Welcome to the Woodguy's Celtic page. I spent a month in Ireland in 1991 and am planning a return trip in the year 2000.
Back in '91, I wasn't a golfer, but now that I am, I intend to take full advantage of some of the wonderful courses in Ireland. I've been reading about the Lahinch (a wonderful little town), and county Donegal. I spent time in all of these towns in my last trip and saw the courses, but... However, I plan to get back (I hope in 2000) to play golf in Ireland.
Some of my favorite things about Ireland:
| The Irish People | The Irish are some of the
friendliest people in the world. Whether you meet them in the
local pub, in a place of business, or on the street. I'll never
forget the kind gentleman (and I do mean gentleman)
whom I stopped on a back street in Dublin to ask him directions
to O'Connell Street so I could see the General Post Office (I'd
gotten myself turned around). He didn't just give me directions,
he went out of his way and walked with me through the campus of
Trinity College to ensure that I wouldn't get lost
again!
I also remember the wonderful landlord at the B&B some friends and I stayed at in Sligo. The elderly gentleman would recite the poetry of W. B. Yeats as we ate breakfast. He told us of some great sites to see and whenever we would meet him he called us "Fine boys, good boys, fine young men."  |
Guinness Stout |
Without a doubt, the
best beer brewed anywhere in the world. For those of you who
haven't tried Guinness, properly drawn, in an Irish pub, there is
no way in the world you can really appreciate it.
I've been reminded by my good friend, Len Brown, who spent time with me in the Sligo area, that, more often than not, the best Guinness of the day was the first pint of the day. Four of us, Len Brown, Bertrand Denoix, Guy Read, and I stayed at the same B&B in Sligo, after breakfast, we'd take off to see the local sights, usually between 11:30am and 1:00pm we'd all stop at a pub and have a pint. We called it our breakfast pint. That first pint was always the best!
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| Irish pubs | An Irish pub is the best place in the world to enjoy Guinness and the Irish people. Everything that happens socially in Ireland happens in the local pub.
The best pubs are in the wee little towns. There is often live music every evening. Often the live music is by local musicians who bring their instruments to the pub to see if they can get an Irish jam session going. Everyone is welcome to join in the singing, playing, and fun.
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Irish music |
Traditional Irish music is
fantastic. Whether it's the Celtic harp, the uillean pipes, or
the tin whistle, it's the best. I love the intricacies of
the melodies, the humor in the lyrics (when performed in
English), and the beauty of it all when sung in the Irish.
Some of my favorite groups are Altan, The Wolf Tones, The Chieftains, and The Clannad. There are many other groups I love and I've probably left some out. Everyone finds the kind of music they like the best. I've found that my preferences often depend on my mood. |
| The Literature | The Irish are great storytellers and poets. Whether you're reading John Synge's great little book, The Aran Islands or the wonderful poetry of William Butler Yeat's. You get no more vivid visions than from the Irish. |
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