RAMBLINGS

July 23, 2021

Hello there,

been quite a while since I’ve updated Ramblings. I suppose COVID had a lot to do with that but I hope this finds you well, under the given circumstances. No matter what your thought process, beliefs or opinions are, you will have to agree that these here are some ‘strange times.’ And if I’m not mistaken we’re not done yet, but there is not the time, this is not the place, nor to I have the inclination to delve further into such matters.

Over the last year I have performed many back garden concerts, private anniversary, birthday and wedding get togethers, some online performances and a few outdoor gigs…not an insurmountable or hectic schedule by any means. I also posted a weekly series on my Facebook page and on You tube, called In Song and Story. Three songs each week for fifty two weeks. It was sometimes challenging but always great fun. (All can be viewed on my You Tube page or here on our website)

From the proceeds of all this we were able to donate monies, on three occasions, to the local Second Harvest Food Bank, and I thank everyone who supported us.

We had occasion last year, during the restricted times, to play songs in the round from our front porches every Sunday evening. Four musicians in all, who, strange as it may seem, live across the street from each other. We were dubbed the Fiddyone Street Boys and we still play these sessions, albeit a lot more sparingly now that things are wide open around here.

Obviously, all our Ireland Tours were re-scheduled from last year to this year and from this year to next year. Our Enchanted Ireland Tour 2022 should be up on the website, or will be soon. We do have an Autumn in Ireland Tour going ahead as planned this October, so we’ll see firsthand what the lay of the land is over there. This Tour has been sold out for quite a while…people are salivating to get out and about, as amI!

The cruise world is still in a bit of a struggle, but I was heartened to receive a contract on the Norwegian Gem for late October this year…and then disheartened when told that the whole ship has been charted by a private company and my contract retracted. I’m waiting for another offer, fingers crossed.

The Green Island Radio Show is still doing well after 29 years. We record remotely when we can these days and because of that more ‘encore’ shows are broadcast. Still, it’s weird to think that ‘22 will be our thirtieth year on the air. The show airs on Sundays at 9.00PM on all Georgia Public Broadcasting member stations and streams on the GPB website.

There currently isn’t an Irish bar in Savannah so my only public performances are in Katie O’Donald’s, across the river in Bluffton, South Carolina. I’ve been performing in Katie’s for over twenty years…do you recognize a pattern here? I’ll be on stage there again on Wednesday, August 11, at 5.30 and 7.30 in the PM.

I was presented with a Victrola for my birthday earlier in the month and I’m deriving much joy from it, listening to old LP’s and CD’s…and wait for it…cassette tapes, whoa! I even listened to some of my old recordings.

I do still have several CD’s for sale and it’s best to get in touch with me if you’d like to purchase any. I have some ‘Live and Well’, ‘Live and Just as Well’, Folksinger, ‘A Splash of No Regrets’, ‘Far Away Places’, ‘The Terra Nova Recordings’, ‘Seasons of Love’ and for some reason more of A’ Christmas Postcard’ than I thought…hmm?

I also have O’Donoghue baseball caps in stock…a new batch. Two colours, a lovely blue, like a royal blue and a sort of tropical lime one…very summery!

That’s about it for now. Please stay safe and healthy and happy out there. Get in touch should you like to hear some Irish, original, trad and contemporary songs in an event you’re planning.

All the best,