Arcadia Ireland

What has been the highlight of your time in Ireland so far?

This past weekend I attended the Cooley Collins Festival, which is a weekend-long traditional music festival in Gort, Co Galway.  Joe Cooley, who the festival is named after, lived in San Francisco near the end of his life and has had a huge impact on the trad music scene out there.  I would have learned to play the accordion from a woman who played lots of music with him when he was in America.  It was unreal being able to go to the festival, play a gig there with my brother, and play in sessions so many musicians with a very similar style of playing to myself.

Have you joined any clubs or societies?

I joined a number of societies at NUI Galway but am most involved with playing music with the Trad Society.  I go to the weekly sessions they have the Crane and am planning in playing in the concert they will have on campus.  They are working to bring well known musicians to campus to teach and play music with the student and it has been unreal meeting some of the ones that have already been by here!

I joined the Ultimate Frisbee Club and the Gaelic Football club here in Galway as well.  I traveled to Cork for a tournement with the Ultimate Frisbee team which was loads of fun.  I am really enjoying Gaelic Football as its been years since I played it before.  Though I played it growing up, it is definitely played at a much higher level here.  I am looking forward to having league matches against the other schools around Ireland.

Where is your favourite place to go for the craic?

I honestly can’t say I have a single favorite place. For trad music I’d say the best spots in Galway that I’ve been so far are the Crane, Taaffe’s, and Tig Coili.  I had an unreal weekend playing music at Hennelly’s and O’Donnell’s in Gort, at a pub on Inis Meain, and at O’Looney’s just outside of Mullagh in West Clare.  For nights out other than trad, any night with the Ultimate Frisbee team or any night that we end up at the Roisin Dub are definitely good nights.

Any favourite Irish foods so far?

Rashers are absolutely amazing.  Also, I’m obsessed with 99s.

Favourite time of the day in Ireland?

I’d say dinnertime.  The work is usually done for the day at that point, my roommates and I usually are cooking dinner and looking forward to a night out.  Its always fun!

How often do you chat to family and friends back home?

I’d talk to my family every couple days over facebook or viber but would skype or call them every week or week and a half.  I’d talk to my friends fairly regularly but wouldn’t call them or skype them very often.

Anything you miss from back home?

I’m really missing out on the World Series since the Giants are in it, but I’m definitely also missing out on football and mexican food.

Made any new Irish friends?

I’ve definitely made a lot of new friends.  They’d be mostly from the clubs and society’s that I’ve joined but also classes and from playing music all over the west of Ireland.

How has this experience impacted your life goals, direction, academic aspirations, career aspirations, personal development to date?

Since this is my fourth time in Ireland, I did know what to expect when I got here.  I felt that I could see myself living in Ireland and this month and a half has really confirmed that.  Being here has made me want to do more with playing trad music and to learn as much as I can from all the old time players while I can.

Any advice to give to others on the programme? 

I’d say go try something new.  The first couple weeks we got in a rut of going to the same pubs and doing the same things which was okay but got old.  There are so many amazing places to go and see and get involved with Irish culture here. I’d definitely suggest going to a session or a ceili.