Catching Up

We’re in Westport, County Mayo (sister city to our own Westport area in Kansas City) for the second time in three days. Friday morning we passed through here on our way to Louisburgh, which held the festival we just returned from. It was SO great!

Doug got to sit in among a few wee lassies, taking whistle instruction from the one I call “his girlfriend,” the wonderful Joannie Madden, of Cherish the Ladies fame. We’ve seen Joannie’s Irish traditional band perform three times in the states, so to be in her class in a local setting was a treat. At the same time, I brushed up (ha!) on my Irish singing in a class taught by Tim Dennehy, an Irishman who’s made many recordings over here and is well-revered.

I first took a class in a small festival in Riverstown from this same man six years ago. He told us then that a singer should choose two or perhaps three songs a year to master, adding ornamentation after mastering the words and melody as we’re able. In six years time, then, I suppose I should have a repertoire of a dozen or so Irish songs under my belt. Thankfully, Tim did not quiz me on this!

We worked on six songs over the course of the day, unheard of by any of us before we arrived. I was the only American in the group of six students; the others all being Irish themselves. They thought I was a rather good sport, I’m thinking. :)

Internet access is still spotty here. To say the next Internet cafe is only a “short stagger” away would be to not tell the truth of the thing at all. In the cities, we’re good, but we’ve not spent much time in the cities, except for one night in Galway. In the remote areas and the small towns, they only chuckle when you ask.

Everyone has a cell phone, though. The past three nights as we’ve sat in the pubs, with Doug joining in the sessions whenever possible, we watch the young fiddle and flute players. They plop their phones down on the table with their Guinness. When a call comes in, they notice the name and then turn to their mates (while each are playing their various instruments at blinding speed) and say, “It’s Jenny. I’ll call her back.” When I say they don’t miss a beat, I mean that literally!!

I’ve been sick the whole time we’ve been here. The chemist in Louisburgh has me on acidopholus, figuring I’ve attracted an Irish bug. You’d think with my credentials, I’d be immune to Celtic bugs of all types, but not so. Today, I think I really am better.

And happy, sick or not.

Will catch up again soon, I hope. Need to go wade through three days of email, both personal and buisiness. Yikes! Then it’s off to enjoy the sunshine in Westport, and then on to Donegal.

Much love to all. xoxoxox

Posted by Katy on 05/01 at 05:12 AM

Fallible Comments...

Donegal, eh?

My hubby’s relations are from there. See if you can spot a few O’Donnells roaming around.

Posted by relevantgirl on 05/01 at 08:11 AM
We’re headed that way. i’ll keep a sharp eye out. where we’ve been, in mayo, there were o’malleys everywhere we turned. we stayed with a mary o’malley for three nights. now we’re on the road to sligo and may end up there tonight before going on to donegal. then later in the week, monaghan and tyrone. monaghan is my family’s county. tyrone is where the girls who spent the summer with us five years ago are from, and we’ll meet them there. thanks for checking in, mary. we’re so close, and yet still so far….darn. love…

Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 05/01 at 08:59 AM
Still not feeling well, eh? Sorry to hear. Don’t drink the Irish water, the black frothy broth might have thrown your system into shock.

Hope you start to feel better.

Posted by Daniel on 05/01 at 11:30 AM
That much happiness and fun, even while sick? :)

Sounds like a wonderful time (except for the sick part), and hope you continue to feel better and have even more good times!!

Posted by Chris(tine) on 05/01 at 12:44 PM
Praying for you to feel better quickly!

Posted by Carrie K. on 05/01 at 02:13 PM
Hope the bug passes soon! Love hearing from you. Blessings!

Posted by Vicki on 05/01 at 03:23 PM
Yea! The Irish bug has passed, it has…. :)
Thanks for the well wishes in that “direction.” Ha.

Posted by Katy on 05/02 at 08:37 AM

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Personal blog of christian writer & fallible mom Katy McKenna Raymond in Kansas City, Missouri Katy is represented by Rachelle Gardner at WordServe Literary Read more Katy at LateBoomer.net Follow Katy on Twitter Recent Posts Ticking The Boxes Happy Ninth Blogiversary to ME! NaNoCryMo Predictability? Don’t Count On It It’s That Time Again! Losing It Acutely Not That Funny Coming To Terms With Writing Terms Another Great Conference! Catching Up Again, Or Still? Crazy! If Doug Had Seen This Movie Of Me As A Baby, He Might Not Have Ended Up With Chatty Katy I Can’t Believe We’re Finally Here Why I’m Always Glad To Have Written Happiness Is Locking In A Low Rate With The Man Of Your Dreams Search Advanced Search Syndicate Login E me at katy @ ngenius.com	Catching Up We’re in Westport, County Mayo (sister city to our own Westport area in Kansas City) for the second time in three days. Friday morning we passed through here on our way to Louisburgh, which held the festival we just returned from. It was SO great! Doug got to sit in among a few wee lassies, taking whistle instruction from the one I call “his girlfriend,” the wonderful Joannie Madden, of Cherish the Ladies fame. We’ve seen Joannie’s Irish traditional band perform three times in the states, so to be in her class in a local setting was a treat. At the same time, I brushed up (ha!) on my Irish singing in a class taught by Tim Dennehy, an Irishman who’s made many recordings over here and is well-revered. I first took a class in a small festival in Riverstown from this same man six years ago. He told us then that a singer should choose two or perhaps three songs a year to master, adding ornamentation after mastering the words and melody as we’re able. In six years time, then, I suppose I should have a repertoire of a dozen or so Irish songs under my belt. Thankfully, Tim did not quiz me on this! We worked on six songs over the course of the day, unheard of by any of us before we arrived. I was the only American in the group of six students; the others all being Irish themselves. They thought I was a rather good sport, I’m thinking. :) Internet access is still spotty here. To say the next Internet cafe is only a “short stagger” away would be to not tell the truth of the thing at all. In the cities, we’re good, but we’ve not spent much time in the cities, except for one night in Galway. In the remote areas and the small towns, they only chuckle when you ask. Everyone has a cell phone, though. The past three nights as we’ve sat in the pubs, with Doug joining in the sessions whenever possible, we watch the young fiddle and flute players. They plop their phones down on the table with their Guinness. When a call comes in, they notice the name and then turn to their mates (while each are playing their various instruments at blinding speed) and say, “It’s Jenny. I’ll call her back.” When I say they don’t miss a beat, I mean that literally!! I’ve been sick the whole time we’ve been here. The chemist in Louisburgh has me on acidopholus, figuring I’ve attracted an Irish bug. You’d think with my credentials, I’d be immune to Celtic bugs of all types, but not so. Today, I think I really am better. And happy, sick or not. Will catch up again soon, I hope. Need to go wade through three days of email, both personal and buisiness. Yikes! Then it’s off to enjoy the sunshine in Westport, and then on to Donegal. Much love to all. xoxoxox Posted by Katy on 05/01 at 05:12 AM Fallible Comments... Donegal, eh? My hubby’s relations are from there. See if you can spot a few O’Donnells roaming around. Posted by relevantgirl on 05/01 at 08:11 AM We’re headed that way. i’ll keep a sharp eye out. where we’ve been, in mayo, there were o’malleys everywhere we turned. we stayed with a mary o’malley for three nights. now we’re on the road to sligo and may end up there tonight before going on to donegal. then later in the week, monaghan and tyrone. monaghan is my family’s county. tyrone is where the girls who spent the summer with us five years ago are from, and we’ll meet them there. thanks for checking in, mary. we’re so close, and yet still so far….darn. love… Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 05/01 at 08:59 AM Still not feeling well, eh? Sorry to hear. Don’t drink the Irish water, the black frothy broth might have thrown your system into shock. Hope you start to feel better. Posted by Daniel on 05/01 at 11:30 AM That much happiness and fun, even while sick? :) Sounds like a wonderful time (except for the sick part), and hope you continue to feel better and have even more good times!! Posted by Chris(tine) on 05/01 at 12:44 PM Praying for you to feel better quickly! Posted by Carrie K. on 05/01 at 02:13 PM Hope the bug passes soon! Love hearing from you. Blessings! Posted by Vicki on 05/01 at 03:23 PM Yea! The Irish bug has passed, it has…. :) Thanks for the well wishes in that “direction.” Ha. Posted by Katy on 05/02 at 08:37 AM Page 1 of 1 pages Name: Email: Location: URL: Add a fallible comment... Remember my personal information Notify me of follow-up comments? Next entry: Too Much Irish Information? Previous entry: Morning Has Broken << Back to main


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Personal blog of christianwriter & fallible momKaty McKenna Raymondin Kansas City, Missouri

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Catching Up

Personal blog of christian
writer & fallible mom
Katy McKenna Raymond
in Kansas City, Missouri