my traveling partners had pretty much 'had it' with miltown malbay traffic, trip from ennis, etc (and had patiently sat through two piping classes with me), so i had to leave quite early. I really enjoyed the second guy (no clue as to his name, but a smallish man with, I think, a mustache and black-rimmed glasses, rather soft spoken and he used a tinwhistle to set his pitch) -- he so came alive when singing and that's always lovely to see....I'd seen him earlier while having lunch up the street, and after his lunch he took out a flute and played with some other people (I took a picture). And the woman who followed him was young --from Dublin?--'doing research' on Irish traditional music. She had that impossibly lithe kind of voice that I love (reminded me a little of Karan Casey), somehow managing to run trippingly through all this vocal filigree while staying within the confines of a tightly constrained whisper. Its small technical imperfections made it all the more beautiful to me.

the course sounds great, esp. now that i can picture it taught. -- --all good wishes