My Irish backpacking, no-low budget, roving reporter tour as it stands now:

- Arrive Dublin from Bristol Sept 1

- Taking bus or train to Carrick-On-Shannon, County Leitrim.

- Meeting WG admin Anna Porter (she followed my google streetview lead and found the ruins of PJ Clarke's actual homestead for OUR FROM IRELAND TO MANHATTAN VIDEO on the Irish immigrant turned Manhattan pub owner) and Eileen O'Toole, artist and actor in Donal Kelley's "The Jimmy Gralton Story" said to be the inspiration for Ken Loach's new film "Jimmy's Hall"

- Not sure if I am staying with Eileen or at the Swan Hotel as I am hoping to arrange a 'gathering' there with the locals who were in the play and who have very strong emotional ties with Jimmy Gralton and the film in production near Sligo. Will also go to the site of the original Jimmy's Hall to interview some folks there.

- Awaiting word from SixteenFilms producer as to what day and location I can be on set to get interview with Ken Loach for WG.  

- I will probably be back in Dublin around Sept 5 and then make my way down to Wexford Town.  I am hoping to find some accommodation in return for promotion through my posts here on WG as I look for connections around Lady's Island and Ballysheen to my Wexford ancestors. In fact if anyone knows of guest housing or b&b's that could benefit from some great publicity on the WG site in exchange for some brief accommodation I would be very appreciative!

- Just found out that 'very cool dude' Larry Kirwin is a Wexford town native and the whole county is excited about his October visit (with some of his Canadian and New York fans in tow) for a major concert!

- I will also be creating a continuing blog on my Druid/ancient site locations as I come across them, I am creating a list of sites in the locations I am visiting.  This is a major focus for me as I am one of the growing believers in the  'West to East Irish origins of civilization' theory and do not believe in the Roman character assassination of the druidic ways. This will probably be controversial because I believe in the Druid philosophy and creed 'be your own priest...be your own priestess',  but more on that later.....