Back to School

My year in college began on the 4th of September and my busking in Limerick got off to a very slow start, mainly for two reasons.  Firstly, finding suitable places for me to play - quiet streets with a reasonable footfall and a good acoustic, and with parking not too far away - takes a bit of research.  I don’t mind walking but nowadays Clara’s hip problem is much worse and anything more than a few hundred yards is out of the question.  Secondly, while September in Ireland is often among the best months of the year weather-wise, somebody must have forgotten to remind it this year and we’ve had a phenomenal amount of rain. I’m hoping that October through to next July will be better. Today was one of the sunniest days since I arrived and around noon, I went to a small shopping centre where, since finding it - only about a kilometre out from my Limerick accommodation - I’ve been welcomed by the shop-keepers and their customers, with smiles, positive comments as we...

Yesterday was my first day in college.  While I’m studying for a post graduate course - a Masters in Songwriting - my primary degree was earned outside of a formal educational establishment, The University of Life and 19 years of Busking. While yesterday was a fairly grey day with a lot of rain, the campus is beautiful and I’m sure I’ll be posting many photos over the course of the course and the year. My course director is Carl Corcoran and, after meeting him for the first time last week and again yesterday, I believe he’ll be a great asset to the course.  Carl has a vast musical knowledge and, having had a career spanning almost 50 years - from pop star to musical jukebox and eventually to radio presenting to community arts.  As there is only one other person studying with me, I know we’ll get all the attention we need. Today is the first day in a while I have had time to sit and write a little.  Last week, knowing I wouldn’t be back home for a f...