Our first night in Dingle we decided to venture out to a local pub, we learned that the hotel and touristy pubs are boring so we try and find local hole in the wall pubs. These definitely have the best atmospheres. Hence our night at NellieFreds.
We waited until later in the evening to venture out. Unlike Sheila I don't have a lot of stamina when it comes to drinking, after a few beers I am ready to head home. Of course, staying out past 11 is also difficult when you are up early every day. What ever happened to the days when I could party into the wee hours of the morning?
We enter the pub and there are only a few people there but we order a drink anyway and ask the bartender what time the music started , which was 10 and it was 10 Euro a person as it was a guest musician. We knew other pubs had free music and was contemplating whether to move on when a nice man came in and started talking to us.
He was very sweet but reminded me of the older man who still lives with his mother. We learned he had moved from England to Dingle about 4 years earlier. He lived a short way up from where we were staying and told us he came to see the musician playing tonight.'
Sheila and I had been walking all day and were kind of tired so we decided to pay the 20 Euro and stay put. So off to the garage we went. I am so glad we did. The show was worth every penny. The guest musician was named Ger Wolfe he was a much older man and has been in the business for many years. When speaking he seemed shy as he told us the story behind all of his songs. Most of what he performed were songs he had written based on life experiences, places he has seen during his life.
I had only planned on staying a short while but when he started singing I was mesmerized by the tone of his voice and the beauty of his songs. When he sang some old Gaelic songs, though I couldn't understand the words, it didn't matter. I was caught up in the pure emotion in his voice.
I kept hoping that he had some CDs available as I couldn't think of a better way to bring back home all of the emotions and experiences I have had here in Ireland. Luck was with me and he had a variety of CDs. He was so humble when I asked the price, he quietly said 10 Euro if that seems okay. I assured him that it was more than okay and I bought two different ones. I thanked him for the wonderful night and told him that I could think of no better way to bring the beauty of Ireland back home with me.
No trip to Ireland would be complete without stopping to listen to a ballad singer. Though I hope to take in some more lively and rowdy Irish music tonight, it is the ballads that fill your heart and soul with their beauty.