Millstreet 1

Day one of a mini adventure. We headed inland towards north Cork - an action-packed itinerary of exploration on the way - old churches, holy wells, stone circles, small roads.
We arrived at our very luxurious B&B Coolfield House , were fed with little warm scones, settled in and then went for a look around Millstreet. Whilst lingering at Tubrid holy well, the BVM resplendent with pink balloons, we met the keeper of the well and got into conversation. His father and his father before him had tended the well, the second largest in the British Isles (no-one seemed to know which held the number one position). Having discovered we were interested in history he insisted we went back to see his house - the oldest in the area. Throwing aside our English reserve, we piled into his van which was full of leprechauns (dolls), admired the house, and his chickens and then he brought us back into town. A quick meal in the pub, back to our B&B and then we were whisked off by out host to Rockchapel where a comhaltas seisiún was about to take place. Comhaltas promotes all aspects of Irish music, dance, song, storytelling at special seisiúns which are usually performed by young people.  We were a bit late as M had nearly broken his suspension taking us to see a ford on the way and the seisiún had started- about 15 teenagers, and a few younger children, were in full flow - fiddles, tin whistles, accordians. It was fantastic! So much talent. Luckily we were just in time to see M's  9 year old son do his tin whistle solo. And there was dancing! The youngest boy looked only about 7 but he was astonishing. At half time tea and porter cake were distributed then afterwards people from the audience do their thing. Mores stories, more singing, more poems.  An amazing night.