Freshman staff writer Sarah Baker, who is not a performer herself, traveled to Ireland with members of the BU Music Department over spring break and provided regular updates. BU students learned from and performed with others during their tour of Ireland.

March 15

Sixteen members of the BU band and choir performed at Templeorum Prish in Piltown, Ireland. The Dixiecats, made up of Bailey Stines, Ray James, Ron Hathorn, Collin Studer, Stephanie Skedel and Jacob Neiman, also played their trademark New Orleans-style music.

Next, the BU students will visit a church in Kilkenny. Sean, the group’s tour guide, has made the trip enjoyable. He sings and tells random facts and jokes about Ireland while he drives the bus.

March 16

On Sunday, Baker University students performed at a concert with two other groups at St. Canice’s Cathedral in Kilkenny. They joined a church choir and a group called “The Badgers,” an Irish band of three boys.

Simon, the youngest of The Badgers, had a fiddle solo, and BU junior Stephanie Skedel and Simon swapped drum-playing styles. Simon let Skedel play his drum and showed her how to play an Irish tune. Skedel showed the boys how to play her African drum, which they loved.

March 18

We were in Galway all day. The BU musicians performed for about eight people at St. Nicholas’ Collegiate Church, and they also performed in the hotel bar for the staff. That night most of us went to a pub to watch Irish dancing. Our replica of WOWzer the BU mascot tumbled off the bus Monday and broke into four pieces, but he is now good as new thanks to Super Glue.

March 20

We had a great time today. We visited The Dundalk Institute of Technology, which hosted a Ceili (a session of music where people dance) and taught us how to dance to Irish music. BU musicians performed with the institute’s orchestra, Ceol Oirghialla, that night. We then went to a pub to watch a few musicians improvise. Sam Kendrick, in particular, jumped right in and started playing. It was great to watch.

March 21

The BU musicians performed their last concert at Christ Church Cathedral today then spent some time at a mall. We went to the Cobblestone pub, so the Dixiekats, Baker’s jazz group, could perform.