Mudcat Gathering, N. Ireland, 2003?

Subject: RE: Mudcat Gathering, N. Ireland, 2003?
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 02 Dec 02 - 06:12 PM

Looks like time for talks about talks then Fibbie mo chride.
Giok

Subject: RE: Mudcat Gathering, N. Ireland, 2003?
From: Big Mick
Date: 03 Dec 02 - 12:54 AM

Do the right time frame and I might be able to swing this.

And what else would one wear in that weather but short sleeves and shorts.

Mick

Subject: RE: Mudcat Gathering, N. Ireland, 2003?
From: GUEST,Claymore
Date: 03 Dec 02 - 12:33 PM

Correction on one of the date periods on my last post (and it is an important error).

The middle period of the $198 fares is Dec 27th to MARCH 9th. This appears to be the best window of opportunity.

Sorry for the mispost.

Subject: RE: Mudcat Gathering, N. Ireland, 2003?
From: momnopp
Date: 03 Dec 02 - 10:49 PM

OK, OK -- if you MUST do it during the low season, when there are fewer tourists, and the prices are more reasonable, and airfares are cheaper, and um, hmmmm, well, whenever a MUDtour of Ireland forms, I'm gonna have to join in on the fun. I certainly hope some other "singles" will also go along.

I can't think of a cooler way to finally get to visit the Emerald Isle...you realize, of course, that there's the Irish branch of my family -- the O'ppenheims...

Peace,

JudyO

Subject: RE: Mudcat Gathering, N. Ireland, 2003?
From: Fibula Mattock
Date: 06 Dec 02 - 04:53 AM

Okay folks, I'm going to contact the hostel people today. The dates I'm going to enquire about are:

The weekend Friday 28 Feb - Monday 3rd March

and

The weekend Friday 7 March - Monday 10th March

I think they can sleep up to 50 there (or maybe it was 30 - can't remember!).
Anyway, I'll get the details and report back. I'm not sure how we'll go about booking. It's possible I could maybe ask them to hold a block of bookings provisionally for us, and then people could phone up individually and make arrangements directly with the hostel.

So - last call - these dates okay...?

Subject: RE: Mudcat Gathering, N. Ireland, 2003?
From: Mr Happy
Date: 06 Dec 02 - 07:32 AM

put me down for The weekend Friday 7 March - Monday 10th March

because the Chester February Folk Day is on Sat 1st March!

Subject: RE: Mudcat Gathering, N. Ireland, 2003?
From: GUEST,Julie B
Date: 06 Dec 02 - 08:05 AM

Would definitely be interested if we can rent a hostel.
Julie

Subject: RE: Mudcat Gathering, N. Ireland, 2003?
From: Big Mick
Date: 06 Dec 02 - 09:37 AM

End of February would work best for me. The band might be able to make it as well. It depends on whether the airfares are still there, and a potential booking. But we very well may be able.

Mick

Subject: RE: Mudcat Gathering, N. Ireland, 2003?
From: Fibula Mattock
Date: 06 Dec 02 - 11:59 AM

Okay folks, presuming this thing can go ahead, here's some information and links condensed into one post:

Map:
multimap

To: Ireland from: USA, Europe, rest of the world.
Fly to Dublin or Belfast via London - Belfast City airport 30 miles (48Km) Belfast International 50 miles (80Km) from Portaferry.   
Both airports have regularly bus services into Belfast city centre.

To: Portaferry from: Belfast
Follow the A20 through Newtownards, Grayabbey, Kircubbin then Portaferry.   

To: Portaferry from: Dublin
Follow signs for The North/Newry, then through Downpatrick to Strangford - a 5 minute ferry crossing then takes you to Portaferry.

Ferry Crossings from Strangford - a half-hourly service runs every day, except Christmas Day - only very extreme weather conditions affect crossings.
Times are as follows: - for departures from Portaferry ADD 15 minutes.
First Sailing - Mon-Fri 07:30 Sat 08:00 Sun 09:30
Last Sailing - Mon-Fri 22:30 Sat 23:00 Sun 22:30

Airlines:
Buzz
British Airways
Easyjet
aer arann
British European
Ryanair
BMI (Bristish Midlands)
BMI Baby
Go
Aer Lingus
Sceptre Tours - as Claymore mentioned

Ferries:
Irish Ferries
Stena
Ferrybooker - an online ferry booking company

Buses:
Translink, the main (or rather, the only) transport company in N.I. runs Ulsterbus, the N.I. bus company.
Ulsterbus timetables
Belfast has 2 main bus stations: Europa (Glengall Street) and Laganside (Donegall Quay). To the best of my knowledge, Laganside is still the one that serves Portaferry.

There aren't any trains. N.I. has about 2 train tracks. Neither go anywhere near the Ards Peninsula.

The area:
Strangford Lough
Starngford Lough (more of a tourism twist)
Some Portaferry info

Accommodation:
Barholm hostel
The Narrows (upmarket guest house)
Fiddlers Green - my local drinking spot, and they do B&B
GoIreland's page

Subject: RE: Mudcat Gathering, N. Ireland, 2003?
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 06 Dec 02 - 01:33 PM

Great work above (do you work for a tourist office/travel agent?)
But WHAT DATES?

Subject: RE: Mudcat Gathering, N. Ireland, 2003?
From: MudGuard
Date: 06 Dec 02 - 03:31 PM

I just got the ok from my boss for one of the two weekends - I need to have Friday and maybe Monday off work - but he wants to know which one asap...

So please as soon as you decide let us know.

And thanks for organizing!

When you "book" a block of beds, do you set up a "password" (e.g. MudGathering) so we can use that for booking?

MudGuard/Andy

Subject: RE: Mudcat Gathering, N. Ireland, 2003?
From: Morticia
Date: 06 Dec 02 - 03:38 PM

Wow, Big Mick and Judy.....what riches!!! I'm definitely going to move heaven and earth to be there now :)

Subject: RE: Mudcat Gathering, N. Ireland, 2003?
From: Áine
Date: 06 Dec 02 - 04:39 PM

Alrightey then -- I'll bite the bullet of my white knuckle flying syndrome and see if I can make it -- so then, I guess that puts me in the preliminary investigation prior to potential planning club as well ;-) But, only on one condition -- I ain't fixin' to drive a car while I'm there (been there, done that, missed the sheep and I'm not tryin' my luck again!) *BG* So, if any of you locals can offer me a lift to any sessiuns, and/or tell me the 'right' pubs to go to so's I can find one myself, I'll give it a try . . .

Now, does anyone know what the airfares would be between DFW Int'l Airport (perhaps via Chicago or Atlanta) and Belfast?

Buíochas, Áine

Subject: RE: Mudcat Gathering, N. Ireland, 2003?
From: InOBU
Date: 06 Dec 02 - 05:00 PM

Come here t'me folks... this sounds like a plan, I am going to put the notion to the wee wifie tonight, I always wanted to show her the North, and I miss the place myself... and Genie and I have to drop in down in Kerry at some time soon, so... I think we can give a try to come. A suggestion, use the Mudcat CD as a demo, to see if you can get a serrious venue, so that we may get an audience together for a concert after some mighty sessions, eh? Hope to see all soon
Larry
PS Is the Hunting Lodge still open on the Springfield road in Belfast?

Subject: RE: Mudcat Gathering, N. Ireland, 2003?
From: JudeL
Date: 06 Dec 02 - 05:22 PM

Paul & I are interested, obviously like everyone else we'd need to know which weekend ( either feb28th or Mar7th )as soon as possible so we can make arrangements to have time off work and stuff like that.

Subject: RE: Mudcat Gathering, N. Ireland, 2003?
From: alanww
Date: 06 Dec 02 - 08:48 PM

Well done with trying to confirm the option, FM.
The 7 march would clash with another singing weekend as advertised on the Mudcat - Dog Days X!!! (UK) , so I would prefer 28 Feb, given the chance.
Keep up the good work and count me in!
"As I rose up at break of day ..."
Alan

Subject: RE: Mudcat Gathering, N. Ireland, 2003?
From: GUEST,Forty two
Date: 10 Dec 02 - 11:11 AM

Any further developments?

Subject: RE: Mudcat Gathering, N. Ireland, 2003?
From: Big Mick
Date: 10 Dec 02 - 12:04 PM

Let's get the dates confirmed so's I can see if we can join you.

Mick

Subject: RE: Mudcat Gathering, N. Ireland, 2003?
From: GUEST,Claymore
Date: 10 Dec 02 - 01:51 PM

The end of Feb to the begining of March are my best dates, but I will try to work with the others, if most of them want the other dates.


Thanks for all your work on this, FM.

Subject: RE: Mudcat Gathering, N. Ireland, 2003
From: Felipa
Date: 13 May 21 - 07:39 PM

There were a few annual gatherings in Portaferry. The first weekend gathering was the time I first encountered the versatile fiddler Geordie McAdam, a real character. He wasn't part of the gathering, but most of us who were would have heard Geordie playing at a pub session. The last time I saw Geordie was at the bluegrass and old-timey fest at the Ulster American Folk Park in the autumn of 2019. He died of cancer in March 2021 but I have only just learned the news.
http://fonn.online/ms-geordie-mcadam-p1030-215.htm

Subject: RE: Mudcat Gathering, N. Ireland, 2003?
From: Felipa
Date: 13 May 21 - 07:54 PM

I did a Mudcat search re Geordie McAdam Peter K. aka Fionn asked whether Dianne Boulier and Geordie McAdam were at the session in Portaferry. So thanks to that I remember Dianne's surname; I knew her by the surname Skillen - her brother Norman Skillen and I both got a start in learning Irish language in the same course. Dianne's husband is also a musician and they were both at the session with the late Geordie McAdam.

I wonder where Peter K. and his daughter Sorcha are these days, and "Fibula Mattock" for that matter; all no longer posting on Mudcat. At Portaferry Loughstock 20o3 also first met Micca (deceased 2020) and Leadfingers (partially incapacitated this year) and Noreen (we've renewed our acquaintance via Mudcat singarounds this year) and Skarpi (still posts on Mudcat).

Subject: RE: Mudcat Gathering, N. Ireland, 2003?
From: MudGuard
Date: 14 May 21 - 10:56 AM

Unfortunately I missed the first Portaferry gathering, but I remember with great joy the gatherings in the years 2004-2006 ...

Thanks, Felipa, for reminding me about that!

Subject: RE: Mudcat Gathering, N. Ireland, 2003?
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 14 May 21 - 02:01 PM

Fibula Mattock is still around on Facebook, and she is well, living in East Anglia, and happy. She also has a bonnie wee lassie, called Rosie. I first met her at Portaferry, and we have been friends ever since, I'm glad to say.
Hello Mudguard.

Subject: RE: Mudcat Gathering, N. Ireland, 2003?
From: MudGuard
Date: 14 May 21 - 03:55 PM

Hi Giok ;-) Hope you are well!

Subject: RE: Mudcat Gathering, N. Ireland, 2003?
From: MudGuard
Date: 14 May 21 - 04:53 PM

PS do I remember correctly, that it was you, Giok, who won the Grenouille at Niort?

Subject: RE: Mudcat Gathering, N. Ireland, 2003?
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 14 May 21 - 05:00 PM

It was indeed, he is still with me :)

Subject: RE: Mudcat Gathering, N. Ireland, 2003?
From: MudGuard
Date: 15 May 21 - 05:35 AM

I was not happy when I did not win that contest
But when I saw the price for the winner,
I was happy I did not win the contest ...
;-)