headed down to Biddy’s Pub. Marcas wanted to go to Roarty’s but Stíofán prevailed – a night of conversation in a quiet atmosphere. When we arrived at Biddy’s there was a roaring turf fire in the grate and two local musicians were setting up. We stayed off in the other room so we could chat. Later, Pól Ó Muirí came in and joined in the conversation. Just about the time a sensible person would have gone home the singing began. Lillis was the fear-an-tí and after singing a few good songs himself (a beautiful version of Meillte Cheann Dubhrain included) he started calling on company to sing. When Lillis calls on you to sing you have no choice. I sang “Thíos i Lár an Ghleanna”. The session broke up around 2 o’clock and I got a ride home from Stíofáin.

SEISIÚN CHEOIL

Andrew and Stiofán



Luisa and Marcas


I was pretty tired out from the previous week so I went home early last night but tonight was a different matter. Summer School is in full swing, literally and figuratively. Tonight there was a tremendous session in Roarty’s with music, and singing and dancing. Ray MacManus was the fear-an-tí leading the proceedings with his bosca cheoil. He also sang his signature song, Amhrán an Viagara. Salvatore was in fine fettle too. He sang a couple of songs and played his guitar. Colm and Seán led the set dancing. Things didn’t wind down until about 1:30 in the morning and I’m pretty sure they continued until dawn at someone’s house.

DONEGAL TOWN

It’s the weekend – no class today. A lot of people are going home. I am the only one in my house who is staying for another week. There will be a whole new group tonight.
Marcas’s parents have a car. They were going to go back home through Donegal Town so we hitched a ride with them rather than going in on the (expensive) bus. I had to chase down the Swede to get my MinDisk recorder back. They were on their way to Galway but I was hoping that I would meet them in Donegal before the Galway bus left.
I heard Marcas’ whole life story on the journey. His mom is just as talkative as him (I wonder where he gets it from?). Marcas was her first-born when she was 35 but they had already adopted three children. He also has a sister, Ruth who was in the car with us. The family was waiting for news about the birth of his brother’s child. The baby has been expected for weeks but as yet there is no sign. His brother leaves in the wilds of County Clare with his Swiss wife who has renounced the benefits of civilization. They live out in the country in a caravan without running water or electricity.
They dropped us off just outside the town. We walked into town. It didn’t take us long to find Joachim and Anna – I got my MiniDisk back and am ready to record some music!
Marcas wanted to buy the newspapers and hang out reading in a pub. I wasn’t keen on that plan. I headed down to the castle to see what is new since I took the tour two years ago.
The castle has a brand-new entrance but apart from that there hasn’t been any significant change. There were some new interpretive panels and a new staircase has been opened up linking the ground floor with the first floor. The rope banister on the stone stairway reminded me of the staircase in Jenny Willis’ house.
After the castle I visited the Church of Ireland building across the street then walked along the river (Eske River) between the bridges. I walked up to the Catholic church building for a look inside. I’m always surprised at how sterile Catholic churches are – this one was no exception though it did have some nice stained glass windows. I continued down that road to the Famine Graveyard then walked back to the centre to check out the ruins of the Donegal Priory.
By the time I was finished at the priory it was getting late in the afternoon. I walked out to the SuperValu supermarket to buy some things for the week. I met Marcas at the Blueberry Café and we had dinner together before getting on the bus to come back home.

MY TEACHER

This is me with my teacher on the last day of class. Her name is Josepine but I don't remember her surname.

PADDY BEAG

Paddy Beag is talking about the life of St. Colmcille.

MO THEACH

My little house


The view westward towards the ocean.


The view eastward towards the mountains.


Sarah and Samantha


The Monaghan Sisters, Samantha and Amy.

Okay, it’s not 5 km from the main campus but it is 3 km, a far enough distance when you have to walk it morning and night (and sometimes twice at lunchtime!). Yesterday I got a ride from two lads who were in the shop. I couldn’t face the walk back home so I asked them for a ride. We used the car’s milometer to measure.
My house has been recently built – it has yet to be painted. It is in an area called An Droim Rua – The Red Ridge. I haven’t come across the ridge yet but there is a great deal of new development going on around us.
There are eight people in the house now, some of whom have been here for two weeks already. There is the couple, Joach (short for Joachim) and Anna. Joach is a crazy Swede with a fine singing voice. Last night he treated us to the national anthems of the US, Canada, Russia, and Sweden. He has also written a song that he is trying to get produced.
There are two sisters, Samantha and Amy, in the house sharing a room. They are from Monaghan and are both teachers. They are taking the language course as part of their teacher training. They are a little strange – they keep to themselves and even though they have a car they never offer to give rides to anyone.
Sarah is an interesting woman from Sligo who now lives in Toronto. She is doing the translation course so her Irish is very good and she is not hesitant about using it in the house.
The Scottish guy, Ray, is also very interesting. His parents were from Donegal but he grew up in Glasgow. He is a secondary teacher. He has very good Irish though with a pronounced Scottish accent.
Daithí is from Cambridge Massachusetts. He has been here before. He is an interesting character. He works for some emergency management agency in the state of Massachusetts. His Irish teacher from back home is in my class so he is always on his best behaviour though he never speaks Irish.

BIG CONCERT

Me and Máire



Máire Ní Bhraonáin played the Glen tonight!
Máire is Enya’s sister and the original lead singer with Clannad. She gave a wonderful performance – beautiful songs, lively dancing, good company. She had an American do a warm-up set of folky-trad material. Some of that was good – especially the Manx song she sang but I wasn’t very impressed by her. There was also a small group of young women who played a set of fiddle tunes. This group, The Reel Deal they call themselves, has two members who are the daughters of James Byrne, the great Donegal fiddle player who died recently. His family are trying to preserve his memory. There has been a Summer school for young fiddle players going on all this week in the National school, the James Byrne Summer School. Every night in Rorty’s they have been playing.

AMACH AG SIÚL

It rained very heavily this morning and into the afternoon. Liam had annonced that there would be a guided walk around the valley in the evening but I didn’t really think that it would happen given the weather. But by the evening it had cleared and the walk was on.
We met the main group at the church. When we arrived they had already been into the souterrain and were closing it up. We asked them to open it again and Joach and I went down into it.
I had been into the souterrain many times before so I knew the lay of it. We didn’t have a flashlight but after our eyes adjusted we could make out the main passages. Joach was really excited – he scrambled about like a child, exploring the two main wings of the chamber. With the camera flash I was able to see further into passageways.
After the souterrain the group walked towards Seipeal Cholmcille (St. Columba’s Chapel). The “chapel” is really a small stone cell where a hermit monk probbably lived. There is a set of flat stones that is referred to as Leaba Colmcille (St. Columba’s Bed). Pilgrims are supposed to lie down on it and make three revolutions of their body to be cured of their ills. I did that but I still have the creaky knee!

NÍ LÁ NA BÁISTÍ LÁ NA PÁISTÍ

It poured rain this morning and afternoon but by the evening it was beautiful.

JOACH’S POLENTA

There is a strange community developing in the house. Most nights everyone makes their own food (beans on toast, usually) but since Sunday I have been cooking with Joach and Anna, sharing each meal together. Yesterday, Joach made an Irish version of Mexican tacos that were very good. Anna cut up all the vegetables (onion, redpepper, lettuce) and Joach put it all together with sauteed leftover chicken and diced ham tossed in a premade taco sauce. He also made a “salsa” of yoghurt and garlic.
Today I decided that I wanted some comfort food. I made a big batch of polenta. Joach was fascinated by my polenta. He had never heard of polenta much less eaten it before. I had some Welsh cheddar cheese with peppercorns that I grated and added at the end and when it was cool I sprinkled it with olive oil and put it under the grill to brown the top. I wondered if Joach would really like it but when I served it he couldn’t get enough of it. We ate almost the whole dish of polenta – best compliment for any chef.

SUNDAY CHURCH

I am staying in a house that is about 5kms from the school. There is an interesting group here. When I got here there was already a man from Scotland who had been here last week and is staying for another week. He has a car. There is also a man from Cambridge Massachussetts who was already here when I arrived. Two more people arrived late last night. They are a couple (I think), a Swedish man and a woman from Dublin. I think that they are both living in Dublin right now but the Swedish man has also lived in Philadelphia for six years so his English is very good. Another woman has been here but went to Sligo for the weekend to visit relatives. She arrived back this afternoon.
There are a number of new signs around the village to go along with all the development that is taking place here. I am staying in an area called “An Droim Rua” or the Red Ridge.
I went to church this morning to the Protestant church in the village. I had agreed to meet Jane, a woman from Vancouver who I had met here before. The service was very dismal. There were only three local people and about 10 visitors. The hymn singing was accompanied by a CD version so it was a lot like karaoke. I wonder how much longer this community of believers will survive.
In the afternoon my class met together for the first time. Our teacher is a woman from Tyrone with a very strong Northern accent. She didn’t want to miss the Tyrone-Antrim football game so she had us listen to the radio commentary (in Irish). Tyrone won and will go on to the All-Ireland Quarter Finals.
Many of the people in my class have been coming here for years. I recognized quite a few. There are two Irish people who live in Luxemburg, an English man who lives in Norway, a Harvard professor and an Irish woman who lives in London. At least one woman (Celtic goddess wannabe) dropped out after the coffee break.

BUSÁRAS

Statue of James Connolly opposite Liberty Hall in Beresford Place.

I had to get up early to get into town for my bus to Donegal. I woke up early and got myself ready all the while hoping someone else would get up to give me a ride into town. Nobody did. Never mind. I had my bags packed and went out the door at 9 to be into town for a 10 o’clock bus from Busáras in Store Street.
I just missed the bus and had to wait about twenty minutes for another. There wasn’t much traffic so when another bus finally came it didn’t take long to get into the city center. I made a run for the bus station. I was carrying my belongings in a big Leclerc shopping bag (Protegeons l’eau; protegeons la terre) which was a little awkward and I had my computer on my back in a backpack. Despite all that I made it to the bus station with about ten minutes to spare.
There was a long line at the ticket counter so I decided to check with information about buying a ticket on the bus. The guy there told me that there was no bus to Donegal until 11:30. I was deflated. Next time I should check the actual bus schedule rather than relying on Oideas Gael’s outdated information.
I went for a walk about Dublin center. I had a coffee and croissant at a café then went to the Meteor store to buy some credits for the phone. I went to Eason’s to get LeMonde and also bought the latest issue of Le Nouvel Observateur. My, how things have changed in Dublin - last year I couldn’t find anywhere to buy LeMonde.
I found two interesting commemorative plaques. The first was on a building in O’Connell Street commemorating the founding meeting of Conradh na Gaeilge. The second plaque was on a building in Abbey Street. This was where Thomas Meaghar unveiled the national flag for the first time at a “soirée” of 2000 citizens on April 15, 1848 – the year of revolution in Europe.
Busárus, the central bus station, has to be one of Dublin’s ugliest buildings. It was built in the early 60’s and reflected the first attempts at modernization of the capital. A glass and steel structure that looks very similar Liberty Hall, it’s cousin of the same period. There are plans to tear down Liberty Hall but as yet no plans to tear down Busárus.

TOURS - TUF

Rich and I took the train to Tours this morning for my ride back to Dublin. We took a really early train so that we could spend a little time walking around and getting to know Tours. We found out that the shuttle to the airport was leaving at 11:30. We had about two hours to explore.
After breakfast (5 euro formule - grand crème, orange juice and croissants) we walked to the old town to find the basilica where St. Martin is buried. We walked around the old town but we didn't have enough time to go to the cathedral.
Back at the train station it was time to take the shuttle to the airport. I was the only person on the shuttle. I waved goodbye to Rich and was off. God, I miss him already.