Back again
So pleased to be back in Westport. And pleasantly surprised to be re-located from our traditional apartment (of 5 years duration) to a new Madden acquisition - a bright, more modern, better equipped, first floor apartment. Ah, the Madden empire expands. We were a bit disappointed that the Maddens were off on holiday - to Italy - and wouldn't return til Wednesday. And this during the Bluegrass weekend! But we were very happy to see some old familiar faces at the Clew Bay Hotel - Yvonne, Peter, Anton, Karen, and, of course, Pavel. We'll catch up with the Maddens next week.
Of course, we're still in the Old Mill apartments. But the new unit has a separate clothes washer and dryer, an updated kitchen with a dishwasher (!), two bedrooms en suite, and it's located right on the Carrowbeg River. Both en suite bathrooms have "power showers" - very positive in Ireland, where water pressure can sometimes disappoint. The bathrooms have towel warming units and we have gained much closet space. We certainly have very fond memories of our old unit, but this is very nice. Especially the more modern, much more comfortable living room furniture.
We were also much pleased to be invited to the Duffys' for a "nibble and bite" before heading out to the opening concert of the Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival. Nibble and bite... We started with a couple of lovely cheeses, smoked salmon, and Marion's freshmade brown bread. This lovely nibble and bite, and then off to the festival, right? Oh sure... Padraic pulled out a beautifully poached whitefish covered with an intensely flavorful fresh vegetable garnish, Marion presented her homemade potato salad, beautifully dressed hardboiled eggs, a fresh salad, and we finished with a coffee cake and some Nespresso coffees. Marion gave us our very own loaf of her brown bread to take home as we left - so very very good. Candee and I always say that we don't really feel like we've returned until we've had a quality "veg" soup and some good brown bread. We got the the veg soup in Longford - a very clever and delicious pureed lemon and broccoli soup; we got the brown bread at the Duffys. We are now home, indeed.
Uri has outdone himself with the festival this year. Last night's concert was superior - both in setting and in musicianship. Three acts, one better than the last, all wonderful instrumentalists and tight gorgeous harmonies. The focus was on Women and Bluegrass and the concert was held in the ornate and beautiful Trinity Church, just a few steps from our apartment. The Henry sisters, from Co Donegal, played a wide variety of instruments including a harp, fiddles, and guitars. Their three-part harmonies were complex and magical, and they were winningly beautiful and charming.
They were followed by Rayna Gellert and her husband, who came to the festival from Asheville, NC. What an amazing fiddler. She played a mix of oldtimey gospel and bluegrass, while her husband accompanied her on guitar and added vocal harmonies. I'm sorry I didn't get a video recording, but I'm sure you'd find them on youtube. Well worth the search. And they appear to be the only people more thrilled to be in Ireland than we are... A charming couple.
We ended our night in Madden's in the Clew Bay. Just great to be back.
We slept in this morning, but not so late that we missed the Rocky Top String Band, fronted by brother and sister, Hubie & Sarah McEvilley. They always remember us, another lovely welcome in this special town. The group just seems to get better each year. They were the first group we saw in our first visit to Westport. I commented at the time that it was so funny to have Hubie introduce the group in such a rich brogue only to start singing in such a nasally twangy Tennessee accent - they are really terrific mimics.
Of course, we're still in the Old Mill apartments. But the new unit has a separate clothes washer and dryer, an updated kitchen with a dishwasher (!), two bedrooms en suite, and it's located right on the Carrowbeg River. Both en suite bathrooms have "power showers" - very positive in Ireland, where water pressure can sometimes disappoint. The bathrooms have towel warming units and we have gained much closet space. We certainly have very fond memories of our old unit, but this is very nice. Especially the more modern, much more comfortable living room furniture.
We were also much pleased to be invited to the Duffys' for a "nibble and bite" before heading out to the opening concert of the Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival. Nibble and bite... We started with a couple of lovely cheeses, smoked salmon, and Marion's freshmade brown bread. This lovely nibble and bite, and then off to the festival, right? Oh sure... Padraic pulled out a beautifully poached whitefish covered with an intensely flavorful fresh vegetable garnish, Marion presented her homemade potato salad, beautifully dressed hardboiled eggs, a fresh salad, and we finished with a coffee cake and some Nespresso coffees. Marion gave us our very own loaf of her brown bread to take home as we left - so very very good. Candee and I always say that we don't really feel like we've returned until we've had a quality "veg" soup and some good brown bread. We got the the veg soup in Longford - a very clever and delicious pureed lemon and broccoli soup; we got the brown bread at the Duffys. We are now home, indeed.
Uri has outdone himself with the festival this year. Last night's concert was superior - both in setting and in musicianship. Three acts, one better than the last, all wonderful instrumentalists and tight gorgeous harmonies. The focus was on Women and Bluegrass and the concert was held in the ornate and beautiful Trinity Church, just a few steps from our apartment. The Henry sisters, from Co Donegal, played a wide variety of instruments including a harp, fiddles, and guitars. Their three-part harmonies were complex and magical, and they were winningly beautiful and charming.
They were followed by Rayna Gellert and her husband, who came to the festival from Asheville, NC. What an amazing fiddler. She played a mix of oldtimey gospel and bluegrass, while her husband accompanied her on guitar and added vocal harmonies. I'm sorry I didn't get a video recording, but I'm sure you'd find them on youtube. Well worth the search. And they appear to be the only people more thrilled to be in Ireland than we are... A charming couple.
We ended our night in Madden's in the Clew Bay. Just great to be back.
We slept in this morning, but not so late that we missed the Rocky Top String Band, fronted by brother and sister, Hubie & Sarah McEvilley. They always remember us, another lovely welcome in this special town. The group just seems to get better each year. They were the first group we saw in our first visit to Westport. I commented at the time that it was so funny to have Hubie introduce the group in such a rich brogue only to start singing in such a nasally twangy Tennessee accent - they are really terrific mimics.
