Trip to Ireland 2004

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I'm back in Maine after a great trip to Ireland. Thankfully, it was a lot warmer there than here. Of course they thought 40F was cold. When I left Maine on January 15th it was -20F below zero. Ireland was as lovely as ever, I think we were the only Yanks in Co. Donegal at the time. Not much opened this time of year, very quiet (that's the point). One really gets the feel of the land and its people without all the tourist trappings! A few highlights of the trip:

Durrow Cross - Co. Offlay - This cross was located on private land and was at risk of becoming a golf club & condos. The state purchased it and it was only opened to the public a week before our trip.

Country Living Museum - Castlebar Co. Mayo. I highly recommend a trip to this museum; it gives you insight to rural Irish life. I was lucky enough to sit in on a workshop making St. Brigid's Crosses for her Feast Day on February 1st. Both St. Bridget and St. Patrick hold the title as Ireland's patron saint. I learned how to make four different kinds of St. Brigid's Crosses and I will be holding a Cross workshop at my store as part of Legacy of the Arts 2004 Week June 20th -27th in Bar Harbor.

Planxty Reunion Concerts - In a rare event last Friday night, the legendary group Planxty performed their first of 10 concerts in Ennis and Dublin. All concerts were sold out immediately without any advertising whatsoever. The group includes Christy Moore, Donal Lunny, Fiam O'Foinn and Andy Irvine. They hadn't played together since 1982. The Irish Emigrant reported: "No doubt they all looked a little older but their music is as fresh and exciting as ever and appealed as much to the younger member of the audience as those who revered them in their heyday." I heard in a radio interview that they will release a live album from these concerts, look for it around June or July. I'll have that one in the store for sure!



Celtic Rainbow Gifts
Linda Keady-owner
PO Box 447
Bar Harbor, ME 04609
207-288-3860
linda@celticrainbowgifts.com
http://www.celticrainbowgifts.com