Ballyshannon

A lazy morning at last here in Bundoran, coffee watching the Irish version of Saturday Kitchen followed by a walk around the coast along the edge of the golf course. Even though there is some mist the views are amazing with distant bays just teasing us with glimpses of their presence. The beach with its wide expanses of golden sands stretches into the distance and on the ocean are four paddle boarders working their way across the bay. After a walk there’s nothing like a relaxing coffee stop at a surfer’s café that is until Dave gets a message to say local Kettering boy Aiden Pryor is now going to play his open-air gig at the top of the town in 30 minutes. The coffee is hastily swallowed and miraculously a shuttle bus appears to take us into Ballyshannon, this is definitely Irish timing as the next bus isn’t due for another hour. We race to the top of the town just in time to hear Aiden starting to play and he’s getting better and better every time we see him. Sitting on the green in the warm sunshine helps the atmosphere of course.

The rest of the afternoon is spent chatting in Dicey O’Reilley’s with Paul and Nina before the evening entertainment in the big top, just time to go home for change of clothes for the cooler evening and cagoules for the rain showers. The entertainment starts with Seamie O’Dowd and is warming up nicely. Then the Eric Steckel Band follow, even with earplugs this is too loud, and his gurning expressions put us both off, time for a sample of the evening atmosphere in one of the town’s many pubs. The Fin McCool is as Irish as they come and tiny, but it’s packed, well there’s 12 people in there. There’s an 8-piece band jamming outside the door and music going on inside. Every few minutes the barmaid does a manic shuffling dance with a towel under her foot to dry the floor. The place oozes charm and conviviality. The next band in the big top is the Walter Trout Band and its great to hear him playing back to his best, driving the music through to a fantastic climax with Bob Landgraff on harmonica, Andrew Elt on vocals and Eric Steckel on guitar minus his gurning! Nothing can top that tonight time for the last bus to Bundoran. A final drink in the Atlantic Bar results in a lock in, we could still have been there if someone hadn’t shown us the secret exit!