Greetings all, I just discovered this site thanks to the Irish Fireside Podcast. I can't believe how much great information is here. I'll be ordering Michele's book today! My husband and I are musicians and discovered the site for the Bandon Music Festival (www.bandonmusicfestival.com). We'll be staying in Killarney from June 2-June 16 and were going to try and hit at least the last day of this festival. Does anyone know anything about it? They still have 2005 info posted so I'm not even sure if it's happening. Is the trip from Killarney to Bandon a long one? (This is our first time to Ireland and we're driving--yikes!) Also, does anyone know of other traditional music festivals in the southwest region during the first couple of weeks of June?
Thanks for any info you can give me. After I've gleaned all I can from the archives I'll probably be posting a few more questions!
Welcome to the forum! I am very glad you found it and are using the info for your trip. I had a look at the Bandon Music Festival's website and you are right that they still have the listing for 2005. They do have a contact button to click on. I suggest sending them a email to see what's on when.
It will probably take about 2 hours to drive from Killarney to Bandon in Co. Cork.
Glad you are listening to the podcast and that you found IrelandYes. You'll find an unbelievable amount of information on Michele's site and a really great community.
I hope you continue join us at the Irish Fireside...next episode will be up as soon as my head clears from a nasty cold.
Michele, Thanks so much for the advice and websites. I've checked them out and I'm getting new ideas already! Corey, many thanks to you and Liam. I love your podcast and I've recommended it to three others who are planning trips to Ireland this summer. Your tips are great and I've already modified some of our plans based on your suggestions. As a musician who plays Celtic music, I'm especially pleased that you're including trad tunes in the podcast. Thanks again for everything! Jeanne (The Next Chapter)
Happy to be of help. Be sure to tell your friends who are visiting Ireland about my forum too! If you are going to be in Kilkenny you must get the free download of Corey's Walking Tour of Kilkenny: http://www.knockahopple.com/downloadkilkenny.html
Hi Michele, I've already forwarded all the info for your site to my friends and told them it's the best site I've found! I'm a member of the IAS here and will pass on the info to their members as well as many of those folks plan trips to Ireland.
I had not originally planned on visiting Kilkenny, but now I'm seriously considering it. I'll check out the walking tour you recommended.
Yes, my family band is called "The Next Chapter" (www.thenextchapter.net -- click on "Press Kit" to hear some music samples and see some video). My husband and I play Celtic, Old-time and Bluegrass music with our two kids and travel all over the U.S. playing festivals. Someday we hope to do a little performing tour of Ireland!
For this trip, though, I'll be bringing my hammered dulcimer with me, and my husband will be bringing his guitar in hopes of sitting in on some trad sessions in the pubs while we're there. Do you have any advice on traveling with a musical instrument? I know that since 9-11 it has become more difficult to travel with instruments in hand. Right now we are planning to carry the instruments on board with us to protect them from harm. Do you know of any problems we will have in doing that?
You shouldn't have any trouble bringing your instruments...although I'm not sure what a hammered dulcimer is...I assume it's one of those contraptions I saw on the video clip on your website. All kinds of people bring their instruments back and forth between the US and Europe.
It's really important these days to make sure TSA officers can easily open all luggage, be able to remove the contents and repack it if necessary.