Ré

The damp and grey continues but what a light-filled day! A leisurely morning then we took advantage of a break in the rain to do a quick blustery tour of the circuit. A cheval ride was on full approach - see extra pix - and a fine array of carriages, carts and horses - all riders smiling and waving. Half way round we stopped to help Nuala find her dipstick! She was the roadie for Netnakisum and her van was losing oil and she couldn't find the engine let alone the dipstick. Himself located it under the passenger seat! Returning we stopped to chat to talk to Willem who was gardening and he gave me a cutting from his incredibly fragrant yellow azalea. On the strand someone had been out making sandcastles.
Then out to supper with friends at O Connors in Bantry - very fishy and meaty but an excellent veggie option in the form of a curry (again!) plus rice and chips in the Irish fashion! And then the hightlight - a truly amazing conert in St Brendan's church where Ré were in fine form. Five musicans with immaculate pedigrees fronted by Liam O Maonlaí (originally from the Hothouse Flowers) on keyboards and bodhran, plus church organ!;Cormac Begley on concertina (his family are concertina royalty) Maitiú o Casaidé on uillean pipes and tin whistle, Eithne ní Chathaín on vocals and fiddle, and Peter O Toole on bouzouki and guitar.
Towards the end of the evening Liam's little daughter who'd been watching in the wings was allowed to come forward and do her own tune on the tin whistle. She's got a very promising future!
Here are a few polkas to get you going - just press the play doof!

Some extra pix - the cheval ride, sandcastle and azalea; Cormac Begley looking all amber.
And if we have the energy we might catch the end of Ballydehob Jazz festival tonight!