Headed to Ireland - Bring the mando?

[whistler]

Ditto The Cobblestone - you're always guaranteed to find good music there. I would say, however, that it is one place I would go without expecting to play - the music is of a very high calibre and I am unlikely to add anything to it. (To give an idea, I've been playing for about 20 years, and am not shy about joining in sessions).

[Dagger Gordon]

Ditto The Cobblestone - you're always guaranteed to find good music there. I would say, however, that it is one place I would go without expecting to play - the music is of a very high calibre and I am unlikely to add anything to it. (To give an idea, I've been playing for about 20 years, and am not shy about joining in sessions).

Have a look at The Cobblestone's Facebook site. Plenty of videos to get you in the mood.
https://www.facebook.com/thecobblestone/videos

[anon-rickf]

Thanks to all for your input! As you no doubt noted, I had reservations about taking the little instrument along at the outset. My wife was pushing me to take it and also a friend from the UK who had lived in Ireland for a few years told me that if I ever got over there I should take the mando (but is not himself musical). I do have a beater mandolin that is pretty functional but alas, my son recently announced his intention of taking up the mando and made off with it. Having gotten all of your generous input, here is what I decided. The folks hosting the trip are a musical duo who typically travel with a plethora of instruments and Christy generously offered to loan me a mandolin should the need arise. Therefore I decided to leave mine at home and take her up on her offer as soon as the classic signs of MWS (Mandolin Withdrawal Syndrome) start to show up. Hopefully an opportunity to play out will arise but either way I'm covered. If anything interesting shows up, I'll report back. Thanks again to all for your comments. We leave tomorrow from Medford, Oregon.

[Werner Jaekel]

MWS (Mandolin Withdrawal Syndrome)

[Bren]

I would not necessarily bring a mandolin with me when I travel just to join in an 'Irish' session. I bring it because I like to play it.

You may very well find a bit of craic going on in a hostel or somewhere which is not especially Irish-oriented - just maybe travellers from various countries having a jam with whoever they find, and that could well be music you are quite capable of joining in with.

I understand what you mean by bringing a mandolin into a session pub as making a sort of statement, but you know, there is nothing wrong with saying that you don't really know that many Irish tunes and you don't want to be annoying. People do understand that - after all isn't that what we are talking about?

However, the mandolin is a good instrument for playing quite softly at the back of a session and I doubt if you would bother anyone, as you seem to understand the situation perfectly well.

One thing I would say. If you do bring a mandolin but aren't joining in much in a session, you may well be asked to give a tune or song from where you come from. It would be good to have a 'party-piece' up your sleeve.

What Dagger said. I always travel with my mandolin. It's fairly discreet in a webbing gig bag, so I can slink out without playing if I've a mind not to play. Or just play in my hotel room or campsite or whatever.

Have party-piece, something unique to where you come from perhaps, in case you're asked to play.

[Phil Sussman]

I can secondly or thirdly second The Cobblestone! I took my mandolin to Dublin last December and was welcome at the Saturday Old Time jam there, and sat in a bit on some other nights of Irish trad there also (not that I know that much Irish trad.)

We were only in Dublin and didn't travel around, so taking the mando was an easy decision.

If you are interested in bluegrass, I recommend looking up the Dublin Bluegrass Collective if you are in Dublin. They have a Facebook page, and are bunch of good and welcoming bluegrass pickers. They jam at Sin E on Tuesdays.

Also do a google on jams, for example, http://bluegrassireland.blogspot.com.../calendar.html.

[Spyder]

Take it. I went to Ireland in 2014, was there for 2 weeks, and only got to play it in a pub one night. It is a memory I will cherish for a lifetime. I don't know where you are going, but I played in Dingle. If you are going to county Kerry, ask for a copy of "West Kerry Live." It has a listing of all the local pubs, and who is playing where on what night. Look for an "open session." In those, you and your mandolin will be welcome, provided you play by the rules. Which, it turns out, were simple. The musicians sat at the end of the room, and went around the table, each person taking a turn to play a tune they knew. When my turn came, I was actually asked to play something from back home. I did, and they didn't get it. Oh well, I also played a set of reels that brought great applause. They only played one tune I knew, so I played along with that one, otherwise I sat back and enjoyed the night.

Oh, and in case you don't get a chance to play in a pub, consider this: one night in Cashel, we had a terrible storm, Lots of thunder, heavy rain. In my room at the B&B, I pulled out my mandolin, and played Tam Lin. That song is also known as The howling Wind, which I can now say I played during a storm, in Ireland.

Take it. When will you get another chance?
Phil

[anon-rickf]

The Cobblestone is a very good tip! My first night in Dublin I Googled pubs and that one is just a few blocks away. I went there and it was a good mix of flutes, whistles, violins, guitar, button accordion, bagpipes, and bouzouki - no mandolin, however. I recognized only one tune for certain, the Flowers of Edinburgh. I don't think that I would have felt awkward if I had brought an instrument along but had a good time without. People were friendly. A lot of acca pella songs and very well received if they're a bit off kilter. Other places that I've been to have more of the usual Irish Rovers type thing but often even Pink Floyd or REM seems to turn into a singalong. We'll see what further explanation turns up.

[anon-rickf]

So, having spent almost 3 weeks in Ireland, I feel like I can begin to answer my own question. I have to say first of all that it was an outstanding time, with lots of good food, drink, wonderful people, and magnificent scenery/culture. I really did see/hear an awful lot of music, much of which was traditional. I was able to borrow a funky F mandolin part of the time and played out a bit but not so much as I could have. I didn't really feel that I had the chops for much of it although there were opportunities to play at every level. Mostly I listened to as much music as I could, talked to as many musicians as I could, and collected as many resources as I could. I did encounter a few mandolin players and my impression was that the ones I met were crossovers from tenor banjo. The guitarists I met played in open D, open G, DADGAD, and even standard tuning. Playing styles were equally diverse. If/when I were to go again, I would definitely take the mando along but I would also try to spend a couple of years practicing before I went.

[Bertram Henze]

If/when I were to go again, I would definitely take the mando along but I would also try to spend a couple of years practicing before I went.

That's the way to do it in a nutshell

[Dagger Gordon]

So, having spent almost 3 weeks in Ireland, I feel like I can begin to answer my own question. I have to say first of all that it was an outstanding time, with lots of good food, drink, wonderful people, and magnificent scenery/culture. I really did see/hear an awful lot of music, much of which was traditional. I was able to borrow a funky F mandolin part of the time and played out a bit but not so much as I could have. I didn't really feel that I had the chops for much of it although there were opportunities to play at every level. Mostly I listened to as much music as I could, talked to as many musicians as I could, and collected as many resources as I could. I did encounter a few mandolin players and my impression was that the ones I met were crossovers from tenor banjo. The guitarists I met played in open D, open G, DADGAD, and even standard tuning. Playing styles were equally diverse. If/when I were to go again, I would definitely take the mando along but I would also try to spend a couple of years practicing before I went.

I think you sum it up very well. It's kind of difficult to explain to someone who hasn't been there.

[whistler]

Glad to hear you had a good time, and that you did get to play some mandolin. It sounds like music played a big part in your trip in the end.

I did encounter a few mandolin players and my impression was that the ones I met were crossovers from tenor banjo.

I think quite a lot of people in Ireland start off on mandolin as kids, then 'graduate' to the banjo or fiddle - it is often seen as a step up to another instrument. Relatively few specialise in mandolin and even those that do may prefer (or be expected) to play some other instrument in sessions.

[Shelagh Moore]

I think quite a lot of people in Ireland start off on mandolin as kids, then 'graduate' to the banjo or fiddle - it is often seen as a step up to another instrument. Relatively few specialise in mandolin and even those that do may prefer (or be expected) to play some other instrument in sessions.

It's hard to generalise I think... I've played mandolin slightly longer than I've played tenor banjo (about 50 vs 35 years). I know quite a few mandolin "specialists" in ITM and I personally always prefer to play mandolin to tenor banjo in an ITM session. It helps though having a mandolin that projects well.

[Eddie Sheehy]

Glad to hear you had a good time, and that you did get to play some mandolin. It sounds like music played a big part in your trip in the end.



I think quite a lot of people in Ireland start off on mandolin as kids, then 'graduate' to the banjo or fiddle - it is often seen as a step up to another instrument. Relatively few specialise in mandolin and even those that do may prefer (or be expected) to play some other instrument in sessions.

No, they don't. Mandolin is only begging to catch on in the last few years. TB has always been widespread.

[cbakewell]

Glad it went well.

ALWAYS take a mandolin with you

I always have a playable beater mandolin in my collection that I am prepared to take risks with.

As I mentioned in a blatant and shameless name-drop in another thread, (and which I will equally shamelessly repeat here), we had a vacation in Gozo and the fact that I had my mandolin with me led to a afternoon and evening playing and drinking with Liam Gallagher and Bonehead (from the group Oasis).

It also led to a couple of other jam sessions - one with a singing waiter, and the other with a young couple from Latvia.

I simply can't imagine being on vacation, or anywhere for that matter, without access to a playable mandolin.

[Bren]

Yeah, instruments open doors.

Unless you're coming in late with the wrong key.

[Dan Adams]

I travel everywhere with an 83 Flatiron 2M pancake. Our host at a bed and breakfast in Tramore, the surfing capital of Ireland, saw my mandolin and suggested I go to one of the local pubs, the Leger, for the session. I reluctantly walked in with the family and the musicians saw the case and immediately invited me into the circle. They were playing what we know as 'Floe Eared Mule' when I first sat down. Whistler is correct, if you don't know the tune, don't play and politely listen. I'm fortunate that I have enough tunes in my repertoire that I didn't have to sit out too many tunes. When its your turn, they know a lot of the 'cross-ocean' tunes, but they may be known by a different name. Play a few bars and some of them will know the tune. Even swapped the mandolin for a few tunes and played another players cittern. They gave me the floor and wanted my to play an American bluegrass tune. Cherokee Shuffle was the choice. Best three hours ever and out of nowhere those Guinness's kept appearing. "Another one for the Yank!' I also busked on the streets of Killarny and in Galway. Take the mandolin and have fun!