diamond

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i'm still in cork(whoa!). i'm finding it harder and harder to leave the place. i've got a few friends at this point, none of whom are irish strangely enough. i still can't decide as to when i'll be leaving for galway. i've been on several bus tours now and have seen a great deal of cork and kerry(counties), so i'm not feelin the need to stop off for a night in the smaller towns. i expect i'll take more tours out of galway, and then head back to shannon to fly home. i only spent a day and a half in dublin, but strangely enough that was enough for me. the only thing i didn't see that i'm wondering about is the national museum there, but that's only to see old celtish stuff, which i got to see at trinity college anyhow(including the brian boru harp hehe).

the trad sessions have been amazing here. as the days have passed here in ireland i've been realizing how little ireland of today has an impact on my identity. the only massive thing that strikes home after having physically been here finally is the music. hanging out with the people and the rest, i'm getting a clearer picture of who i am. of course two years in morocco made the picture a lot clearer for me, and i wonder whether i would've been as honest with myself if i'd come here without having had the moroccan experience. getting to scotland and england now is a lot less important to me from a 'who am i' type situation. if anything, i am from richmond. and after that, augusta, in a less direct sense, which would probably bleed into a more general georgian sensibility.

last thursday i was at this one place called an spailpin fanach, and at the end of the evening the pub's idiot savant sat down with me for a little while. we discussed michael collins, county cork, the war in iraq, and how i was a decent fellow in his opinion because i'm a rebel, aka a southerner. that was interesting, especially since i've seen a lot of rebel flags included in wall paintings of flags of the world; it's seen here in the sense that i see it more often than not, and is given similar standing to the fight for independence from england. but at the same time none of that - you can ask me about it some time once i get back if you want.

so andy glynn is picking me up from the airport, unless he writes back to cancel. thanks to the fellas that have also offered assistance, and i hope to see all of you dc peoples in the night or two after my arrival.

peace