So we didn't have the first pint until the second day when we was half way through the third rehearsal. We were working pretty hard and it tasted pretty good there in the back room of Mcgrory's, Culdaff, Co. Donegal. Way up on the tip of the Inishowen was where Ry had dragged us and we couldn't kick much about it. On our first night he was grilling vegetables in the sun, which doesn't go down until about ten pm up there. Jen had the beef stew on the stove when all the Dohertys and O'Callaghans and Henrys (who's real last name is McGlaughlin but there are too many of 'em in the town of Carndonagh down the road, so they go by Henry), came over. It was quite a sitcheeation, what with the wine flowing and Karen Henry showing us what makes the Derry accent so special, which prompted Kimon to lay on his thickest Dorchester for a real blue one. We was practically on the floor what with the jet lag and all.
  But it wasn't all skittles and beer. For one thing Dinty had to get used to driving on the wrong side of those tiny country roads where there is barely room to find any side when a lorry is bearing down on you. The key is not to slow down. Matt didn't have any problem, thanks to the years playing video games like Tron in his youth. It's confusing because two cars was cheaper than a van so we had the Skoda and the Qashqaui chasing each other up and down those roads, from the Mullet to Muff ( home of secret angent Muff Maxol and his martial arts expert assistant side kick Qashquai!). We were there to play music so the first gig was the third night, and we was wondering if we would draw in Adarah with the Henrys. We needn't have worried, it was a bluegrass festival in a hotel function room (just like Joe Val). What more could you want eh? Songs about James Monroe and Joe and Charlie? Yes! Three sisters singing close harmony and and full room of people listening? Maybe. The irish harp and the pump organ? Of course! Kimon poured a cup of Cowboy Coffee and Laura was giving us a perfect Tuesday (or Friday) and we were glad to be along for the ride; all the way up to the last stop where the bus was coming through the wall of the third floor of the Beehive Bar accross the street, where we were to play some more ( part of our deal was to play a late set in exchange for rooms at farmer Declan's up the road). They had us cornered with a pint. Lorna led with the Andrews sisters, Kimon raised with the Mills Brothers, and for Dinty it was Another Night with the Boys until Jolene took a couple choruses on the harp. Then It Makes No Difference? Kern River? Nice try. Ameilia Erhardt that's a whole nother story. But there's nothing like the Henry's singing a gospel tune to send one home happy in the gentle rain.
  It was just Laura Cortese, Kimon, Dinty, Ry, Matt Malikowski and me. There was no Bunny nor Beardo, and we missed that. But there's always the local inhabitants to pick up the slack. If the conversation lags, Frank Gallagher will entertain for 45 minutes or so about how he became a massive Carly Simon fan for a day and a half. Down at McGrory's Kate O'Callaghan can conjure the Coldness at Dawn swirling up in a song. And the stone circle just up the hill from the church overlooking Culdaff? It's been there a long time, just ask Neil McGrory. He wrote a book. And don't get him started about the Celts. Egypt, that's another story, what with the remains of ancient stone structures under the peatbogs and all. Hoo! And then there's the fruitcake. You'd think that headline was a subtle reference to recent scandals in the Church perhaps. But no, there were just some so-called fruitcakes trying to sell sacred bread.
 We went down the road a piece, where Balleybofey presents a grittier side of Donegal. At least they have the well built Butt Hall (and the Arts Center props department). We had a sofa on stage. And we had Finbar at the table singing about Mary Anne and the Great Big Sea. We just had to thank the Earagal Arts Festival for having us, and the Galway festival down the road for getting us there. Fairplay to ya Kickstarter. First class. We couldn't have done it without you.