Donegal

First, thank you five followers!
Next, a brief comment that I didn't get a chance to add last time:
During my visit to Enniskillen, the bus station employees were extremely kind and allowed me to store my suitcase and fiddle in their storage office while I puttered around the town killing time until my connecting bus to Omagh. THEY ARE SO FRIENDLY AND HOSPITABLE!

Now onto some exciting updates. Yesterday may have been the most Irish day I have ever experienced. The day started at 7:30, (I am now sleeping over in the hostel because Marella's sister is visiting and sleeps in the attic) with a measly toast for breakfast and then a two hour drive over to Donegal Bay with four other hikers ("hill-walkers"). Marella, Billy, Katrina (her sister), and Nadi had prepared a great day of hiking along the highest coastline in Europe (elevation ~1800ft). Not surprisingly, they had each packed a thermos full of tea and shared many cupfuls with me.
I cannot describe the beauty of the hike, but I will say that the cliffs were absolutely stunning beneath a thick layer of mist. Pictures to come. We hiked over limestone, marble, some kind of conglomerate (wish I were better at identifying rocks...so shhh but I brought a few back) that were gently dipping eastward away from the ocean. It was about 2.5 hours to the "top" with some scattered showers, but nothing uncomfortable.
On the way back, I was talking to Billy about turf and its environmental impact on bogs, so we were distracted from the main trail. We thought we had taken a shortcut, but then decided to bushwack our way back to the van. We tromped over heather, outcrops, a bog, and some sheep! It was quite the adventure. Oh, I will add here that Billy's accent is different from any I've heard so far. Almost all of his sentences end with an upward reflective pitch, and it is a little bit whiny. It always makes me smile.
On the ride home we stopped at The Rusty, a pub which was of late owned by Altan-a popular Irish band that I love. We were so fortunate to arrive on the one day of the year when the Campbell family and friends (aka "happy-bus people" by an elderly man at the bar) who ALL play some kind of trad music. While our group of five sat in an adjacent room gulping down Guinnesses and Tayto crisps, two of the Campbells asked if any of us could sing and join them in the other room. Now my hosts knew that I brought a fiddle with me so they pointed at me and pushed me forward. The Irish family begged and begged me to come join them and offered a house fiddle. Under the spotlight, and after a few more Guinness sips, I jumped up and joined in the fun. The loving crowd cheered and hollered for more (LITERALLY ROARED) for me to play another tune. I was no good at all, but they were so pleased to have a young American female classical player be in their company. After playing three tunes (they asked for Mozart, and I tried to remember Eine Kline but I can't without music), they all chatted me up. I met Vincent, Peter, Kevin-all fiddlers from the family. They brought out their cameras and everyone posed with me. It was quite the event for them and for me.
The happy-bus pub hopped to a few more places that evening (it was only 6o'clock) but our group was tired from the long walk outdoors and decided to head home. We were in good spirits and it was a giddy time for me and the over-49-yo's.
I finally got a bit of real Irish music, I can go home now ;)
More work tomorrow weeding, watering, and picking strawberries.

Happy Fourth of July, everyone! good night.