About 8 years ago my wife and I visited Clifden. I asked the B&B owner about sessions and he recommended a certain pub (I don't recall the name). That evening we went there only to find a trio of paid musicians playing corny American-Irish songs aimed at tourists, so we left after a short while.

The next evening we met a couple at a restaurant, and while talking about the faux session of the previous evening, they mentioned they had also been there and were quite disappointed. I then said I would stop by the pub at about 8, before the paid musicians came at 9, and see if I could play fiddle solo for a while.

That I did, and I was graciously received and given a spot at which to play. Our friends from dinner were there as well as other people. They seemed to enjoy my playing, and after a while a pint of Guiness arrived. A little later the brother of the owner came over and told me how much he liked my playing. He said to keep playing and he would bring me a choice whiskey from the bar, which he did.

When the paid musicians came at 9 I packed up my fiddle and left with most of the other patrons. The paid musicians did not seem too pleased with this. That is my recollection of Clifden. A nice town, and I'm sure there there are other pubs there with real sessions.

Cheers, S. in Seattle