A Postcard from Ye Vagabonds Pt. 1

As recently announced on Folk Radio, folk duo Ye Vagabonds (brothers Brían and Diarmuid MacGloinn) have been planning a very ambitious and novel trip and tour for over a year now, a journey in a slow barge along the inland waterways of Ireland which will last for over a month. Accompanied by filmmaker Myles O’Reilly, they will perform small, informal ‘happenings’ of many different strands throughout the smattering of counties that encompass the River Barrow and the Royal and Grand canals.

Titled ‘All Boats Rise’, their slow tour kicked off last week – rejecting the planes, trains, and automobiles for a slow-moving barge, as well as getting to know about the history, folklore, and song of some of Ireland’s lesser heralded gems. Along the way, they will meet up with friends for performances and recordings along their journey, meeting Laura Quirke, John Francis Flynn, Cormac Begley, FeliSpeaks, Brigid Mae Power, Anja Murray, Manchán Magan, Erin Fornoff, Leo O’Kelly, Thomas McCarthy and more. The next gig is with John Francis Flynn, who we interviewed earlier today here. See the “All Boats Rise” tour details and ticket links below.

Brían and Diarmuid will also be sending a weekly update to Folk Radio…a postcard if you like, the first of which we can share today. We join them on the first leg of their trip…what is usually a one hour drive from Vicarstown to Banagher, which will take them five days…

“All Boats Rise” Slow Barge Tour (Part 1)

After a year of research, planning, reccy missions and a final few days of anxious preparation, the time came to depart. We eyed our stack of instruments, clothing and assorted gear, wondering how it would all fit in the barge, not to mention the car that would bring us to Vicarstown. But as soon as we sat into Mic Geraghty’s car, we knew everything would be ok. Our nerves couldn’t withstand Mic’s warm, cheeky grin and hilarious stories from his years on the road with various musicians. We laughed all the way.

This first week would consist mostly of travel, but this would be a more involved type of travel than we were used to. Vicarstown to Banagher is a one hour drive, but it would take us five days to get there by barge, taking turns at the tiller, holding ropes and helping lock keepers open and shut gates. Thankfully we were accompanied this week by two extra crew, Rosie and Dave. Rosie is an old friend we met ten years ago and had hardly seen since. She and her partner Dave are experienced boat people with a barge of their own. They were an absolute godsend. Having them around put us at ease when it came to tricky manoeuvres, and they filled us in on other fine points of barge etiquette and local lore. Having them aboard also meant Brían, and I could have our hands free at various points to play tunes and shoot videos.

We passed through lots of little towns in the midlands that we’d never visited before, staying nights in Monasterevin, Ticknevin, Ballycommon, and the 31st lock. We saw swallows swooping, kingfishers darting, damsel and dragonflies flitting and hovering. We unsettled herons that took off before us, perch and roach who swam alongside us and saw a single flash of lightning strike a satellite tower that stood up like a needle in the middle of flat bogland.

Everyone we met along the way, auld lads driving tractors, cyclists, couples with prams, all greeted us with smiles and waves. They all move faster than us too. There aren’t so many barges moving along the canal these days, so the sight must be a cheerful novelty. The lock keepers have been especially great, all jolly, incredibly knowledgeable, all up for a chat. It’s so nice to hear their strong, flat midlands accents that remind us of people we knew growing up in rural Carlow. It’s mad to think that lock keeping has been in some of their families for up to eight generations. A few expressed doubt that we would make it to our destination because the water levels are so low, but Dunrally has such a short draft, we made it through even the shallowest, weediest stretches. Entering the Shannon after such low water was a huge relief. We cheered and laughed as our bow swung out onto the river.

It was a short distance then to Banagher, where we pulled up at the marina and realised that this was Rosie and Dave’s last stop. We had all come to operate like a little family over the course of the week, coordinating our movements so harmoniously and just having the absolute best craic. We’d been soaked and sunburnt and shared several meals and stories. Saying goodbye to them, we suddenly felt very alone. Thankfully our old videographer pal Myles O’Reilly soon showed up, restoring some merriment to the scene, and we became a crew of three.

*Thankfully our old videographer pal Myles O’Reilly soon showed up*

The singing session with Thomas McCarthy was the perfect way to kick-off events for this tour. A small crowd of about fifteen or twenty locals showed up and, although there were only three or four singers among them, there was plenty to keep us going. Thomas was in flying form, his voice reverberating between the ruins of the mill and the bridge. He gave us his characteristic mix of dark ballads and hilarious smut that had us all in stitches.

The following morning we made our way back up to Belmont lock. Although it was a short trip by comparison to some other days, it was our first journey without Rosie and Dave. Once in Belmont, we had our work cut out. We had to erect a canvas shelter for the audience, then moor the boat up on the opposite bank and dress the barge like a stage with lights, PA and decor. It was hardcore DIY. The crowd came, we played, and it was lovely. A huge relief to finally play a gig for a real crowd on this tour that is effectively a pipe dream come true.