Nobber, Co Meath
October 5th-7th, 2007
www.nobberfest.com
This festival which runs from 5-7 October 2007, celebrates the life of
Turlough Carolan, the last of the blind bards and features seminars,
lectures, a traditional music concert, harp and instrumental workshops and
harp competitions. The Festival will open on Friday night and run until
Sunday.
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Release Date: Friday 24th August
Biography
Christened by The New York Times as “Irish America’s Favorite Son”, Andy Cooney has taken the Irish-American music scene by storm. His outstanding voice and dynamic stage presence makes him a favorite with audiences as he renders songs ranging from all-time favorites like “Galway Bay” and “Danny Boy” to his hit records “The Irish Wedding Song”, “Boston Rose” and “Shannon River”. Andy’s talent and versatility provide the ability to deliver a song directly to the hearts of his listeners.
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Wednesday September 5th to Sunday September 9th
www.galwayamericanafestival.com
In recent years Galway truly has become the home of Americana Music in Ireland with many legendary artists such as Steve Earle, John Prine and Jim Rooney finding a home in the Tribal County . To celebrate the rich cross-pollination between the Galway ‘session’ scene and the Nashville outlaw troubadour scene it has just been announced that Galway’s first Americana Festival will take place at venues throughout the city from September 5th to 9th and will feature notable acts such as Mollie O’Brien (sister of Bluegrass legend Tim) and Rich Moore, Clive Barnes, Johnny Dickinson, Niall Toner, Jeff and Vida Band, Moonshine (featuring ex Sweeney’s Men and Planxty guitarist Johnny Moynihan), The Lee Valley String Band and many more.
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www.compassrecords.com
“I called this album ‘A Letter Home’ because it’s really like a set of landmarks, it’s my favourite pieces of music over the last ten years,” says fiddler and composer, Athena Tergis. The collection winds through fourteen tracks of jigs, reels, highlands, set dance tunes and flings with origins in Galway, Cork, Antrim, and Donegal to those from the Scottish Highlands, the Irish community of Chicago and the heart of Cape Breton.
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www.chulrua.com
The band has just released a long-awaited CD, “The Singing Kettle” (Shanachie 23002), which is the culmination of three years’ rehearsal and recording. “Our approach to the music,” says accordion player Paddy O’Brien, “has always been driven by a shared appreciation for the styles of East Clare, East Galway, and West Clare. Most of the tunes come from older musicians we’ve known and learned from over the years.”
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www.musicnetwork.ie
The Music Network/Arts Council Music Recording Scheme is funded by the Arts Council and managed by Music Network in lieu of the Arts Council’s own Music Recording Scheme. The scheme will provide support for professional performers and composers in Ireland through awarding funding for music recording. A total award fund of €71,500 is available in 2007 and awards of up to €10,000 will be made.
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Roscommon Arts Centre, in conjunction with the Roscommon trad forum, announced the re-launch of a series of the best of trad/folk gigs each month from September under the title, “The Reel Thing.” Thursday, September 6th saw the launch of the gigs, and headlining that night were Tony McMahon and Steve Cooney, supported by John Wynne/John McEvoy (Pride of the West). The Alan Kelly quartet (Alan, Arty McGlynn, John Kelly, Tola Custy) will headline in October, followed in November by Máire Ní Chasadaigh and Chris Newman, ably supported by The South Roscommon singers.
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Music/Dance Diploma in Ballinamore (the North West)
www.shaylyn.net
It has taken some time to establish, but students can now apply to do the first year of the BA in Music & Dance from the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, University of Limerick in The Shaylyn Centre, Ballinamore, Co Leitrim. This first year is equivalent to a FETAC Level 6 Diploma. Importantly the course is also an Access Programme that will allow qualifying students apply to join in at the second year of the BA, Degree in Limerick.
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Web: http://homepage.eircom.net/~tradsing
Exciting times are ahead for Sligo Traditional Singing Circle because, with the kind assistance from both The Arts Council and Sligo Arts, they will host a weekend of traditional singing in Sligo from the 28th to the 30th of September of this year.
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www.musicnetwork.ie
Music Network announced an impressive line-up of musicians drawing on musical traditions from the Baltic and the Balkans to Brittany and beyond for its 2007 Autumn Season. The latest season provides a wonderful opportunity to see some of the world’s foremost traditional music ensembles at very affordable prices in venues around Ireland. Music Network is revenue-funded by the Arts Council and the tours are presented in association with The Irish Times and RTÉ Lyric FM.
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