Frere Jaque and Two Tigers

Among the many cultural differences between East & West, it can be amazing and puzzling how some things are universal.

Once I mentioned Frank Sinatra to a lady from China. Who, she wanted to know is Frank Sinatra? I played her a record and, while it was new to her - and she’s a lady who has been travelling outside of China for 10 years - she liked the sound a lot. I mentioned lots of other names of people who are icons - Marilyn Monroe - no. James Dean - who?

Last week I was travelling with another Chinese girl who happens to have the best voice I’ve heard - in a Chinese girl and while she was learning to sing Sally Gardens - having only just learnt that the tune she’d fallen in love with on hearing it in China also had words - and by Yeates (who she had heard of) - I suggested we try a round - Frere Jaque and said I’d teach it to her.

Suprise! As soon as I began, she joined in - but in Chinese. I asked her where she knew the song from and she told me it was a children’s song and taught in schools in China.

We sang as I drove and then, curious, I asked her if she could translate the Chinese song and……..

Two Tigers are running
They are running very fast
One has no ears and the other one has no tail

Banksy, Melting Pots, Ghosts and 102nd thing to do with a dead Cat

What a week!

Wednesday while busking with and amazing couchsurfing musician in Drumshanbo, we were invited by Asha, to have dinner with herself and Banksy (in his own words - the greatest living artist in Europe), and we could only say, ‘Maybe’ - for reasons I won’t go into now.

Thursday, Maija found The Melting Pot while I was busking in Roscommon town. What a find. A initiative to support mental health where as well as internet cafe with great food at good prices, there is a 2nd hand clothes and book shop. It’s been going strong for 10 years and at the door, there’s a sign welcoming you in - whether you want to buy anything or just sit and be comfortable. Again, I won’t go into it all in this ‘round-up’ of the week but will write more about some of then lovely people I’ve met though this place.

Friday was the big busk day for Nepal and I had, as well as some friends, the bucket-shaking champion, Cathryn from China (also a couchsurfing guest), a couple of people from a Roscommon Christian church and between this and the online donate page - as well as a couple of buckets passed at local pub sessions - we have almost raised €1000 - and hopefully over the next few days will get the remainder in.

We were invited for tea by Richie who happened along and after the busk, Cathryn and I went to the most amazing group of houses built by hime over the last 20 years - all built from scrap and leftover materials. Ritchie worked as a stage builder for festivals. A new friend.

Saturday was my friend Martin’s housewarming and there were a lot of people and much music. On our way home from Ballaghaderreen on Friday, Cathryn was listening to a tune on her phone - Sally Gardens. She come across it in China over 10 years ago and one of her reasons for visiting Ireland was to learn to play it on a tin whistle. She was surprised when I began to sing along - she didn’t know there were words - and by Saturday night, she was singing it - beautifully - accompanied by an excellent guitarist at Martin’s party.

Sunday, a trip to Roscommon with Cathryn and a French Canadian couchsurfer, Maude. I’d planned to do a bit more fundraising in the courtyard of Gleeson’s and a few miles before Roscommon, I saw someone coming from a side road and recognised him as Gerry from The Melting Pot. He’d been about to hitchhike and I saved him the trouble of sticking out his thumb.

After Gleeson’s, Gerry invited us back for dinner and what an amazing Alladin’s Cave his cottage turned out to be. I found myself holding a guitar that had been given too him by Philomena Lynott, Mother of the late Phil of Thin Lizzy - how it got there, is another story and Gerry is a BOOK.

The story-teller harper who Cathryn sang Sally Gardens with in Gene Anderson’s Thatch bar with is also another story - I now believe in ghosts, as is the stuffed and very dead cat which Gene totally confused my dog, Clara with for a couple of hours.

Meanwhile, I need €150 more to reach my target. Can you donate a couple of Euro here

Today's the day.....

Today’s the day of my fundraising busk for Nepal. I’ll be ‘Singing on Solid Ground’ in Duffy’s SuperValu in Ballaghaderren in Roscommon from 1 o’clock till…. Friday is the busiest day there and they tell me that from one till four or five is the busiest time of the week.

Since arranging it with the Duffy family, I’ve been lucky to have found some lovely people who will help out with collection buckets and even have a Minnesotan couch surfer staying who, apart from harp, cello, banjo, guitar and tin whistle, plays Hardanger fiddle and Maija is actually staying on an extra day to help out on the busk and so it should be an enjoyable day for everyone there.

A couple of bucket collections, one in Cryan’s in Carrick on Shannon and another in Anderson’s Thatch on the Elphin Road, together with the direct donation page I set up with Concern, have brought in over €400 so my target on a thousand should be possible.

Busking has been very interesting, if difficult in the last month - I will write more in other posts - and we are all looking out for better weather.