I am a big fan of the North Roscommon, South Sligo and West Leitrim region, it has a lot to offer visitors, and is packed full of real gems, hidden and not-so-hidden. Central to this region is the historic town of Boyle, more famous these days for actor Chris O’Dowd’s (a Boyle native) comedy series […]
Month: July 2016
Carrowkeel Sligo, a rich tapestry of ancient past and natural beauty…
In the south of Sligo, near the border with North Roscommon, lies the wonderful Neolithic-infused landscape of Carrowkeel, or An Cheathrú Chaol in Irish (meaning ‘the Narrow Quarter’), in the Bricklieve Mountains. Here among the hard limestone hills of the Bricklieves (derived from the Breac Sliabh, meaning ‘The Speckled Mountains’) you will find one of […]
Willie Clancy’s week of Ceol agus Craic in West Clare
What’s it all about? The Willie Clancy week, or Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy to give it its official title (as Gaeilge), is one of Ireland’s longest running Summer Schools (predated only by Scoil Acla, Achill 1910 and The Brian Merriman Summer School also in Clare, 1968) . The week-long Summer School and ‘festival’ of Irish traditional […]
The improntu trad session, a rare thing enough…
There was a time in Ireland, not that long ago… I’d say pre early 90’s, when coming across people happily playing music and singing in our pubs, heck, for the love of it, was fairly commonplace. Not so much these days, I find. Yes, there are many places, and pockets around the country, where this […]
Inishbofin adventure
A trip to Inis Bo Finne, the island of The White Cow This was my second visit to this wonderful island, seven years ago being my first, it was sunny and glorious then, I recall, this weekend was more a typical Irish summer, rain was forecasted, but I didn’t mind, I was just glad to […]