Hoping for a quietish day beginning with Mass (the day is one of obligation), followed by the opportunity of some sea fishing, a traditional hostelry providing food, libation and evening of spoken stories, poetry, and music (known as “Caint, Craic agus Ceol” in the vernacular) of local community musicians and storytellers who hold and preserve the music, poetry and foklore. Somewhere that offers an authentic and osmotic imbibation of actual culture, that affords an opportunity to recreate and to come home to oneself.
Planning to be far from the Bord Fáilte (Irish Tourism Board) packaged, garish and cartoon-like curated importations and tourist trap events, commonly termed locally as the “plastic Paddyness” of St Patricks Day parades etc…
An away day exploration is calling from along the Wild Atlantic Way (of a section within the 2500 kilometres route along the West of Ireland Atlantic coast). Might take in a couple of hours of sea fishing, later settling into somewhere like Joe Watty’s establishment on Inish Mór (Aran Islands), a 45 minute sail from the mainland. We shall see, spontaneity and whimsy of the moment are the secret sauce. And there is much from which to choose and much that will be weather-bound.
So, St Patrick’s Day felicitations to one and all GDS Gizars, may you each have and enjoy similar opportunities to come home to yourselves also in whatever form or fashion captures your imaginations in the coming year and beyond.
And so for you this St Patrick’s day, respectively on harps and uileann pipes, a trio of Turlough O’ Carolan’s compositions (a blind 17th century Irish composer and harpist), the latter video having visuals of the planned destination’s terrain.
Concerto: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sg_caGTxaww
Sí Bheag, Sí Mhór:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f18XsNbN3IM
Planxty George Brabazon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=df-j7M57C1I
