Bunratty Castle Archives - View from the Front Porch

14 03, 2022

Nothing like Irish music to Put Ya in a St. Patrick’s Day Mood

By judythemorgan|2022-03-11T05:55:46-06:00March 14th, 2022|A Writer's Life, Holidays, Make Me Think Monday, Writer's Life|0 Comments

St. Patrick’s Day brings all things Irish out around my house, even more so than usual. We feast on Irish stew and soda bread and start our day with scones. The air rings with Irish music.

But traditional Irish music isn’t limited to St. Paddy Day. You’ll often see a bit of toe-tapping going on around here. I could listen all day. And often do.

Music is the heart of Ireland. Whether the fiddler on a corner in Dublin or the man on the country lane blowing his Irish whistle or a late-night session at the local pub, you’ll find toe-tapping, hand-clapping music everywhere. Our visits to the pub sessions were the highlight of all our trips to Ireland.

One night, as a session broke up a native Irish speaker leaned over to me and said, “Ah, I tell ya, it was great music, ‘twould make the water stand out in ya eyes.”And indeed, tears did sparkle in my eyes that night. Nothing is more wonderful than the combination of traditional music and dancing.

Every visit to Ireland should include an Irish evening of traditional music, song, and local dancers. We still talk about our long-ago visit to Bunratty Castle’s Irish Evening at the Corn Barn.

Here’s a commercial video describing the event. I promise it will put you in St. Patrick’s Day mood.

7 03, 2016

Irish music: ‘Tis nothing like it.

By judythemorgan|2022-03-11T05:36:17-06:00March 7th, 2016|Make Me Think Monday|1 Comment

March brings St. Patrick’s Day and around my house, all things Irish appear. The air rings with Irish music. You’ll frequently catch me dancing a little jig along with Celtic Woman.

Irish music is such an important part of Ireland. Whether the fiddler on a corner in Dublin or the man on the country lane blowing his Irish whistle or a late-night session at the local pub, you’ll find toe-tapping, hand-clapping music everywhere.

I could listen all day. And often do.

These photos were taken at sessions we attended on one of our trips.

As the session on the right was breaking up a native Irish speaker leaned over and said this about the music we’d been listening to, “Ah I tell you, it was great music, ‘twould make the water stand out in your eyes.” And, indeed tears did sparkle in my eyes that night.

Nothing is more wonderful than the combination of traditional music and dancing. On a trip to Bunratty Castle in 2006, we attended an Irish Evening at the Corn Barn where the magic of Irish traditional music, song, and the local dancers provided a show we still talk about. Watch this video describing the event. I promise it will put you in St. Patrick’s Day mood.