Irish Trad Music Blog

By Staff Reporter GRAIGNAMANAGH showed off what it has to offer this past weekend as its two annual festivals – the Town of Books Festival and Féile Freaney – brought a selection of books, music and other entertainment from Friday to Sunday. The Féile Freaney trad music festival kicked things off with a gala concert in Duiske Abbey on Friday night. Drawing a near-capacity crowd including some well known local musicians, headlining band Líadan gave a beautiful and energetic performance which could easily inspired a listener or two to partake of the variety of workshops on offer in the town as part of the festival. The six-piece band including fiddles, harp, piano accordion, flutes and tin whistle delighted the crowd with their lively jigs and reels, but the highlight for this listener was their enchanting songs, in particular those sung by Valerie Casey, with a voice reminiscent of Altan’s Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh. Their powerful harmonies filled the abbey with beautiful precision, each voi...

Legendary Irish band Bagatelle, who have been playing together since the late 1970’s, will be honored at an event in New York City on Thursday, October 1 for their contribution to Irish music. The event celebrates their 30 year anniversary, with proceeds going to benefit the Widows and Children Fund of fallen members of the NYPD. Created by New York singer-songwriter, Enda Keegan, The Streets Of New York Benefit, named after the song by Bagatelle frontman Liam Reilly, will honor the Irish rockers for all they have given to the world through their music and for opening doors for others who have followed. “We are so excited to have the opportunity to honor Liam & Bagatelle” said Timothy Bergin, President of the Emerald Society. Performers for the event, which will begin at 6 p.m. at P.D. O’Hurley’s Bar Pier 84, 44th and 12thAve in New York City, include Bagatelle, Joe Hurley and the Gents, and Enda Keegan. Advance ticket sales are available for $30 and at the door for $35. Tickets ca...

By Paul Keating Tulla, Co. Clare -- It would seem to be one of those scenarios where it would be bringing “coals to Newcastle” to call over the Atlantic and to New Jersey, in particular, for a couple of musicians to deliver jigs and reels in an area that had no shortage of them in the tradition. The East Clare area around Tulla and neighboring East Galway and Tipperary across the Shannon share a bountiful traditional music legacy that has played a large part in making the scene as robust as it is. By inviting Mike Rafferty from Hasbrouck Heights and Willie Kelly from Boonton to headline the Tulla Trad Music Festival over the weekend of September 11-13 in Tulla, the organizing committee recognized the continuum aspect of reeling in the music wherever it may have traveled from the banks of the Shannon. The lovely music contained in their new CD The New Broom merited a launch here on the opening Friday night and a special place on the Sunday concert slot, and once again added to a wonderf...

Probably only the Irish would celebrate the first Irish Music night six months to the day before St. Paddy’s Day! It’s short notice but on Thursday 17th September, the Virgen del Carmen Cultural Centre will play host to two of the area’s most talented folk musicians – Phil Trainor and Bill O’Brien Bill O’Brian has been gigging around the Costa Blanca for many years now and he has long pedigree in the music business having has toured Europe with Rory Gallagher, played in the Paris Olympia as part of Chuck Berry’s touring band, gigged in the Wembley Arena in a Country Music Festival, formed one of Ireland’s first Punk band in Cork in 1977 and played at more Irish weddings than he can recall! His first band, however, was an Irish Folk group and it is to this music, the foundation of much of what is good in the best of world music today, that he returns in the company of Phil Trainor. Bill plays guitar, harmonica, bouzouki and (when he can get his hands on one) banjo. He sings a few song...

The Holland Sentinel Posted Sep 15, 2009 @ 05:11 PM Muskegon, MI — The annual Michigan Irish Music Festival returns to Heritage Landing in downtown Muskegon Friday through Sunday, with a complete weekend of live Irish entertainment, activities and culture. Presented by Mercy General Health Partners, the festival features live Irish and Celtic music on three covered stages. Festival favorites returning this year include Seamus Kennedy, Kennedy’s Kitchen, Switchback, Craic Wisely, Old Blind Dogs, Fonn Mor, and Blackthorn. In addition, several new bands will make an appearance at this year’s festival including Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy, Solas, Slide, and The Makem & Spain Brothers. Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy, masters of fiddle, are two of the world’s most celebrated fiddlers. They also happen to be married. Together, Natalie and Donnell are a whirlwind of fiddle-driven music, dance and song. Festival guests will have the chance to hear the fruits of this renowned mu...

50th anniversary CD release of first Gael Linn LP www.gael-linn.ie Gael Linn is Ireland’s oldest recording company. Its first LP was issued in 1958 and to commemorate it we are now re-issuing the album on CD for the first time. Prior to issuing an LP, Gael Linn had been issuing gramophone records (78s) since 1957 where songs and music were featured on alternate sides. The same order was followed for the first LP. On the CD, Cork baritone Tomás Ó Súilleabháin sings eight well-known songs in Irish. Interestingly, the arrangement and piano accompaniment were by Seán Ó Riada, making this Ó Riada’s first commercial recording. Ó Súilleabháin, who is now retired and living in Dublin, was a regular guest on radio programmes in the 1950s and 60s. During this time, he also toured the States with singers and musiciians who included the late Dermot Troy and Veronica Dunne. Tomás’s personal favourite on the album is Seán Ó Duibhir a’ Ghleanna. The album contains Irish airs arranged by contemporary...

It was the worst kept secret in this region for months, but Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann has finally confirmed that Cavan town will host Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann 2010. Cavan is celebrating the announcement following a meeting at Comhaltas headquarters in Monkstown, Dublin on September 12, at which the Ardchomhairle voted to stage Ireland's premier traditional culture event in the Lake County. The Director General of Comhaltas, Senator Labhrás Ó Murchú, said that Tullamore, who has hosted the event for the past three years, has set the bar very high for future venues. "Their innovation, dedication, professionalism, hospitality and attention to detail were inspiring. They have placed our cultural traditions on a pedestal and have raised the morale of the hundreds of thousands of people who attended the Fleadhanna for the last three years". Speaking after the announcement, the County Arts Officer, Catriona O'Reilly said the Fleadh will greatly enrich the cultural life of...

Paddy Moloney's memorable music at Ground Zero By GEORGINA BRENNAN , Former Irish Voice Reporter This story first appeared in the Irish Voice newspaper, on October 16, 2001 "Will you hold my hand?" asked Lauren Murphy as she braced herself to greet her husband's mourners. Lauren was speaking to Paddy Moloney, founder of the Chieftains, the Grammy award winning musical ambassadors of Ireland. Moloney and the band had come to New York specially to play at the memorial service for Lauren's husband Matthew, who considered himself the Chieftains' biggest fan. Matthew O'Mahony, a merchant banker for Cantor Fitzgerald, had been on the 95th floor of Tower One on September 11. His death brought thousands of mourners to St. Ignatius Loyola Church on Park Avenue on the afternoon of October 10, 2001. It also brought the Chieftains to grieve the loss of their number one fan. "He never missed any of our concerts," said Moloney sadly. Moloney wanted to come for...

Irish music on fiddle, flute, & uilleann pipes.

THE hills around Pomeroy will soon be filled with music again as pupils enroled in traditional music classes commence again on Tuesday 15th September in St. Marys' Primary school Pomeroy. Pomeroy branch of Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann has just announced its programme for the 2009/2010 year. Enrolment for music classes will be held in St. Mary's Primary school on Tuesday 8th September between 7pm and 9pm. Places are limited in accordion, banjo, fiddle and tin whistle. The classes commence on Tuesday afternoon on 15th September 2009. The tutors for this year are Clare McCrystal (fiddle), Eugene Hackett (Banjo/Mandolin), Martina Quinn (accordion) and Donna Campbell (tin whistle). This year it has been decided to hold a family session after each 6 week block of lessons. This session will replace the music classes for that week and will be held in the primary school as normal. There will be no charge on this night. The intention is to give all pupils and families an opportunity to so...

Whatever about the weather, Cootehill is always guaranteed a sparkling weekend of traditional music towards the end of September, when some of the biggest names in the business mix it with talented local artists in a festival that has become firmly established as one of the highlights on the Co Cavan town's annual calendar of events. And whatever about the economy, this year's fifth annual Gerry Whelan Memorial Weekend, from September 18 to 20, looks guaranteed to bring the summer season to a close on an upbeat note of celebration and cheer, as fiddle legend Frankie Gavin heads another all-star line up in honour of a man whose lifelong support and commitment helped build the music tradition into the great bulwark of Irish culture that it is now. A lively and well-attended pre-launch night of music and song to hail the advent of the festival was held in Mullen's Lounge, Cootehill last Friday night. The memorial weekend itself will see hundreds of local people and visitors al...

Download this complete album for free, courtesy of the group Slainte who apparently broke up in 2000. More's the pity... Track List Kesh Jig / Leitrim Fancy Silver Spear set Star of the County Down Gander in the Pratie Hole / Morrison's Jig / Drowsy Maggie Carolan's Draught Maid Behind the Bar set Denis Murphy's / John Ryan's Wild Mt. Thyme Banish set Julia Delaney set Si Beag, Si Mor / Snowy Path Download mp3 tracks here: http://www.archive.org/details/Slainte

Westmeath had a number of winners at the All-Ireland Fleadh Cheoil in Tullamore. In the senior whistle competition, Audrey Murphy of Moate came in third, and in the tin whistle (slow airs) competition, Audrey took the top title. Kathryn Nea from Castletown Geoghegan Comhaltas came in first in the ladies singing in English, while in the gents singing in English, Ballymore's Padraig Keena came in third. Bunbrosna's set dancers came third in the mixed set dancing competition, while the Streamstown dancers came in third in the set dancing competition for girls aged 12-15, and there was also a third place win for the Bunbrosna set dancers in the senior ladies competition. http://www.westmeathexaminer.ie/news/mullingar/articles/2009/09/02/390792-fleadh-winners/

Co. Dublin, Ireland — 22 Aug. 2009 — Supported by a generous grant from the Arts Council of Ireland, the innovative Irish early music ensemble eX, under the artistic direction of Eric Fraad and Caitríona O’Leary, presents a series of two adventurous original premier productions and two master classes which are open to the public including Shipwrecked, an Adventurous Renaissance Cabaret Oratorio and Motion of the Heart an Occult Mannerist Masque Irish Early Music Ensemble eX to Present Two Spectacular Original World Premiere Productions Including Shipwrecked, an Adventurous Renaissance Cabaret Oratorio and Motion of the Heart an Occult Mannerist Masque Supported by a generous grant from the Arts Council of Ireland, the innovative Irish early music ensemble eX, under the artistic direction of Eric Fraad and Caitríona O’Leary, presents a series of two adventurous original premier productions and two master classes which are open to the public. The series commences on Sunday 20th September...