On a visit to Bell Harbour in Co Clare I called to see Jackie Daly in his thatched home. There I was privileged to record Jackie’s stories and sean nós singing. As Chris Droney gave a fine example of concertina playing, Gussie McMahon took to the floor to demonstrate the ancient skill of “floor battering”. A wonderful occasion, evocative of the times gone for ever, when the open house was so much a part of local life.
Keywords: Bell Harbour, Thatched cottage, sean nós singing, floor battering, story telling, folklore
