Sunday morning we got up early and headed out from Carlisle to catch the noon ferry from Stanraer. Ended up on a windy road narrow road through Galloway Forest Park (back in Scotland) and thought we were headed back to the highlands, but we made it to the right highway after all and were at the ferry ontime. At one point I saw a flash of lights out of the corner of my eye and thought we were in for it, about to be pulled over (into the hedge I guess). Turns out it was just the first sunlight we'd seen in days flashing through the trees, there for a moment and then gone. The sun came all the way out as soon as we got on the ferry to Belfast and we were off to Ireland.

We picked up Steve at the airport and then drove west to County Mayo, a small town called Balla (pronounced Ball) where an enthusiastic crowd of locals awaited us at Mannions Pub. We had a good show and when our set finished, then the real party began. The jam started with Tom, our host, picking up a guitar and one by one others joined in singing and playing till we found our selves hours later surrounded by Guinness glasses and listening to a beautiful chorus of Irish songs. We finally made our way upstairs to our sleeping quarters above the pub at around 3am. After all it was a sunday night.


Stout of the day: What else? Guinness