April – Aibreán. Thurs 6th: Cruises Bar!
I must admit that I don’t speak enough Irish – I’d like to do more but…I’ll get there. Was helping my son with his Irish spellings last week and was reminded of the names of the months!! (My musician/teacher friends are tutting as they read this.);) So this Thurs with Jimmy Clancy on accordion and whichever of our regular visitors (we might have some new musicians again) beidh an craic againn! (We’ll have the craic) Drop in to us. Open seisiún.

Pat Keating.

Pat Keating, accordion and Satoshi Aoki, flute and sean-nós dancing.

Pat Keating (Jnr), fiddle and Pat Keating (Snr), accordion.

Jimmy Clancy, accordion and Pat Keating, fiddle.
Jimmy had his accordion tuned last week by Brendan Mulhaire and when we played at Cruises I heard the lovely new tone that he had given it – Jimmy was adamant that he wanted the box to sound well with a flute – and so it did! Amazing. We had some lovely sean-nós dancing from Satoshi at the end of the evening too.
30th March 2017
Hi again – it’s time for a session in Cruises Bar, Ennis from 8:30pm Thurs.
Some photos from last Thurs – we had more new visitors along with a few of our more regular participants – Aongus on pipes from Limerick originally but now residing in Belgium and Vincent on accordion from Holland.

Satoshi Aoki

Vincent (Holland), Michael McGrath and Aongus (Limerick/Belgium)
Also (but not in the photos this week) Paula O’Regan, Jimmy Clancy and myself.
‘Casper the dog’ (new jig)
The story behind this jig!
Thurs 16th Feb my good friend Paula (O Regan – Clare fiddle player) came into our session and was looking pensive. She was after doing her leading of the adult slow session in Ciarán’s pub and as usual came over to ours for the last few tunes. (We love to see her come in the door) Well, it turns out she had heard just 10mins before her session in Ciarán’s was due to start, that her little dog Casper (who was 10yrs old – a gorgeous, happy little dog) had eaten poison somewhere and had just died at the vet’s! Paula had bravely decided to go ahead with leading the session even though she was of course, gutted. 😦
Her generosity to her fellow musicians (and her good spirits every other night!!) lead me to offer to write a tune for Casper, and Paula was gracious enough to accept that night. I asked her to send me her beautiful photo of Casper and to tell me what type of a tune she would like. I wasn’t surprised when she said a jig – jigs are her favourite! Happy or sad? – ‘Happy’.
This jig is the one I composed for Casper but, the edited version, as I was unhappy with it for a week until I tweaked it. I hope everyone enjoys it! Play it for Casper!
(I appreciate Paula’s allowing me to write this account!)
Paula has begun composing tunes herself so watch out for these in the future.

Paula and her dog Casper!
23rd March (Thurs) Cruises Bar
Well, after all the Saint Patrick festivities of last weekend – it’s back to a normal night of tunes in Cruises Bar. Or is it?? 😉 Come on in and join us from 8:30pm – can’t guarantee what it will be like as it is different every week – but that is the joy of live music. We had a lovely night last week and great musicians – some photos below. (A few missing from photos – Andy Lambert, Steve Brown, Jimmy Clancy..)

Pat Keating, Michael McGrath, Brian Burke and Howard Winrow.

Des Mulkere, Paula O’Regan, Pat Keating.

Smokey McKeen from Maine.

Michael McGrath and Smokey McKeen
Eve of St Patrick’s Day – session in Ennis
If you are in Ennis on 16th March, why not drop in to Cruises from 8:30pm and enjoy the session – or join in if you feel so inclined! All welcome. Jimmy Clancy and Áine Heslin leading the session. Here are only a couple of photos from last week (phone settings went awry)

Michael McGrath.

Pat Keating snr and Pat Keating jnr. Father and son having fun!
Thurs 9th March Cruises Ennis
Jimmy Clancy playing in Cruises tonight with myself and any other visitors who wish to join. Starting from 8:30pm. Some photos from last week and a facebook Live video that people enjoyed.
We welcomed back our Seattle friends Bill and Betty, and John brought a young banjo-player called Cathal Corbett towards the end (featured on the Live video) who added spice to the music.See you later at https://www.facebook.com/cruises.bar/?fref=ts
Don’t forget – next Thurs is St. Patrick’s Day Eve and we will be playing a stormer of a session for the evening that is in it!!

Betty, Cathal, Michael, Satoshi and John.

Andy Lambert.

Jimmy, Bill and Betty.
Heading to Miltown tonight. :)
So happy to be joining Sorcha Curtin and Caroline Tubridy in Friel’s, Miltown Malbay tonight – wow – it’ll be great! Music and merriment. As always – happy to see you there too.
From 10:30pm in https://www.facebook.com/frielspub/
Thurs 2nd March Cruises session
Join Jimmy Clancy tonight at Cruises (Ennis) Thurs night open session at 8:30pm – I’ll be playing too (and who knows what visitors tonight!) and we’ll have musical craic for a couple of hours! Jimmy (if he has time) will work out not only who you are but who you are related to in Clare!! Even if you are from Sweden or Vermont – well ok, maybe who you KNOW in Clare. 😉 Here are a couple of photos from last week.

Brian, Paula, Adrian, Mike and Sorcha. Photo by Andy Lambert.

Áine, Jimmy, Brian and Paula. Photo taken by Andy Lambert.

Mike Coffey and Sorcha Curtin
#Summer2017
I’m dreaming ahead now because, even though this is the second month of our spring it feels like the first month of winter!! But at least..the days are getting brighter! 🙂
I have wanted to visit Scattery Island for some time now and this year I’ve noticed more promotion of the day trips out to the island so, it’s now on our summer game-plan. I know already that it will be an inspiration for new music so it’s a must for me.
People might say – isn’t there enough new music – but, when new music comes out that everybody loves…nobody cares how old/new it is – it just ‘is’! You’ll all know examples of this. Well, I’m not saying that any of mine will be that ‘one’ but, just as a good musician keeps playing anyway knowing that they may not be the best out there – so must I write.
https://www.facebook.com/scatteryislandtours/?fref=ts
PS Pencil sketching is a form of therapy and inspiration for me – if I do some that day that are presentable 😉 I’ll upload them.
Cruises Thurs night sessions 23rd Feb
While I still have the time – I’m uploading photos from the previous week. As time moves on things will get busier…less photos! Some of you will be happy about that maybe, but for the rest of us – here we go! (Don’t forget to call in this Thurs 8:30pm Open Session, before heading to Doolin for the weekend!) Ps also, we’ll be here the night before St Patrick’s Day.

Áine Heslin and Jimmy Clancy. Photo by Betty Connor.

Paula, Satoshi and Michael.

Andy! 😉

Michael and…Michael!
Make it a ‘Valentine’s Thurs?! (16th)
Here we go again and, have we a LOT of lovely photos from last week?? Yes, thanks to our good friends Andy and Pat! More even, by Ronan at ‘Ireland’s Inner Beauty’ facebook group – check it out! https://www.facebook.com/groups/1561847780795422/ Matt and I had a lovely visit from our good friend Frank Corr who lives in the UK/plays guitar, mandolin, banjo and sings! And of course all our other new and old friends as pictured below (hopefully with names correct..).
Join Jimmy and myself at Cruises again this and every Thurs from 8:30pm. Bring heart!

From the left – John, Adrian, Pat, Áine, Jimmy Matt and Frank. Photo taken by Andy Lambert.

Matt, Frank, John, Paula, Adrian, (Mary behind) and Satoshi. Photo taken by Andy Lambert.

Andy, Matt singing and Frank Corr (our good friend from England) Photo taken by Pat Keating.

Adrian on flute with Howard on tinwhistle behind. Photo taken by Pat Keating.

Satoshi on flute. Photo by Pat Keating..

Howard and Paula. Photo by Pat Keating.

Áine, Jimmy, Andy, Matt and Frank. Photo by Pat Keating.

John and Howard. Photo by Pat Keating.

Michael in the zone! Photo by Pat Keating.

Áine, Jimmy and Andy. Photo by Pat Keating

John and Howard. Photo by Pat Keating
Exciting night in Kilkee Sat Feb 11th!
The film ‘Connected 2 Each Other’ will be screened for charity (see below) – a short (25 min) filmed featuring Our Lady Queen of Peace, Janesboro, Rose of Tralee Maria Walsh and 8 #portraitartists .Sat 7:30pm at Cultúrlann Sweeney, Kilkee. Tickets: Adult €5, Family €12 and Students €2
Filmed entirely in #limerick with a wonderful #soundtrack with musicians from #Westclare who will play live after the film. Light food sponsored by #marrinanspub at 9pm. .
Book into Kilkee for the night – a great night for 2 great causes. Any musicians attending are welcome to join us on stage after the film for just a couple of tunes!
for #pieta http://www.pieta.ie/?gclid=Cj0KEQiAw_DEBRChnYiQ_562gsEBEiQA4LcssqSDZ9zDz_jgPwPhcpwFHGAt_xu9591-vj9QYX07SpIaAoAb8P8HAQ and #kilkeemarinesearchrescue

Irish Music Magazine Dec’15
Bláthú composed by Áine Heslin 2015 for Maria Walsh in the film ‘Connected 2 Each Other’. (Played on a ‘C’ whistle )
D’C#D’B—ABA–F#EDF#A——-
D’C#D’B—ABA–F#EDE———
F#-E—F#-A–BAF#E-D——
E-F#-G—A-B–ABD’E———-
D’C#D’—E’-F#’–D’E’D’B-A—–
BC#D’–E’D’BA–F#EDE——–
D’C#D’B—ABA–F#EDF#A——-
D’C#D’B—ABA–F#EDD———
The Easy Club (reel in Amaj)
The Easy Club – not necessarily an easy tune but a lovely one. We play many more besides that every Thurs night in Cruises Bar from 8:30 till about 11pm. Join us there this week or whenever you’re around. https://www.facebook.com/AineHeslinMusic/

Bill on flute, Paula on concertina and Brian on flute.

In the background; Brian on flute, Michael on accordion. In the foreground; Betty on fiddle.

Martin singing a lovely song about Co. Clare.

Howard in the background on tinwhistle and Satoshi on flute.

It’s all a blur!! 😉
Thurs 8:30pm (2nd Feb ’17)’Cruises’
Join Jimmy Clancy, myself and all our visitors – regular and new – in Ennis tonight. Open seisiún at Cruises Bar under the hospitality of Pat and Teresa! 🙂 We had no photos taken last week so here are a couple from the previous week. We’ll probably be here at Cruises St Patrick’s Day EVE – so you can be planning ahead now! 😉
Thurs trad/Cruises (- almost Feb?)
All are welcome to come in to Cruises Bar Thurs weekly at 8:30pm and listen/join in…we’re having a ball! Tunes, tunes and more tunes. Jimmy Clancy has a store of old one and new ones which keeps things buzzin’. Many visiting musicians each week – from all corners of the world! Some photos from last week taken by our visiting fiddler, Betty Connor – thanks for sharing them Betty!
Go to https://aineheslinmusic.com/shop/ to hear some tracks from my CD ‘The Tunes Foundry’

Orla, Áine, Jimmy, Bill, Patrick, Jerry and Colm. Photo by Betty Connor

Áine Heslin and Jimmy Clancy. Photo by Betty Connor.

Áine, Jimmy, Bill, Patrick, Jerry and Colm. Photo by Betty Connor

Sean nós dancing before our session finished – thanks Satoshi.

Áine Heslin and Jimmy Clancy. Photo by Betty Connor.
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