May, 2008

You may remember that last year we went on the Literary and Historical Bus Tour as part of Listowel Writer's Week. This year Dana was working, so I went on the tour and had a great time. You have pictures here of 2 of our speakers and some scenery in Ballynahill where we were told there were "hedge schools" - illegal schools for Catholic children, taught by "failed priests" - ones who had studied on the Continent but were not ordained. A highlight both years were the music groups that rode with us on the tour and played at different stops. This year it was even more fun, as it was the group that includes Killian O'Carroll on banjo (he's the one with dark hair). Killian has won many prizes, and has appeared on this blog before. Here they are at an historical spot in Athea and at Shaughnessy's Bar in Glin.





I am trying a new thing: video. My little digital camera takes video, and it's not too bad.S o, here's a sample of the music they played - let me know if it works. Behind the band you can see my "bus friends" Joann and June; Joann's daughter is a speech therapist in Dublin - small world!orks!
Click the large arrow, then click the small "play" arrow.
I



Dana came to Listowel on the bus after work and we ate dinner then went to the finals of the story-telling contest. There were 4 very Irish contestants - we could understand 2 of them well, 1 of them some, and 1 of them hardly at all. The emcee was Marc Dainin O'Se, a rather famous story-teller and accordion player from Dingle - he is a native Gaelic speaker, and his English is very thickly accented - I am trying a short bit of video of him- if it works you'll see what I mean.

These pictures and videos are all by MFE.