Ireland, a Bicycle, and a Tin Whistle

"Cycling around Ireland in search of traditional music, David Wilson follows the coastline from Presbyterian Islandmagee to Gaelic Cape Clear and back up north from Dublin to Belfast. Ireland, a Bicycle, and a Tin Whistle takes us on a journey across wild open spaces and through crowded pubs and festivals that pulse with energy and life. This is the Ireland of... More fiddles, harps, and flutes, butterflies on bog roads, Country-and-Irish songs, Ulster Fries, storytelling, yarnspinning, and jigs and reels to the crack of dawn. As he travels through the North, Wilson gets beneath the surface to portray both the tragedy and comedy of everyday life inside the Protestant and Catholic communities. Aware of the polarized image that each side has of the other, he emphasizes the importance of finding common ground and asserting the middle against the extremes. Just as traditional Irish music is characterized by ornamentations and elaborations on a melodic theme, Ireland, a Bicycle, and a Tin Whistle is full of variations and wanderings on the theme of the trip itself. And just as traditional Irish musicians will follow a sad slow air with a lively foot-tapping reel, Wilson's mood ranges from the nostalgic and reflective to the irreverent and mischievous. If there is a lament in one ear, there is always a song in the other." (review from MSN Shopping site) "Ireland, a Bicycle and a Tin Whistle is part travelogue, part social commentary, with a bit of history, a lot of Irish character and a strong thread of music running throughout. Wilson's colorful, descriptive prose at times approaches poetry in its style. Read this book for a real slice of Irish culture; it will sharpen your desire to see Ireland and its people for yourself, or it will bring your own memories of Ireland into distinct and vivid focus. Whether or not you've been to Ireland, whether or not you ever plan to go, you could do much worse for yourself than to see it through Wilson's eyes." (review from Rambles - A Cultural Arts Magazine)

Lucky for us, Mr. Wilson stops drinking enough for most of the trip to tell us of his musical journey round the coast of Ireland. He writes well and integrates some Irish history into his personal experiences. Best of all he seems to hit all the musical hotspots on the west coast from Donegal, where he hears Altan, past Sligo and Westport and Matt Molloy's pub to Clifden, where he hears Kevin Burke and Andy Irvine in a pub session, down the coast to the once wonderful Doolin where he hears a loser singing James Taylor songs, then on to the traditional music mecca of Miltown Malbay and the Willie Clancy festival. His descriptions of sessions are great and he knows his tunes. He works in some history of Irish music as he pedals his bike through potholes, up hills in blasting rain, and across sunny vistas. There's some laugh out loud humor but he doesn't imitate the Dave Barry style (as in McCarthy's Bar). Too often he descends into drunken oblivion and tells us all about it, as if to make sure we appreciate the truth behind the stereotype of the drunken Irish. Minus a star for the hangovers.

I've been to Ireland twice and when I go I never have a hotel reservation, a set itinerary or a care in the world. I immerse myself in the culture and people of Ireland and go where the locals/journey takes me.Before I go I like to read about similar journeys through the greatest country on the planet. Mr. Wilson has captured what it's like to travel through the countryside, cities and coastal villages of Ireland. It's not just the scenery that endears people to the emerald isle... it's the people, their sense of humor, outlook on life and how they spend their day.If you want a book that puts you in the middle of an Irish pub with a "three-pint-buzz", listening to traditional music with perma-grin on your face... then grab Mr. Wilson's tale of his Irish Journey. A great read for the plane ride over.