MICHAEL: Hello and welcome to Ireland with Michael.

I'm Michael Londra, and in this show, I get to tell you everything I love about my home country the best way I know how, through music.

Beside me is the River Barrow in County Carlow, the second longest river in Ireland, which winds its way through the county.

It's in this valley where most of the people of Carlow live today.

Not that there are too many of them.

Once the seat of power for the kings of Leinster, it's now one of the least populated counties in Ireland.

But it's certainly not for the lack of beauty.

It's here you'd go to retreat from the busyness of the coastal cities to breathe in the country air, take in the endless Irish green, and enjoy the peace and tranquility of quiet Carlow.

♪ ♪ ANNOUNCER: Ireland with Michael is made possible by... ♪ ANNOUNCER: Whether traveling to Ireland for the first time, or just longing to return, there's plenty more information available at Ireland.com.

♪ ANNOUNCER: CIE Tours, sharing the magic of Ireland for 90 years.

♪ ANNOUNCER: Aer Lingus has been bringing people home since 1936.

If you are thinking about Ireland, Aer Lingus is ready when you are to take you home.

♪ MICHAEL: It's along these, the banks of the Barrow, where I swam away all the summer days of my boyhood.

This is Leighlinbridge, named for the 14th century bridge which still stands beside the ruins of Black Castle, one of Ireland's earliest Norman fortresses.

I remember well the narrow winding streets and gray limestone houses around my Granny Sheila's house.

This was my father's town and it's surreal to be back.

♪ The River Barrow forms the western boundary of the county and is a major part of Ireland's inland waterways network.

The Barrow Way makes it possible to walk or cycle nearly 75 miles along the riverbanks.

We continue our tour down the River Barrow to Graiguenamanagh, which many call Ireland's most charming village.

I see where they're coming from, but let's face it, there's a lot of competition.

(duck quacks) So aside from the river supplying the charm, it's also been supplying the power for industry right here for centuries.

There's been a mill in operation here for about 800 years.

The Cushen family have been running the place for 300 years.

This machine alone has been running nonstop for 140 years.

It's the legacy that makes Cushendale so very special.

(machine clanging) (machine whirring) Miriam, the one thing that I notice, aside from when you walk in the door and the color slaps you in the face, which I love, it's- it's everything that- that your brand is.

It's all about those vibrant colors, but yet they're the vibrant colors of Ireland.

Is that in- intentional or does it just- is it all around you?

MIRIAM: I think it's just all around us.

Like, and what's actually the really key part of our color is the- the water that we use here.

So again, monks channeled a mill race in 1204.

It's been running for 800 years, and we use that water still today for all of our color, but, yeah, we're very inspired.

Yeah, like, where do we get our colors?

We're very inspired by what's around us.

MICHAEL: Okay, so we talked about the color, now talk about the wool.

MIRIAM: Yeah, so like our wool, this is actually beautiful Irish wool.

So our Irish wool, you know, we're one of the last mills in Ireland still working with fleece, collecting it directly from the farmer.

I only spoke to one of them this morning.

He's getting his sheep shorn this morning.

And then we will travel to his farm, we will collect the fleece, bring it here to the mill.

It's from a particular breed of sheep.

It's very special to us.

The farmers are very special to us as well.

We've got lovely relationships with them.

(machine rumbling) MICHAEL: Mr. Cushen, really, the place is steeped in history, but I see your design as being super modern and looking to the future.

It's kind of sexy and cool.

PHILIP: Well, yeah.

MICHAEL: How does that feel?

PHILIP: Well, (laughs) I wouldn't describe myself as sexy and cool, but, anyway, the- (Michael laughs) no, no, you have to- you have to keep reinventing the- your patterns and every year bringing you constantly renew and constantly, it's something.

If you're not doing it, you're going to be, if you're not dead the first year, you will be dead the second or third and I- MICHAEL: 'Cause, finally, you can get Cushendale all across America now, am I right?

PHILIP: Yeah.

You get fair bit of it, yeah, yeah.

But it's- you know, you'd like to do something that's worthwhile.

MICHAEL: Right.

PHILIP: You know, at the end of the day, we'll say, "Well, I made that."

Now, I'm not ashamed to say I made it.

(machine whirring) MICHAEL: So we're at the end of the journey here.

How long does it take from sheep to the shelf?

MIRIAM: So, well, it's hard to quantify in time, but the number of steps... MICHAEL: Oh.

MIRIAM: It's about 30 different stages.

So from when we... MICHAEL: Oh, right.

MIRIAM: Collect the fleece, which we'll start doing now in July, August time directly from the farmers, and then working with the fleece through.

So I suppose if you were to take a blanket from fleece right through, you're talking a number of months.

MICHAEL: Funny, when people come into my house, I have Cushendale on the couch, and it does make a story happen because you automatically want to tell people where it came from, and they want to find out about Graiguenamanagh, and then they hear... MIRIAM: Yes.

MICHAEL: About 300 years of history and further back with the monks.

MIRIAM: Yes, yeah.

Yeah, and that's it.

There's a lot of word of mouth, I suppose, and we get lots of people who maybe visit us here at the mill, and then they're buying online for some of their family or they send relatives here.

So we got lots of- lots of- lots of organic, I suppose, interest then, 'cause I suppose a good story always travels well.

MICHAEL: If we head southeast of Graiguenamanagh about 25 miles, we come to the village of Carrig-on-Bannow.

Now, it wouldn't be a proper Irish village without a pub, and it wouldn't be a proper Irish pub without live music.

Colfers Pub is supplying just that, and they're in full swing tonight with something special, Green Road, a ballad and folk band playing a blend of Irish favorites and traditional tunes.

♪ I can no longer tarry ♪ This morning's tempest ♪ I have to cross ♪ I must be guided ♪ Without a stumble ♪ Into the arms ♪ I love the most MICHAEL: Lads, we're in the famous Colfers in Carrig-on-Bannow in the southeast of Ireland.

I'm talking to a band that I have followed over the past year or two because I think you're brilliant.

Now, what kind- you're a particular kind of band that I love and that I think there's a huge resurgence of your type of Irish music.

I was wondering if you could tell me what kind of Irish music you're putting together now and why you do it?

FERGAL: So, I suppose, first and foremost, we're a folk and ballad band.

And we all have a background of playing folk and ballads in the pubs and in the pub scene.

So we do all the songs that people know and love by Dubliners, Fureys, Clancy Brothers, and like that, but we also have a big American country and roots influence, so that sound finds itself into the music.

So we sell ourselves as folk and ballads with a bluegrass and country twist, so that's what we're doing.

MICHAEL: What do you think is the connection between those story ballads here in Ireland and the bluegrass and country ballads?

Because, hugely, they are connected in both directions, I think.

FERGAL: Yeah, well, the connection is kinda there.

Some of the tunes are the same tunes and some of the songs are the same songs.

Or, you know, you'll find songs that may have a different title or different lyrics, but you can tell it's the same story that came from, whether it be Ireland or Scotland.

JON: Same melody.

FERGAL: Same melody, yeah.

So it's- I think they all have the same roots.

♪ She's raised her head off ♪ ♪ Her down-soft pillow ♪ She's raised her head up ♪ ♪ And she's let him in ♪ And they were locked in ♪ Each other's arms ♪ Until that long night ♪ Was past and gone MICHAEL: So what's the plan in the future?

Have you got a recording done yet?

PJ: We have a recording done.

Yeah, we have a- we have a CD out and we're in the process now of doing another one, (indistinct).

MICHAEL: Very good.

Will ye head back out on the road soon?

What's the- What's the plan to tour and where do you want to tour?

JON: I would love to get back to America now as- as soon as possible.

Plenty of- Massive Irish-American community over there, and we met some great people the la- the last time we were there.

So, absolutely, yeah, we'd love to get back on tour over there again, yeah.

MICHAEL: There's nothing like a big crowd of people on a Sunday afternoon in an open-air festival singing along to big Irish ballads and having a couple of pints while you're doing it.

♪ I must be guided ♪ Without a stumble ♪ Into the arms ♪ I love the most ♪ Into the arms ♪ I love ♪ The most ♪ County Carlow really can't be beat for scenic trails and walks.

One of my favorites is the Borris Viaduct, a former railway bridge built during the mid-19th century in the town of Borris.

It's now a one- mile loop walk.

OLIVIA: They have done a walkway here at the end of the town, which is lovely and has a view of the mountains.

It's stunning.

MICHAEL: Legendary Irish broadcaster Olivia O'Leary is from Borris and met me at the Viaduct.

I had no idea when I was coming to County Carlow that you would be the person to meet me here, and I'm thrilled and delighted, but I had no idea you were a Carlow woman.

OLIVIA: Oh, yeah, I'm a very proud Carlow woman.

I was made a Carlow Woman of the Year, Michael, at one stage, which I'm extraordinarily proud about.

MICHAEL: What part of the county are you from?

OLIVIA: I'm from right down here in- in- in Borris, the south of the county, which is the Barrow Valley.

We have the whole of the Barrow flowing through, the most wonderful river, second longest river in Ireland.

And we have Mount Leinster and the Blackstairs Range.

So we have it all.

MICHAEL: So what do you think is the essence of Carlow?

Because I feel like every county that has- has a secret to them that most outsiders don't know about.

OLIVIA: We're a modest people down here, Michael, not like the showoffs that you'll find down in Cork, and Kerry, and places like that.

And it's a quiet county.

And the river flows slowly, and it's quiet.

And the people speak slowly down here, you know?

They savor each word as though it actually means something.

So it's- it's different from other parts of the country.

And we wouldn't have had quite the same level of emigration, so people here are settled.

And when you ask, you know, who lives in that house, they'll be thinking back generations, even centuries, because it's a very settled area.

♪ MICHAEL: At the heart of this little valley town is the magnificent Borris House.

Overlooking the Barrow Valley, this Tudor home was built in 1731 by Morgan Kavanagh and has remained the home of the MacMurrough Kavanagh family, once Celtic kings of Leinster, ever since.

The mansion saw a Gothic makeover in the 1820s and holds hundreds of years of antiquities.

It is one of the very rare estates to have remained in the possession of an ancient Irish family through the centuries of upheaval which Ireland has witnessed.

♪ As the Great Hunger ravaged the country, relief in Borris came in the form of lace.

It was the Lady of Borris House, Harriet Kavanagh, who engaged the women of the village in this new cottage industry.

Circa 1857, the streets would have been lined with the ladies of Borris, working away outside in the daylight so they could see well enough to carry out the intricate lacing.

Lady Harriet's scheme was so successful that a sample was presented to Queen Victoria, and Borris lace caught on with the royalty for whom there could be no substitute.

Today, this legacy has been revived once more by the women of the town.

Let's go in to have a look.

♪ Helen, we're here in the center of Borris.

I'm surrounded by all of this incredible craft work.

Can you tell us how we got here?

HELEN: Yeah, I suppose at the very beginning, we'd really have to go back to the closing of the 18th century.

So to 1799 is when Lady Harriet Kavanagh was born.

So she was born Lady Harriet De Paor Trench.

MICHAEL: So she was a sophisticated lady then?

HELEN: She was.

Yeah, she was.

And she was very unusual in that many women at that time, when they married and had a family, they would have stayed within the home looking after the husband and the children.

And so, like, she had a large family and she also had a big house, Borris house, to look after.

In 1846, I suppose with the onset of the famine, she decided to set up a cottage industry for the women and the young girls of the village and the surrounding areas.

So there was- there was poverty here and many families existing at subsistence levels.

So this industry really was very beneficial to women and children- to young girls.

So what you have to remember as well, by establishing a cottage industry, the women could work from their own home.

So they didn't have to leave the children or the house.

So they could carry on with their own domestic duties while taking part in this cottage industry.

And just a little point of interest to say that the money that was made was given to the women who made the lace.

So there's account records in Borris house show that the only money that was taken from the profits that were made was the price of the postage.

MICHAEL: I just walked into the library building here, and the sense of community and the sense of sharing here, it's beautiful, but it's also really important for the town because, you're not only you know, engaging women locally, but also, you're passing on a pretty amazing legacy.

HELEN: Mm-hmm.

It is a very important part of the local community, but not only that, I think it's an important part of the heritage and culture of Ireland as a whole.

Like, these handmade traditions can easily be lost if someone doesn't take it upon themself really to- do you know, to- to carry it on and, like that, share it to the next generation and to, you know, the wider world really.

♪ MICHAEL: Just like everything else in Borris, the Step House Hotel is directly connected to the main manor just across the street.

In this case, the Step House was the old dower house for the estate.

The house may be gorgeous, the grounds are absolutely beautiful, but the reason I'm here, well, it's for the food.

So let's go meet Chef Alan.

ALAN: We don't wanna forget anything, so we're just going to start with a little mint jelly.

MICHAEL: You make your own?

ALAN: We make our own.

MICHAEL: We've caught the chef right in the middle of the lunchtime rush, and it's fascinating to see what goes into making up just one plate.

ALAN: Put it dotted around the plate.

What I don't want is that the mint jelly in one part of the plate.

So when they're just eating that side of the plate, they're going to scrape, you know, you're going in that direction.

I like- We just have a little bit of aubergine puree.

And aubergine likes mint, which more or less is a little touch of Indian.

I got my little lamb boudin.

As I was explaining to you, Mike, that- so we use the lamb fat, the lamb shoulder meat.

We cure the bellies of it for a couple of days, so we make lamb mince, cure them, the bellies and the shoulders, cook them in duck fat, and we add a little bit of chicken mousse to bring it all together, shallots, smoked bacon, parsley, a little bit of caper, obviously a bit of garlic, rosemary.

The boudin really is just French for sausage, so we've got that there.

So I'm just going to put a little bit of my wild garlic and my sausage.

Got a little pickled onion here.

We've got our lovely, beautiful asparagus spears.

MICHAEL: Look how bright and green they are.

ALAN: Yeah.

We've got our beautiful lamb.

Sometimes I'll get the blow torch and I'll just finish it on the blow.

MICHAEL: Oh, very good, yeah.

ALAN: Just to- just to caramelize it.

MICHAEL: Yeah.

ALAN: I've got my beautiful lamb, nice and medium, nice and clean, then the sauce.

And last but not least, a little bit of polenta, a little sort of cushion of polenta.

It just gives you that nice cheesiness.

MICHAEL: Yeah.

ALAN: That's it.

MICHAEL: So let's go up to the dining room.

I want to taste this.

ALAN: Is there any chance we can share this, actually?

I'm ravished.

MICHAEL: Not a hope.

You made it for me.

ALAN: I got a couple of checks.

I got a couple of checks.

I gotta run.

MICHAEL: Go on, thank you.

ALAN: Thanks very much, guys.

Appreciate it.

SERVER: Now, sir, sorry to disturb you now.

MICHAEL: You're not disturbing me at all.

SERVER: Now, sir, what you have is our rump of lamb, also then with our lamb boudin, polenta, and then asparagus roast.

MICHAEL: I think this may be my favorite Irish meal, lamb with a hint of mint and fresh asparagus.

Oh, my god.

♪ That is truly delicious.

♪ When I was a lad living in Leighlinbridge, my dad used to tell me that there was a man in the village who shares his name with one of the most famous men in America, Disney.

I never believed him, mind you, because he also told me once that he had drywalled the Taj Mahal.

But as it turns out, it's true.

Not about the Taj Mahal.

In this tiny graveyard, tucked away in the corner of Carlow, you'll find the actual ancestors of the legendary Walt Disney himself, buried here before his great-grandfather, Arundel Disney, emigrated from Carlow in the 1830s.

I probably should check the records of the Taj Mahal, too.

Jim, I'm a little unnerved because you- when you start talking, you sound exactly like my own father.

You are from this parish.

What is the name of this parish?

JIM: Tinryland is the name.

MICHAEL: So tell me about- I- you've got one famous family, for sure, that come from here.

JIM: Yeah.

Well, the- the Disney family, Walt Disney's ancestors, they came from here.

They're buried here in the cemetery.

And I suppose the first record of Disneys in Ireland goes back to the 1700s.

And in 1801, then Walt Disney's great-grandfather, he immigrated to America in the 1830s.

MICHAEL: Now, tell me, did the Disneys ever come back or did they kinda leave- leave here- leave the neighborhood forever?

JIM: No, they did come back, yeah.

In the 1930s, they came back.

MICHAEL: All right.

JIM: And Walt Disney acts- actually visited his ancestors that are buried here.

MICHAEL: Now you've not- not only do you have the Disneys just over here, but right beside them, even at remarkably another famous family.

JIM: Yes, the- the Butler family.

And I suppose Pierce Butler would be the- the main character of the Butler family.

He went to America and got into politics and whatever.

But he- he was an advisor to Monroe and Jefferson and Madison.

And he held- he held fairly high esteem in- in America.

♪ ♪ I am the center of a whirlwind ♪ MICHAEL: Just when I think I know every musician in Ireland, along comes someone like Gráinne Hunt, a terrific singer- songwriter who I've only just heard about.

♪ Whirling, twirling, swirling 'round ♪ ♪ Even when the chips are down ♪ ♪ You are there MICHAEL: Gráinne, I pride myself in sourcing great talent.

I also pride myself in knowing what great talent is out in Ireland.

And about six weeks ago, I was scouring the internet and, lo and behold, this artist jumped out at me.

And frankly, I don't know where you've come from, (Gráinne laughs) but you bowl me over.

You're such an amazing singer-songwriter.

Where did you come from?

GRAINNE: Thank you, first of all.

(laughs) MICHAEL: Oh, you're welcome.

GRAINNE: I think Irish people are not very used to hearing all that praise.

MICHAEL: No, we're not good, yeah.

GRAINNE: So, like, you're making me blush.

MICHAEL: We're not good with that.

GRAINNE: I'm originally from Carrickmacross, County Monaghan.

And I live in Kildare at the minute.

MICHAEL: All right, and did you s- have you been playing your whole life?

GRAINNE: On and off.

Yeah, I mean, I s- I've always been a singer.

I consider myself primarily a singer before anything else.

Kind of- I hit 30 and I was like, God, I have to do something about this, and if I don't, I'll get to 40 and regret it.

So I've been spending a bit of time trying to get it together.

♪ I prefer the silence ♪ You would take the crowd ♪ ♪ And I would see the blue skies ♪ ♪ You would see the clouds ♪ ♪ While we both are magnets ♪ ♪ Some days we find ♪ We're turned the wrong way 'round ♪ MICHAEL: Did you grow up with Irish music or are you influenced by music all over the world?

How- how did it kind of develop?

GRAINNE: I always say that I had a bit of a sheltered musical upbringing.

My house was very much- we listened to a lot of kind of Irish folk and ballad singers.

And it wasn't until I got to university where I started listening to the likes of Joni Mitchell and Tom Waits and Billie Holiday.

And kind of- it just opened up so many doors.

The people that I was meeting was- were educating me kind of in music, you know?

So that kind of changed what I listened to there.

MICHAEL: Well, I described you as an Irish Joni the other day to a friend of mine- GRAINNE: Wow.

MICHAEL: Back in the US.

So I hope that you can bring some of that Irish Joni back to the American audience that deserve to hear you.

GRAINNE: I would love that.

♪ I will take the silence ♪ You can have your crowds ♪ ♪ And I will see the blue skies ♪ ♪ We'll always need some clouds ♪ ♪ And while we both are magnets ♪ ♪ Some days we find ♪ We're turned the wrong way 'round ♪ ♪ MICHAEL: Thanks for joining me on my travels around County Carlow.

I'm Michael Londra, and I hope to see you next time on Ireland with Michael.

But for now, cheers.

Sláinte.

(people chattering) ANNOUNCER: Want to continue your travels to Ireland?

Your choice of Ireland with Michael DVD Season One, Two, or Three, with bonus concert footage, is available for $30.

Ireland with Michael: A Musical Journey CD, with songs from Michael and his guest artists, is available for $20.

Ireland with Michael Companion Travel Guide, featuring places to visit, as seen in all seasons, is also available for $30.

This offer is made by Wexford House.

Shipping and handling is not included.

MICHAEL: To learn more about everything you've seen in this episode, go to IrelandWithMichael.com.

ANNOUNCER: Ireland with Michael was made possible by... ♪ ANNOUNCER: Whether traveling to Ireland for the first time, or just longing to return, there's plenty more information available at Ireland.com.

♪ ANNOUNCER: CIE Tours, sharing the magic of Ireland for 90 years.

♪ ANNOUNCER: Aer Lingus has been bringing people home since 1936.

If you are thinking about Ireland, Aer Lingus is ready when you are to take you home.

MICHAEL: OK, put your hands up in the air!

Come on, let's get a-waving.

♪ In my heart its rightful queen ♪ ♪ Ever loving, ever tender ♪ MICHAEL: That's it.

♪ Ever true ♪ Like the Sun your smile has shone ♪ MICHAEL: Go on, Wexford.

♪ Gladdening all it glowed upon ♪ ♪