Well that was a lot of fun. Here's an overview: Friday 12:30 to 1:30 is our busiest time as folks arrive, register, shown their rooms, and hang around wondering what the hell they've let themselves in for. This year we had 39. After a quick group meeting, classes start at 2 o clock in the classrooms upstairs. Guitarists with Pat Flory, Banjos with Bill Forsterl and Paddy Kiernan, Mandolins with Jeff Burke etc. Great to be able to hand over to the pros. Afternoon coffee comes with open smoked salmon and beetroot hummus on brown bread. Yep, nice start, with a bit of sunshine on the back steps and a breath of fresh air, everyone's gone again to class. 5:30 first drink of the weekend is served, and Luke Coffey starts a jam for improvers. He's joined rather sharpishly by Jeff on Mandolin, Patrick Simpson on Guitar, Niall Hughesl and Pat and Mike. It's a pretty stellar line-up for an assisted jam and slowly, tentatively, people start to approach, instrument in hand, and start to play along. Meanwhile in the reception room, more experienced jammers start to kick off, with Aran Sheehan, Colin Henry and James Henry, Paddy Cummins jumpstarting proceedings. Anyways, after 30 minutes, most people are sitting down, starting to get a feel for some serious bluegrass. Job done. There's a brief hiatus before dinner to grab a drink and then down to the dining room for buffet style dinner with The Edible Flower. They've kind of become a bit of a part of the scene now, they're a lot of fun to deal with and understand what's required (great food, professional and friendly faces- we love em.) The ballroom is a magnificent venue for a concert, this year we went with a cabaret style arrangement of chairs and tables thanks to the Gallic influence of Léo Guillot who twisted TJs arm. It makes for a fun and relaxed experience for attendees. John Nyan was our MC for the weekend- he sure is an entertaining dude -if you can manage to follow his train of thought (no easy feat) First up our Americano Tutors- Pat Florey, Mike Kirwin and Jeff Burke, along with Bill Forster and Colin Henry on Dobro. These are short performances designed to give everyone a blast of Bluegrass excellence. They were great. Next up, The Bluestack Mountain Boys led by Patrick Simpson and Aran Sheehan along with TJ Screene Niall Hughes, Luke Coffey and Leo Guillot. These guys play the Irish Circuit and are now pretty damn good and entertaining to boot. Concerts complete, now to the meat and potatos of the weekend. People are feeling a little more comfortable, the groups are beginning to bond, and players are keen to get into it. Again, the hosted jam had a plethora of very seasoned players- there was some great stuff going on here. and everyone rising to the challenge. Coupled with the anxiety of joining in for those who don't have the opportunities to play with others- this is really what it's all about and we have huge admiration for everyone who got stuck in. Chapeau. Meanwhile the other room is humming with Guitars, Banjos, Mandolins etc. 4 am we're reminding the remaining large contingent that tomorrow is another day. Saturday: Some groggy faces around over breakfast. No time to hang around afterward before classes kick off again at 10:30. Break for Coffee and buns before another session of classes and retire for lunch at 1pm. More classes 2:00 to 3:30. To break up the class fatigue, 4-5:30 we've 2 talks for everyone. First up Luke Coffey and Jeff Burke give a 45 minute talk on bluegrass jamming etiquette- what I took away from it was: 1. listen to the other musicians, not to focus on your own playing (mea culpa) 2. To lay off unless it's your break (me again) 3. Be welcoming and inclusive to new musicians. I thought it well laid out with good contributions from the audience. Second up Hubert Murray and Kieran Towers did a piece on practise. For me, the most important take-aways on practise was on 'conscious learning, paying attention to your sessions and to have a particular thing to work on in a practise session. Secondly, how to practise away from your instrument, i.e. listen to bluegrass and think about what's going on with great players as they play, what are they doing, how are they doing it, analyse forensically if you can. The most important aspect (maybe) seemed to be that if you want it bad enough, if you love the idea of mastering your instrument- then you will do whatever it takes and practise should not be a chore. Great. More Jamming, Dinner, Shows for the evening are three short acts. Kieran Towers with Hubert, Niall and Paddy Kiernanernan. Next Lily Sher Khan(guitar) and Luke(fiddle) trading vocals, The Henry boys on Gibson Banjo and Dobro, Leo on fiddle, Timo Jaatinen Bass, Paddy Cummins on Mandolin. This was effectively a scratch band, but were terrific. Ok, you've got the picture. Saturday night finished late (and didn't finish for a few players). Sunday We did it all over again. Next days talk was a singing tutorial from Hubert, he got the whole room humming. You'd imagine Bluegrass fatigue had set in, but I'm glad to see that was not the case. To be honest, I'm sad to see people off over the course of the afternoon. For us the highlights: To see a bunch of mostly strangers spend a lot of intense time together learning, listening and playing great music. The sense of camaraderie that ensues. The element of fun and interest that seems to grow over the couple of days. To realise that the 'slow jam' on day 2 is actually pretty hot. To see everyone digging deep, pushing their musical boundaries in front of others (that takes courage) and loving playing with a lot of great bluegrass players. That's in essence what we're trying to do- surely that's what playing music is all about? Finally you may have noticed a very professional guy wandering around with camera and recording gear. Tom, we didn't realise the effort you were going to put in. We're enthralled to see what may come out. We'll post photos over the coming days. We've many hours of jam recordings that we'll put on here. We think you deserve something pretty special to help you flourish as musicians, We think this may be capable of being a world class event. We're booked in for the same weekend next year (last week of July before the Republic August Bank holiday). Keep playing. Simon and TJ. Many thanks to all who helped out- you know who you are.

Well Folks- that time of year has finally arrived. We were down at Headfort today- it's such an amazing place. Gotta say, We're excited- I can't wait. Many thanks to those who've put faith in us. We're looking forward to repaying it extravagantly- both TJ and I hope you have as good a weekend as we will. See you on the other side. Simon. Leave you with more important personages: Introducing Singer/songwriter/ Guitar tutor: Hubert Murray Hailing from Galway, Ireland, Hubert is best known as the lead singer and guitarist of Irish bluegrass fusion band Lands End, and of London based old-time/ bluegrass supergroup Hot Rock Pilgrims. Having moved to London in 2012, he immediately immersed himself in London’s music scene, performing initially at open mic nights and folk clubs. He then got turned onto bluegrass, taking lessons from the current leading flatpicking names in the bluegrass such as; David Grier, Grant Gordy, Courtney Hartmann (Della Mae), Chris Eldridge (Punch Brothers) to name a few. Hubert has become recognised as one of the finest bluegrass singers and guitar flatpickers in the UK. Whilst touring the length and breath of the UK and Ireland, he regularly plays some of the most prestigious venues (eg. Green Note, Southbank Centre) and festivals (eg. Ely Folk Festivalk, Isle of Wight, Wilderness). He has an album waiting to be released in the summer of 2017 with supergroup The Hot Rock Pilgrims. He has previously recorded two CDs with Lands End - Bluegrass Bandegrass band and the Hot Rock Pilgrims, and written and recorded a solo EP. Press Quote 4/5 "An excellent songwriter" Spiral Earth “Hubert Murray is one to watch for. Both a talented and inspiring songwriter and a fine instrumentalist with roots firmly planted in Bluegrass and Traditional Acoustic Country Music. He delivers his message with conviction and passion”. Niall Toner, Roots Freeway, RTE Radio One. Hubert’s a great great slide guitarist, and a very talented songwriter. He’s got a fantastic soulful voice. The International Americana Music Show. “Hubert’s Songwriting is exceptional” British Bluegrass News. 8/10 Americana UK. Website: HubertMurray.com

On Fiddle: Kieran Towers is a contemporary bluegrass & old time fiddler from the Lake District, UK. Winner of the Foaotmad fiddle contest 2012, he is a member of genre bending bluegrass band Hot Rock Pilgrims and is one half of the highly acclaimed old time duo Kieran Towers & Charlotte Carrivick. Aside from performing, he is a talented instructor with experience teaching privately as well as at numerous prestigious music camps and workshops in the UK. His teaching style leans towards learning by ear and breaking down complexities such as bowing, soloing and playing with others, whilst maintaining a hands on approach to learning the fiddle. "

And more on 5 String: Paddy Kiernan is a modern dynamic tour de force on 5 string banjo. (He's also a killer on Guitar and Mandolin) In addition, he's probably the best bluegrass teacher in the country. He currently plays with progressive folk band Pine Marten, Persian/Irish crossover band Navá, Roots/Bluegrass band Lands End - Bluegrass Band, The Niall Toner Band, and gigs regularly throughout Ireland and the UK. His banjo playing has also been featured in the dance world, in works by The Fabulous Beast Dance Theatre Company and the National Ballet of Ireland. Constantly pushing boundaries on his instrument, Paddy was the first 5 string banjo player to graduate from the University of Limerick’s MA in Traditional Music Programme. Paddy is able to bring clarity and a deeper understanding of complex ideas to his charges. He has been running bluegrass jams for many years and will get you playing with others immediately (that's what we're all about) . He maintains a busy teaching schedule, both privately and at Waltons New School of Music in Dublin City Centre. He makes improvement simple, and he's quite brilliant. We're delighted to have him.

More on Banjo: Luke Coffey is a 5 string banjo player, multi-instrumentalist and mighty fine singer. Given his first guitar at a young age , he has been immersed in the music world ever since. Upon completing studies in music and performance at NUI Maynooth in 2011, he has gained a reputation as one of Ireland's leading banjo players. He has been performing for the last 10 years all over Ireland, as well as Europe and North America. Luke fronts original contemporary bluegrass band Breadwinners’ and has performed with most of Ireland's leading bluegrass lights. An in demand teacher, Luke has a no-frills approach to helping students understand musical concepts and particularly how to integrate into a bluegrass session. A keen practitioner of banjo in both modern and traditional styles, he has plenty to offer students who share his passion for Bluegrass music. This is Luke's second time as a tutor at Bluegrass Camp Ireland. We're delighted to have him back.

And leading the banjo section: ...... Bill Forster is an Englishman living in the wilds of Clare. : Exposed to Bluegrass music at an early age he developed his natural talent for playing with a passion. In addition to playing with his local band, the Harrison family band, he visited the States at an early time in his career to immerse himself in the music. For over twenty years Bill Forster has been “the” talent of the five string banjo in the U.K. He can play flat out Scruggs style, melodic like Bill Keith, or in the more pyrotechnic modern style. Bill added his considerable Banjo prowess and musical influences to the Acme band sound in 1983. He is one of the most versatile of Banjo players covering a broad spectrum of styles in his playing which incorporates some fine classical pieces. He's much in demand in the UK in teaching and promoting Bluegrass. He will teach at Sore Fingers in April, and we're delighted to have him at Bluegrass Camp Ireland.

And on Mandolin: Jeff Burke has been a professional bluegrass musician for over 15 years, specializing in mandolin. He's also red hot on guitar, and banjo. Based in Nashville, as half of the duo Jeff & Vida, he has performed thousands of shows around the US and Europe. Jeff's down-to-earth teaching and positive approach to playing and learning music have endeared him to students in classes and workshops far and wide, including at both The Country Music Hall of Fame and the Station Inn in Nashville.

Also: PAT FLORY is "the" quintessential elder-statesmen-Old-Time-Country-and-Bluegrass-musician in New Orleans. Affectionately called "The Monroe of The Hi Ho" (in reference to the long running Monday night jam) Pat's influence and mentoring of musicians over the years, locally and beyond, cannot be overstated. Born in 1948 in New Iberia, Louisiana, Pat grew up listening to the Louisiana Hayride and the Grand Ol' Opry and the fiddling of his uncle, renowned Mississippi fiddler John Holloway. Pat is an exceptional multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and vocalist. In The Sweet Olive String Band Pat writes, arranges, sings lead and high tenor and plays mandolin, square-neck dobro and guitar. Locally, Pat is well known for co-founding The Piney Woods Opry live radio show in Abita Springs, Louisiana in 1992. Pat's commitment and hard work to shape and develop The Opry payed off as the show grew in popularity and sold out for years on end. He was the lead singer, guitarist and band leader of the host band, The Evening Star String Band. Pat has played music live on stage since 1966. He's played solo and with various string bands over the years from New York to California, New Mexico to New Orleans. The Evening Star String Band had a long run of performances at The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage festival. Pat will take guitar,

One week to go: Some serious bluegrassers will be there: MIKE Kirwin is a New Orleans based singer-songwriter, guitar and bass player. Mike moved to New Orleans in January 1997 from Detroit, MI and spent a few years playing solo shows, writing songs and attending as many "picking-parties" as possible including 2 that he co-founded, The Kerry Hootenanny (1997-2000) and The Liuzza's by the Track Thursday night session (1998-2003). It was at the Liuzza's session that Mike met his wife Sinead Rudden, long-time former band mates Jeff and Vida and current band mates Rob Schafer, Pat Flory and Gina Forsyth. In 2002 Mike released a solo CD titled ROWBOAT. Songs from that CD have been recorded by London based electronica artist Pete Lazonby and Brooklyn, NY based Strung Out String Band and are still requested at Sweet Olive shows. In addition to his work as a songwriter Mike has played bass professionally with Jeff and Vida, Johnny Sansone, The Louisiana Hellbenders, The King Brisket Boys, The Geraniums, The By and By String Band, Kenny Holiday, Ingrid Lucia and others. As a bass player Mike has toured the US, Ireland and England extensively with multiple Jazz Fest appearances. In The Sweet Olive String Band, Mike writes, arranges, sings and plays guitar. Mike also plays shows with his wife, songwriter Sinead Rudden and works on occasion with The St. Claude Serenaders. Mike will teach Bass and Guitar.

It seems to me, there are a ton of similarities between traditional Irish Music and Bluegrass Music-both historical and current. Chief among these is the level of excellence involved in playing either to a high level: I'm not saying they sound the same, cos they definitely don't. Here's a funny conversation on the Session site which covers same: https://thesession.org/discussions/26580 Anyway, I'm ashamed to say for the first time ever, I visited Comhaltas in Belgrave Square, Dublin. I was looking to spread the Bluegrass Camp word among the Irish Traditionalists. Surely, some must be interested in instrumental virtuosity (that crosses both genres right- Paddy Kiernan and Paddy Cummins? These guys Fíona Nic Conmara & Tim Doyle - Scáthanna giving a concert last night, with 3 others (apologies, no online info) and a terrific male dancer (same). Following, a traditional session, with the great Patrick Simpson picking mandolin - Irish style. Continual support, competitions, supported sessions, and great unrecognised/ underappreciated musicians. How cool is this organisation?

Here's an article on how to learn to play bluegrass and why the most important thing is to be jamming with others. This is what Bluegrass Camp Ireland is all about! http://nodepression.com/article/how-can-you-learn-play-bluegrass-learn-jam

Why Headfort School? We were looking for a location that could sleep up to 80 people, that was pretty accessible for all areas of the country, and that was remote enough to be able to create a residential community bubble. Let's face it, we got pretty lucky. Headfort House has some fabulous rooms (including an impressive concert room, Light filled Reception rooms,overlooking sculpted gardens- which are the main areas of bluegrass action, plus a number of secluded classrooms). It has plenty of shared dorm type accomodation and a number of individual bedrooms. It's located on gorgeous grounds with plenty of walks. The whole place has a sense of majesty and grandeur. It's steeped in history. There's a bar, and it has large kitchens to allow the girls from The Edible Flower to serve up great food in the dining rooms. Pint of Guinness before dinner in the sunshine on the rear steps overlooking the gardens- yes please. Headfort features on Air b'n'b top 7 places to rent in the world. It's pretty special. Is there a better venue for a Bluegrass Camp anywhere in the world? Not sure there is. History buffs, check out https://www.igs.ie/conservation/project/headfort