When Visions Become Real

One of the visions I've had over the past several years is of the classic pub gig, some musicians in a crowded Irish pub, playing traditional Irish music. Somehow that didn't quite happen during the past few trips. It always turned out to be a guy and guitar singing ballads, or someone with a harp playing Enya covers. While planning the current tour, I added in the hope that I could dance a jig and a reel with Patricia. She took up Irish dance shortly after our daughter Meghan did, and has gotten rather good at it.I managed to pick up the jig and reel while helping Meghan to practice her dances for her end of year recital.

Stopping at the music store in Kenmare, we found out that there was going to be a "session" for local musicians at Crowley's pub that evening. We got there early and watched John tuning up his banjo and a female friend of his tuning her fiddle. They soon launched into a medly of reels, which made me smile. Finally some live traditional Irish music in an Irish pub - in Ireland! Then a badhron player joined in and my vision was complete, so we danced a couple jigs and reels to the amusement of the locals, before finally walking home almost at midnight.

The sun has been setting slowly here, finally disappearing around 10:30 or 11:00. So that walks home have been under pretty fabulous skys.

We still have a few more days here in Ireland, and a few more opportunities to bring visions to life.