Subject: re: Catherine in Limerick (long download)
Hi,
We are back from our whirlwind trade tour of Spain, Ireland, and Wales. 3 trade shows and lots of neat new products on the way. After Dublin we beat it to Chuck and Catherine's new flat near U of Limerick and had a great time playing, exploring, and yes, Catherine dancing. They say "Hi" to everyone. Here are some pictures:
Lori and Catherine doing "The Walls of Limerick" dance. Very little of the old city walls still remain.
Chuck sitting in at a sessiun at The Pipers Inn
Chuck and Catherine dancing at The Pipers Inn
After Limerick and area touring, (and a regional school reunion for Rick), Chuck had to work but Catherine shanghaied the rent car and for the next 4 days she led us on a crazed path of sea cliffs, bogs, fording rivers, jumping stiles and fences (trespassing frequently) as we went off in search of Celtic High crosses, castles, dolmens, abbeys, fairy forts, churches, and stone rings. North from Limerick thru Mayo, Sligo, Galway, Donegal, thru parts of the north, Tyrone, Armagh, Fermanagh, and Monaghan until we ended up in Dundalk, Co Louth to visit a friend of Rick's.
Mona Incha Abbey, where legend has it that no female of any species could tread without falling over dead. Hmmm.
Catherine at Carrick
Overnight in the Bunnbeg/Gweedore area of Co. Donegal where Rick and Lori were having a business meeting, the B&B owner at Teac Campbell tells us of a ceili that night at Teac Jack Hotel, so off we went to Teac Jack. We sat down in a room full of fourty 50-80 year old people gathered, and as is the custom, some brave soul comes to check out the outsiders, which was the hotel owner. Cutting right to the chase, a quick synopsis ensued and Catherine was out on the dance floor. During between dance conversation the "Broom Dance" was mentioned, and that there was one man there who used to do it, but he was too old now. Strangely, a bartender appeared out of nowhere saying "Is this the type of broom you would be using then?"
We parted company with Catherine 2 days later at Dublin Airport, where she continued on with the rent car to go to a feis in Galway.
We are going to prepare a better slide show on CD of the 400+ pictures from the 5 weeks of friends, family, old school chums, business associates, and the sights of Asturias, Galicia, Toledo, Madrid, Dublin, Limerick, Donegal, Birmingham, and thru Wales for future viewing, so keep in touch. Until then, we will see you at the booth at the N. Texas Feis, and walking around at NTIF on Sunday.
Rick
The Celtic Store