|
Co. Cork One of our favourite places in the West of Cork is the picture postcard town of Clonakilty, renowned for its traditional music pubs. It makes a great base for both music and exploring the area, having some of the prettiest coast line and scenery in Ireland. The drive from Kinsale through Timoleague to Clonakilty and on to Bantry, then over the Beara Peninsula to Kenmare is exhilarating.
Clonakilty is always on our itinerary and there are two pubs we especially like as they have traditional music all year round. There's a very friendly session in the lounge of O'Donovan's Hotel at 9.30pm every Tuesday night where you'll always be welcome to join in. Also part of O'Donovan's is "An Teach Beag" traditional music pub in Recorder's Alley down the side of the main hotel. It goes every night from 8.30pm in the season and weekends during the rest of the year. You'll hear great music from some of the best including musicians like Seamus Creagh.
Just a couple of doors down from O'Donovan's is DeBarra. They have traditional music every Monday night. It has a great atmosphere and is a real old style pub. Dennis Noonan (Bodhran), Jerry Lombard (fiddle) & Bonnie Shalgian (harp) are the regular musicians though others drop in from time to time and even though it's an organised night they're very friendly and we have always been made very welcome. Just keep in mind your "session etiquette". On one of our visits to DeBarra we met fellow Aussies Steve Cooney (guitarist with the current "Little River Band" and now living in Clonakilty) and his wife. We had a great night. Steve did a stint with the Bushwackers at one time and has a nice feel for the music and is well known in the area. De Barra's main claim to fame was Noel Redding who played bass with the Jimi Hendrix Experience all those years ago. Unfortunately Noel passed away in 2003. The pub also got a good mention in the book "McCarthy's Bar" and they have some great concerts there in the Summer.
DeBarra - session O'Donovan's session - main bar Both have good websites which you can visit for the latest what's on information. Also in West Cork, the town of Skibbereen has sessions at the Corner Bar on Mondays and Tuesdays and at Dalton's Bar on Fridays. Another event to note is the Traditional Music Festival held annually in Cork City at the end of August. Organised by UCC they always have a great line up of musicians.
|
