This weekend will see me return to Dungloe Co Donegal for the first time since I was there at the tender age of 16 on an ‘inter-rail tour’ with a friend; inter-rail? in Dungloe? needless to say we were mostly hitch-hiking around the West of Ireland. Teenage sense!
Well, I am very much looking forward to joining Dolores Keane and her Band this Saturday in Dungloe at The Waterfront Hotel. One of my all-time musical heroines; and it evokes memories of being in Sarah and Rita Keane’s cottage years ago; such a musical legacy; treasured memories!

…moving house has been taking over, but getting settled in the new place and enjoying the morning sun in the kitchen window and the many blackbirds singing all day long. Beautiful and great balm for the heart. And very much looking forward to rehearsing tomorrow with Dolores Keane and John Faulkner ahead of a gig in Dungloe, County Donegal on March 2nd, details to follow. Session in Padraicin’s / Furbo tomorrow night and Sunday eve in An Droighneann / Spiddal. Love the road west!

Just an amazing week of music and catching up with friends….Picture below from Wednesday night in The Crane. One of those special, special nights!…Josephine Marsh & Mick Kinsella at The Crane tomorrow 6pm…just love Josephine’s accordion playing! And tunes tonight in Padraigin’s in Furbo with Ged Foley, Steve Sweeney and myself and very special guests! Spoilt!

starts at 9.30pm

Wishing you all happy holidays and a wonderful day today!!

here a video from Tigh Neachtain’s. Five string banjo player Lisa Alcott was visiting from New York, and we met for some lovely day time tunes in Tigh Neachtain’s with Lena Ullman, Johnny Moynihan, Becky Miller. Food for the soul. https://www.facebook.com/cathal.johnson/videos/10156799162634402/

So much happened in a week; one of the greats of Irish music, Alec Finn passed away; if you haven’t already seen it, make sure to watch this informative and very recent documentary on him

https://www.tg4.ie/en/player/home/?pid=5858348933001&teideal=Alec%20Finn&series=Sé%20Mo%20Laoch%20

Grateful for a wonderful Sunday. Sunshine. Beautiful Galway Bay indeed! And just another lovely, lovely session in An Droighnean Donn. Charlie Lennon treated us to some of his beautiful music and it was a joy!

well, spoilt for wonderful sessions!…German fiddle Barbara Hintermeier was visiting and we had the loveliest tunes, in the company of Jackie Small, Rena Small, Steve Simmons, Becky Miller, a wonderful song by Martina Goggin, really, it was beautiful.  Weekend before Enda McCabe and une chanson magnifique! Looking forward to a trip to Ennis Tradfest this weekend for leisure and tunes and the sessions over the weekend back west! (have a look at the calendar…)

some mighty fine sessions in the last while! Tommy McPeak of McPeak family’s fame joined us last Friday in Padraicin’s in Furbo: the finest harmony singing I have heard in a long time! Amazing! The Sunday session in the Droighnean Donn in Spiddal has been wonderful too! sun is shining; I even heard a blackbird singing :-

It was the loveliest of sessions in the Droighneann Donn last Sunday, with a surprise visit /tune by Bride Harper and Mary Bergin