Last Friday when I arrived in the pouring rain at Kinvara to set up my book stall for the long morning ahead, a van almost hemmed me in as I parked. I offered to back up more to give the driver more room. He walked around the back of his van, reached in and gave me a large beautiful orange as a gift. It was such a wet morning I hardly had time to thank him when he had disappeared for shelter. I then went to buy some organic honey from the woman opposite me in the market, who sells it for almost no profit for her neighbour. She gave me a lovely bunch of chives to take home with me. Then a man walked up to my small table and asked me if I would like one of his music cds in exchange for one of my new books on the Burren, or some money. I said I would prefer money at this stage of a wet morning, and he laughed and said he would naturally pay- but I would get one of his cds anyway-I have played it and it is a mixture of Buddhist chants and Irish music interestingly. Finally I went into the lovely shop the Secret Garden in Kinvara and asked how my books were selling there. Karen gave me a pair of new bamboo socks from the shop and a generous discount on another pair. I had been feeling a bit washed out and yet everywhere I went people were being most kind to me. It reminded me what is so special about Ireland- people have time for one another still.
So come make your way to the market one Friday in June when I am back from my tours, or meet my friend and colleague Anne Loughrey who is there in May – enjoy the fantastic free music on offer and sample the delicious coffee and various cakes the stalls sell. You could do far worse, even when if it rains!