The Doolin sessions

I’ve stayed on an extra few days in Doolin, the surf is good and the music second to none. Most nights I have a tune in O Connor’s Pub, the only pub left in Doolin that has truly spontaneous sessions, with different musicians every night.

The tradition of the session is the huge strength of Irish traditional music. Essentially, two or three local musicians are paid a few bob to play a few tunes in the local pub on a certain night, without rehearsal or amplification. Because it’s spontaneous, visiting musicians can join in if they know enough of the repretoire. In this way, visiting musicians get exposed to Clare tunes and styles, while the local players get to hear music from all over the world. It’s a wonderful tradition to observe or participate in.

Late night jamming in O’ Connors

Sadly, a great many pubs have now gone the route of ‘gigs’: employing one or two musicians to play a rehearsed show using mikes. This ensures a certain standard every night, but effectively prohibits visiting musicians from joining in. Even in Doolin, there is really only one pub left where one can join in and have a relaxing evening with tunes, songs, jokes and stories. As for the tourists, I’m pretty sure from their reaction they can tell the difference between the rehearsed and the contrived..

Waves and music in Doolin Co. Clare

I’m spending the last week of the holidays in Doolin, Co. Clare in Ireland, one of my favourite spots in the world. Right on the westmost edge of Europe, Doolin is a tiny village that has a very special landscape and tradition. It’s also a mecca for traditional music, not to mention one of Europe’s best surfspots. What a place.

Doolin, Co. Clare

Most evenings I get my fiddle out in O’ Connors pub, jammin with old friends and new. The standard of playing is very high – Clare is the birthplace of much of Irish music – but the locals are always very welcoming. It’s a different crew every night, so it’s great experience for a Dublin musician like me, playing tunes I rarely hear. There’s also a fantastic atmosphere in the pub every night as it’s packed with international tourists who have travelled to Doolin specifically to hear the music.

During the day  there’s the surf. Few of the tourists realise that Doolin is neatly sandwiched bewteen Fenor and Lahinch, two of the best surf beaches in Ireland. At the moment I’m teaching the manager of the hostel and his kids to surf, it’s very satisfying. That said, there are bigger waves coming on Thursday, so it’ll be out back for me from then on..

What a place, I’ll be sorry to go back to being a boring scientist. I’ve even got fit again without really trying!!

Update: photo for PW