The job of songs, indeed
Wee bit o’ craic at Gus O’Connor’s pub in Doolin right now. On the whistle is the venerable Christy Barry, who’s featured in the excellent documentary “The Job of Songs”. We have a private music session with Christy in September upon our return. Cannot wait!
Our impromptu FB Live from Abbots Grange, in which we touch on our upcoming retreats for 2024.
Note: Our audio turned off at around the 8-minute mark, so we’ll just pick it back up where we left off when we get settled in London this afternoon :-)
Christmas in the Cotswolds
Deep sigh… we have made it to the Cotswolds a week before Christmas.
Óró Sé do Bheatha 'Bhaile ("Oh, Welcome Home")
Special moment at The Crane Bar, Galway
Piped into supper
Our last day in the Highlands, so we arranged, thanks to our amazing hosts at Loch Ness Country House, a special pre-supper treat for our travelers—a piper who told us stories and provided context for the bagpipes, particularly about their use in the military as well as a time when the English had banned them from being played.
I can’t say enough great things about all management and staff here. We’ve just been blown away by their desire to make us feel at home, taken care of, very welcome, and helping to keep us in the right state of mind for writing, our group writing sessions, one-on-ones and all else. It’s nice to feel so appreciated for what we bring to a venue and a community, and this is a mighty great place and people that need to be experienced.
And this group of writers (and some non-writers) have been as exceptionally wonderful as we could have hoped for. I don’t think we heard a single ill word or complaint all week. Everyone was supportive and encouraging of us and each other and just plain happy to be here. They understand how hard we and our host venue try to make things good, and they showed extreme appreciation for it all, just as we appreciate them and truly enjoyed just hanging out with them and watching them grow as writers. They were so very open to that continued growth, and it showed. And they wrote. We leave tomorrow for two days in Edinburgh, and while we have things to look forward to there (supper, shopping and a literary tour, among other things), nothing could possibly compare to this past week in the Highlands.
After that, of course, we head to Ireland, where more wonderful things and people await. Janie and I are indeed blessed and happy to be part of all this. Goodnight, Scotland. See you at Glencoe.
Good morning and happy summer solstice from the Kingsbrae International Residency for the Arts in the beautiful Saint Andrews by-the-Sea, New Brunswick, Canada, where we've been privileged to hold several writing retreats since October 2020.
We've had the great pleasure of hosting our second group here this spring, and this week is flying by – relationships formed, days and nights filled with music, laughter, and learning, and LOTS of writing.
If you look closely at the end of the video, you'll see the writing studios in the sunrise mist. This particular group of writers has made great use of their studios this week.
Now we're looking forward to a group breakfast prepared by Kingsbrae's chef, Pam, followed by our second round of one-on-one meetings, and a solid day of writing and glorious sunshine, perfect for exploring the award-winning Kingsbrae Gardens.
A glimpse of our retreat venue in the Cotswolds today. After a day of travel, with a three-hour stop at Oxford, last night we settled in at this gorgeous estate. The looks on the faces were worth every mile we travelled to get here. More pics to come of our latest England writing adventure. 🇬🇧#exclusiveuse
A stroll down one of the many hidden alleyways in Broadway. You can't get lost, but you can have fun trying.
The secret passage to and from Abbots Grange. We each have our own key for coming and going.
The Great Hall at night where just last evening, much writing occurred just as it has over the centuries. The atmosphere in this room is calming with soft instrumental music playing at a perfect level, an assumed quietness, ancient stone walls and comfortable solid furniture. Oh, and that well-tended hearth!
The incredibly talented Niamh Parsons and Graham Dunne performed a private concert for our Go and Write! Ireland group last evening in the Tower Room of Clontarf Castle. We are the fortunate ones.
From our hotel room in Edinburgh this fine Sunday morning. Feeling so very fortunate to be here. Oh, and please forgive my wayward thumb at the top of the screen. Sigh. ~Janie
Good morning from the birdies at Kingsbrae, in St. Andrews by-the-Sea, New Brunswick.
