Last March, I went to Ireland with four friends. It may not look like much, but the tiny town of Doolin is the center of Irish
folk music. There are only three pubs, all of which host musicians from
all over the country. On Friday and Saturday nights, these pubs fill up with
tourists and locals alike. The musicians come
from all over Ireland, which is hard to believe until you’re reminded that it
only takes about 2 ½ hours to drive across the middle of the entire country.
These musicians rarely
come as bands, it’s almost always individuals. They arrive, take a seat at the
center most table, along with a few other musicians. The bartender places a microphone
in the center of the table, and the musicians begin a short discussion on what
they will play.
Because they play folk music that has changed little over
decades (sometimes centuries), they all know the songs well. Depending on the makeup
of the group, you may have a vocalist, one or two guitar players, a harpist, a
flutist, or any combination of these, plus other instruments. Once they’ve
picked their songs, they begin.
The crowd almost always knows the songs; this is a tourist destination
for international travelers, but also for Irish people themselves. Some people
begin to dance, others start signing along. During the particularly emotional
songs, it can be a very moving experience.
Rumor has it that J R R Tolkien used Doolin as an
inspiration for the Shire in his Lord of the Rings books. As a longtime reader
of these books, I could feel the influence and it made our time in Doolin even
more special. We only spent one night there, but I recommend it to anyone
looking for an authentic Irish experience.
Here's a picture of the main part of town. It really is that tiny. There are farms surrounding this small street.
What a stud.
