Irish Trad Music Blog

Stepping out (Photo credit: Irish Philadelphia Photo Essays ) A year ago Terry Sullivan came down from his home in Bristol, CT to help with the Irish outreach to folks in the Rockaways who needed so much help after Superstorm Sandy. Now Sullivan, a musician and long-time Comhaltas officer and member who currently serves as the vice chair of the Northeast region of Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann, needs our help in his personal struggle fighting an inoperable brain tumor diagnosed in October. Sullivan is a devoted family man and veteran with 20 years of service to his credit. His friends in the Burke-Curry-Seery branch in the Hartford area of Connecticut have organized a big benefit this Sunday, November 24 from 1-5 p.m. at the Irish American Home Society in Glastonbury (www.irishamericanhome.com) to raise funds to deal with the mounting expenses. Along with local entertainment, there will be a pasta buffet served at 2 p.m. and a raffle. Suggested admission is $20 donat...

Seamus Heaney Collected Poems (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) In the darkness, on the bank of the Thames, Seamus Heaney’s voice, one so recently gone, filled the hall, “Between my finger and my thumb. The squat pen rests; snug as a gun.” Tickets for the celebration in the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall of the life of Ireland’s greatest modern poet had been gone for weeks, with holders warned to hand back the unwanted. A photograph of Heaney as a young man filled the backdrop, photographs that aged as the evening progressed, telling the story of his life through the changes in his poetry. The uilleann pipes of Liam O’Flynn and Neil Martin’s cello set the Irish tone for the evening, one captured later by the The Chieftains with “Lullaby for the Dead”. Poet, Andrew O’Hagan described his late friend as “an anchor for poetry” who had replenished the imagination, one whose every word issued tolerance.

Cover of Christy Moore The legendary singer-songwriter Christy Moore, one of Ireland’s greatest musical icons of the current day is coming to the Radisson Blu Hotel, Athlone for a special performance for one night only Saturday 7th December, having just launched a brand new album titled “Where I Come From”. 2013 has been a year of great success for Christy Moore who appeared alongside Declan Sinnott in a series of dates around Ireland and the UK including two sell out shows at London’s Royal Festival Hall before returning to Irish shores for an exhilarating series of summer appearances at the Live at the Marquee concert series, the Big Top at the Galway Arts Festival and Electric Picnic.

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) January 16th–20th, 2014 www.wmw.ie The Shannonside Winter Music Weekend has been going from strength–to–strength over the last few years, and next January’s event marks another step forward for this eclectic festival of the best in acoustic music.  Between January 16th and 20th, almost 80 concerts, pub gigs, sessions, and shows will keep the villages of Sixmilebridge and Bunratty buzzing and bouncing with acts from far and wide, as well as the cream of local talent.

Oriel window in Oriel (Photo credit: Lawrence OP ) Ceolta Cruit – The Melody of the Harp at Ceol Oirghialla The gala concert at this year’s DkIT TradWeek focuses on the music of the harp and the great collections of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The concert, one of a series of events celebrating ten years of music at DkIT, takes place at 7pm on 21 November 2013 in the MacAnna Theatre on the DkIT campus and features the Ceol Oirghialla Traditional Music Ensemble with special guests Ann Heymann, Lisa Butler and Daoirí Farrell. The Ceol Oirghialla Traditional Ensemble comprises over forty musicians drawn from the DkIT community, including undergraduates, postgraduates, graduates and staff. The Ensemble proudly represents the Institute at a variety of events, enriching the cultural life of the community and the North-East. American based Ann Heymann is today’s first Gaelic harper to approach the cláirseach using rigorously applied historical and traditional ...

Cover of Andy Irvine Irish music legend Andy Irvine is returning to Ballina Arts Centre this Thursday, November 21 at 8pm, for a special intimate concert. Irvine’s music career has spanned an incredible 50 years, and he has been at the heart of Irish folk music throughout that time. In the 1960s, he and Johnny Moynihan formed the seminal group Sweeney’s Men, before leaving Ireland to travel through the Balkan countries, having become enamoured with the music of Eastern Europe. On his return, he joined Christy Moore, Donal Lunny and Liam Óg Ó Flynn to form Planxty, forever changing the sound and spirit of Irish traditional and folk music. With the demise of Planxty, Irvine recorded a classic album with Paul Brady, and since the 1980s he has been a part of exciting supergroups, such as Patrick Street and most recently Mozaik, thrilling audiences around the world with intricate and exultant music. Throughout his various collaborations and pairings, Irvine has also main...

Learn to play Irish traditional music on the whistle with this new tutor book from Tradschool 286 pages; with 429 accompanying audio tracks 104 tunes (28 children's & folk tunes + 76 traditional tunes) What is it? This tutor book, with its accompanying audio files, is intended to give a complete introduction to playing Irish music in the traditional style on the tin whistle; it covers all from the very first notes on the instruments to the most advanced ornamentation. The book is broadly divided into two parts, with the shorter first part covering the basics of the whistle (pages  1-48) while the longer second part (pages 49-286) covers the playing of Irish traditional music on the instrument Tin Whistle - A Complete Guide to Playing Irish Traditional Music on the Whistle | tradschool.com Related articles A beginner's guide to traditional folk ballads of Britain and Ireland Ards cce - tin whistle solo Musical trio go back to roots - The Cork News Ir...

Fleadh (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) International Pan Celtic Festival for Derry in 2014 and 2015 The team behind this year’s historic Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in Derry have announced that An Fhéile Phan Cheilteach (the Pan Celtic Festival) will be hosted in Derry in 2014 and 2015 at a Buíochas event held to thank Fleadh volunteers. The festival will take place in the North of Ireland for the first time during Easter week 2014 and 2015 and attracts visitors to the host venue from all over Ireland as well as the Celtic nations of Brittany, Cornwall, Isle of Man, Scotland and Wales.  More than 10,000 people will participate in and attend a range of activities and events including the Festival Parade, harp, fiddle, piping, choral and traditional singing competitions.  There will also be themed nights from each of the nations as well as a Camogie Blitz.

www.trocaire.org/trad Trocaire is asking Ireland’s trad musicians to tune up and get ready to ‘raise the roof’ in aid of global poverty by taking part in Trad for Trocaire week. Trad for Trocaire, which takes place from Friday 27th September to Friday 4th October 2013, is a fundraising and music week run by Trocaire and Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann. During Trad for Trocaire week, trad musicians, music fans and venues hold traditional Irish music ‘seisuins’ and fundraise for Trocaire. The campaign celebrates Ireland’s deep musical heritage alongside its history of goodwill towards people facing poverty or human rights abuses. Justin Kilcullen, Executive Director of Trocaire said: “This is Trad for Trocaire’s fourth year, during which time over 1,000 trad sessions in aid of Trocaire have been held. Last year alone, over 400 events took place countrywide. “Through Trad for Trocaire, Ireland’s wonderful trad musicians are changing lives with their uplifting music, inspirational ...

Related articles Night of trad coming up at the Linenhall Musical trio go back to roots - The Cork News Ards cce - tin whistle solo

An evening of finest traditional music is on the cards when three top musicians - Liam O’Connor, Caoimhín O' Fearghail and Noel Hill – combine forces for Bridge, Bellows and Bow at the Linenhall Arts Centre in Castlebar on Thursday September 12 at 8pm as part of a Music Network tour. Spanning three generations, Liam O’Connor (fiddle, viola), Caoimhín O' Fearghail (uilleann pipes, flute, guitar, vocals) and Noel Hill (concertina) - all TG4 Gradam Ceoil winners – are united by a deep knowledge and love for the music of the legendary masters of Irish tradition: Coleman, Ennis, Clancy, Potts and Tóibín. For this tour, these three stellar soloists are sure to delight trad fans with their fresh, vibrant take on the classic Irish traditional music repertoire, as well as digging deep into the vaults to unearth some lesser known melodies from manuscript sources. Expect an evening of powerful dance music, lively jigs and melancholic hornpipes, poignant Gaelic slow air...

Marty Lipp: Three Irish Stars Form New Neo-Trad Constellation - Huffington Post Album release of all John McKenna's music and background - Leitrim Observer The local man who hit all the right notes - Dromore Leader Loïc Bléjean, Louisa Bennion & Hervé Cureau - Mulqueeney's

Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) The president of Comhaltas Ceoltoirí Éireann has said the “warmth and friendliness” of the people of Derry will help ensure the success of Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann. Vince Jordan made the comment ahead of the international festival of traditional music, which will be held in the city in August. The Birmingham man joined members of the Derry branch of Comhaltas on a visit to the European Parliament recently to promote the Fleadh. Mr Jordan said he is looking forward to visiting Derry in the summer. “Derry is a lovely city,” he said. “The river Foyle is a focal point with the Peace Bridge as one of its many features. The historical Walls of Derry is well kept and accessible. Some of Derry’s buildings demonstrate some of our greatest architectural heritage. However, the main attraction in Derry is its friendly, warm, hospitable and helpful people,” he added.

Cover of Dervish “The Thrush in the Storm”. OUT APRIL 2013 DERVISH release their eagerly awaited first studio album in 5 years entitled “The Thrush in the Storm” this April 2013.  The album reflects DERVISH’s dedication to Ireland’s rich music tradition and in particular to theirSligo music roots and contains many new tunes and songs with an innovative Dervish style. DERVISH have just completed a sell-out tour of the USfor the album’s launch.  The album had its US launch at a special function in Boston in association with the WGBH Public Broadcasting organisation in Americawhere it was hailed by fans as their best yet.  Their US Coast to Coast tour finishes in The Lincoln Theatre,University of Hartford, Connecticut.  DERVISH Launch “The Thrush in the Storm” this April in Ireland and Europe before heading to the UK for a promo tour.

Cover of Kevin Crawford "In Irish music today, tradition ain't what it used to be. While the casual listener might think any group of musicians playing "Irish sounding" music on acoustic instruments is traditional, even those venerable veterans The Chieftains were considered revolutionaries when they first performed. Since then, there have been several generations of performers who are firmly and lovingly rooted in tradition, but who have reinvented the music, expanding the repertoire, instruments and arrangements. This month sees the appearance of a new constellation of neo-traditional stars in the Irish music firmament: the Teetotallers -- flute player Kevin Crawford of Lunasa; guitarist John Doyle, formerly of Solas; and fiddler Martin Hayes of the duo Hayes and Cahill. In a recent interview Crawford said the three began to play together at the request of a producer at a festival in California. They were all intrigued by how well the collaboration went, ...

Cover of Paul Brady "A MUSICIAN whose songs have been covered by Tina Turner, Cher, Cliff Richard and Ronan Keating will perform in the North-East this weekend (Sunday, April 28). Singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Paul Brady will appear at the Gala Theatre, in Durham City, on Sunday. Mr Brady is often described as a musician’s musician and is considered one of Ireland’s finest singer-songwriters. His first album, Hard Station, was released in 1981. The Durham show starts at 7.30pm. Tickets are £23.50. Discounted tickets, priced £15, can be booked by quoting ‘DANCER15’ when booking. To book, go to the box office, call 03000-266-600 or visit galadurham.co.uk"

"Ireland's premier acoustic band Lúnasa is releasing their first new recording in three years on April 16, the much-anticipated new album, LÚNASA WITH THE RTÉ CONCERT ORCHESTRA, on Lúnasa Records via City Hall Distributors (in the U.S.). LÚNASA WITH THE RTÉ CONCERT ORCHESTRA is a musical collaboration that marks a true first for the all-star Irish traditional band and the world-renowned national orchestra of Ireland. It is also available digitally from iTunes and other digital outlets." Lúnasa's First Recording in Three Years Out on April 16th | Grateful Web :

SCARSDALE — Felix Dolan spent the last decades of his life revolutionizing piano backup for Irish traditional music. The 76-year-old retired IBM executive and longtime Scarsdale resident died Tuesday at home surrounded by his family. Within minutes of announcement of his death, members of the international community that plays Irish traditional music were on Facebook and other social media sites, mourning his passing. “Tonight the internet is on overdrive as people pay homage to Felix Dolan, a truly great man and a gentleman,” Sligo fiddler and Westchester County Assistant District Attorney Brian Conway wrote on his Facebook page . “I have been consumed by thoughts of Felix, over the last few weeks in particular, and I always come back to that wonderful warm smile that greeted everyone who came in contact with Felix.”

Image via CrunchBase A series of talks and live performances on the third Friday of every month Bryan Duggan – How TUNEPAL Works 15 Henrietta Street, Dublin 1 Friday 19th April 2013, 8.30pm Dr. Bryan Duggan will present April’s ‘Notes & Narratives’. A lecturer in the School of Computing in DIT and an accomplished flute player, Duggan is the author of TUNEPAL, a search engine app for traditional Irish music. TUNEPAL allows a player to search for tunes either by title or playing and also has options for editing and saving tunes. TUNEPAL is available for iPhone, iPad, Android and at tunepal.org.

Imagine an Ireland where everyone in the country has the chance to learn to play a musical instrument, from the fiddle to the guitar, the drums or even the saxophone. This is the driving ambition of Glaoch An Cheoil, a brand new series for TG4 produced by Mind the Gap Films. The show aims to unite unused or discarded musical instruments with people who have always wanted to learn to play, but never had the opportunity. We are establishing 4 music hubs (one in each of the 4 provinces) – our Ulster centre will be in An Crannóg in Gaoth Dobhair, Co. Donegal! You can join our crusade in two ways: Donate/loan an instrument or Sign up for free music lessons! Do you have an old musical instrument lying under a bed, in the attic or shed, gathering dust in a corner? Perhaps it was bought with the best intentions but never played. Maybe it was handed down from a parent, grandparent or friend but hasn’t been used in years. Would you like to see this instrument being enjoyed by someon...

Cover of Hamilton Harty CMC presents a series of concerts in Dublin city libraries during April as part of the One City One Book initiative. Funded by the Dublin City Council Arts Office Arts Grants 2012 and supported by the Dublin City Council Library Development Office, the concerts on 24 and 25 April 2013 will be presented and curated by composer Benjamin Dwyer and will feature performers Royal Irish Academy of Music Miriam Kaczor (flute), Evelina Ndlova (electric piano) and Margaret Bridge (choral conductor with a choir of eight singers). The programme celebrates James Plunkett’s Strumpet City as the chosen book for the One City One Book 2013, and to mark the influence of Dublin City, which is at the heart of Plunkett’s novel, on Irish composers. Composers featured include John Buckley, Hamilton Harty, Michael Holohan, Donal Sarsfield and Vincent Kennedy.

Goitse (Photo credit: lost penguin ) "TRADTITIONAL groups Goitse and Beoga are taking part in the Magee Traditional Irish Music Society ‘Trad on Campus Day’ on Friday (April 5) in association with ‘The Music Promise’ funding scheme. The Children’s Music Promise was initially billed by the Culture Company as a free musical instrument and tuition for every child in Londonderry but has since been scaled back to a year-long programme of inspirational and transformational learning experiences for children and young people. Utilising UK City of Culture 2013 Music Promise funding the student society has organised a packed programme including workshops with Goitse, followed by a gig featuring Beoga and Goitse together in Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin at 7.30pm." Goitse and Beoga to help fulfil music promise - News - Londonderry Sentinel Related articles Dick Gaughan to play in Mayo Mairtín O'Connor, Zoe Conway and Donal Lunny on Tour Lúnasa to Release Album with RTE Conc...