A good session

[rorybbellows]

I’ve been to a good number of sessions over the years ,some good some not so good, but the best session I have ever been at was last Sunday in the Marina bar in Dingle . It was by pure good luck that I was there at all. My wife the kids and myself happened to be in Dingle for a food fair/ farmers market as we were walking around the stalls I just happened to go into the small record shop just up from Dick Mac’s , I was looking at a CD by Con Durham when the girl mentsioned that Con plays at a session in the Marina bar at five thirty. Early sessions are a rare thing and when you’ve got children with you it the only chance you get ,so off we went.
We arrived just as the musicians were tuning up ,so I quickly got a pint (thankfully my wife agreed to drive) and we sat down. There were two uilleann pipers ,Con Durham and a girl piper and there was also a another piper playing small pipes, there was a fiddle player ,a flute player ,a concertina player and a guitarist to start with and other musicians arrived later and joined in .
It was one of those sessions when everything just goes right, the pub was full but not to much ,the musicians seemed to be really enjoying it .Two little girls of about six or seven got up and danced a few jigs and the Guinness was good, my wife had a half and the kids had burger and chips so everyone was happy.
I also had a good chat with Andy Irvine who I just happened to sitting next to, I never met him before so it was a real pleasure to meet him .All in all a great evening with rakes of pints ,good music and the craic was ninety .
I’ve said it before but Dingle really is a great town for music later on that evening Cillian O’Brien and a few friends were playing in the Dingle bay Hotel.

RORY

[Pat Cannady]

Good stuff Rory. Sounds like a blast. Up the Kingdom!

[The Sporting Pitchfork]

I spent a summer in Dingle (it's where I got my first practice set of pipes) and played with Con at least three nights a week at sessions while I was there. The few recordings of him available don't do him justice--he's quite a good player. I'd sit and watch him at sessions, focusing on one bit or another of technique that he did, and then go home and try to figure it out for myself on the chanter the next day. Cillian was also very generous with his time and gave me a couple of lessons. I doubt I'd be playing pipes at all if it weren't for the two of them. Glad to know they're still going strong over there.

[oliver]

I was in the Marina 4 years ago. Good session indeed. Starts early but can last for a good while ! I can remember Con Durham quite well. Did you meet Philip Crickard and his fiddle ? He's usually there too. There's quite a few interesting sessions down in Kerry...