Great Opening Night for the 10th Annual Westport Folk & Bluegrass Festival

They be a pickin' and a grinnin'.

Great groups to kick off the festival last night.  The formal concert was held in the beautiful Church of Ireland's Trinity Church in town.  Breathtaking marble walls, intricate multi-colored stained glass windows, memorials dating to several hundred years ago.  And cushions on the seats that may very well have pre-dated them (ouch!).  But easily and certainly outweighed by the virtuosity of the musicians.  The Bog Standard String Band were locals and warmed up the crowd for the two fantastic groups to follow.  Old Hannah did a very interesting mix of music, including a Crosby, Stills, and Nash song.  All their harmonies were very evocative of that old 60s band - beautiful, three-part, and very tight.  They also did some terrific old-timey jazz numbers - these songs were very much like the American band we so like - the Bumper Jacksons (look them up on Youtube). All in all a very interesting and eclectic mix - and all well-executed.  The Foghorn String Band were very much a traditional bluegrass band, playing many of the old standards.  Fantastic instrumentalists!  All of these groups impress me so much - every single member is competent on a number of instruments - fiddle, guitar, mandolin, etc.  You can so tell how much they love this music.

The concert was held at 8 p.m., and was following by five free gigs at five pubs throughout the town starting at 10.  We walked around to several, but ended up back at the Clew Bay.  Home last night at 1:40.  This late night stuff is cutting into my early morning golf aspirations - out of bed yesterday at 10:30, this morning at 9.  Oh, has anyone seen Candee? - ah, here she is (it's 10:15 - shhhhhhh... I didn't just say that).

The big concert is tonight.  The Duffys are busy much of the day today and we will catch up with them at the concert.  Marion has a golf match in Ballina tomorrow (several km up the road) and will get in a round today to practice.  And Padraic is her faithful caddy and swing coach.

Some pics from last night:

Yer man Uri

Bog Standard String Band

Old Hannah

Foghorn String Band (from Minnesota)

This morning was truly beautiful.  It started off quite cloudy, but completely clear - no mist or fog.  Then the clouds blew away and blue sky appeared almost everywhere.  Very fresh feeling this morning - current temperature is 58 F - just perfect for some comfy corduroys and a light sweater.  :)

The Reek looked magnificent.