The Musicians


	Merrigan's Musical Pub Crawl of Ireland	Our tour starts in Co. Clare, music capital of Ireland. Click picture to enter but before you start take some time to read the session etiquette, a must for any musician visiting Erin's green Isle.
	an seisiún
	You'll hear some of the very best music in Ireland at sessions. An Irish session is a gathering of musicians and most often happens in a pub. Playing in a session, especially if it's a good one can be an invaluable experience and a chance to improve your own musical skills, as well as a lot of fun. This doesn't mean that it's an open invitation for anyone to join in, though on most occasions newcomers will be welcomed albeit with a certain circumspection until the ability to play well with the group is demonstrated. If you're intending to play in sessions in Ireland, or anywhere for that matter, you might find the following session etiquette useful.
session etiquette Don't just rock into a pub expecting to join right in. You should ask or wait to be invited, and it's always polite to listen first to get the feel of the session as each one is different. Don't play if you don't know the tune or, if you must, be very quiet as your wrong notes might distract and/or irritate the person next to you. If you play a percussion or rhythm instrument don't play too loudly or out of time as this is very irritating to the melody players. In Irish music the melody is FAR more important than the backing. A good rule of thumb is only one bodhran and/or guitar at a time. Barging in to start tunes without being invited is considered antisocial especially if you are not part of the regular crowd. A session will most likely have a couple of musicians who lead the group and if you prove yourself you'll usually be invited to lead a set or two, or they may ask you what tunes you know and work out some that are common to everyone. Playing too fast and too loud so that you take over from the person leading the tune set is considered highly discourteous and can alienate you from others in a session. In general, those organising the session call the shots. Throughout Ireland, in the towns and villages there are literally hundreds of pubs where you can hear, and sometimes play traditional music. Music sessions in Ireland start anywhere from 9.30 - 10pm, though as you go further north some are even later, and the pubs officially close around midnight. Many close the doors and rock on until very late (or early as it may be). Quite a few pubs have what are called organised sessions, where the musicians are paid to provide traditional music, basically for tourists and visitors. These are not always easy or appropriate to join in on but it's worth going along as you'll get to hear some of the best local players and often make the contacts necessary to be invited to other sessions where you will be welcome to play. BACK