www.mermaidartscentre.ie

The Irish-Spanish Connection is the name of an interesting, special concert in Bray in March. The concert is to be held on Friday, 27th March at the Mermaid Theatre. The night will feature three acts: Buille, La Musgaña and Cormac Breatnach. This concert will feature Spain’s best-known instrumental folk band, La Musgaña together with special guest, Cormac Juan Breatnach, who himself comes from an Irish-Spanish background. Explore these fantastically strong musical traditions separately and then see how they unite.

www.compassrecords.com

On the Compass Records’ CD, The Maker’s Mark, Scottish guitarist, Tony McManus, melds two of his great passions; Celtic music and a series of some of the finest acoustic guitars being crafted today. It is an unparalleled mix as McManus’ playing meets it match in the form of fifteen expertly paired instruments, courtesy of North Carolina’s Dream Guitars shop.

Paul Heumiller, who brought his expertise to The Maker’s Mark, started Dream Guitars (along with finger style guitarist extraordinaire, Martin Simpson) with a vision of gathering the finest guitars made by the top builders worldwide and offering them all in one place. Dream Guitars has grown into one of the most respected dealerships in the world.
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www.caradillon.co.uk

With an unprecedented response both critically and commercially, Cara’s latest album, Hill Of Thieves, shot into the Official UK Indie Chart at No. 7 on its week of release. This is the highest chart position Cara’s ever had and, considering it’s her most traditional and acoustic offering so far, is quite an achievement, not to mention it’s the first release on new label, ‘Charcoal Records’, set up by her and husband, Sam Lakeman, after leaving Rough Trade Records.

Cara will be performing in Frome, Somerset on St. Patrick’s night with a host of special guests including Brian Finnegan, John Joe Kelly and John Smith among others. She’ll then be touring from late May through the summer taking in a host of international festivals including Edmonton, Cambridge, Shetland, Wychwood, Beautiful Days, Stonehaven and Molesley to name a few.

Go to www.caradillon.co.uk for all news, tour dates and to purchase Hill Of Thieves on CD or digital download.

www.templebartrad.com

Cavan musicians were invited to take part in a traditional music session in the Oliver St John Gogarty pub, Temple Bar, Dublin on February 3rd. The session featured the legendary voice of Seán Ó Sé of An Poc ar Buile fame, Cavan’s lilter, Seamus Fay, Fear an Tí was Radio Éireann’s Kieran Hanrahan, singer, Dick Hogan, accordionist, Martin Donohoe, fiddler, Gene Anderson and rhythm, King Trevor Bury, as well as a host of local Dublin musicians. The session marked the end of the 2009 Temple Bar TradFest for which Designworks created the new brand identity. The festival organisers have declared it their best year to date and attribute much of the increase in awareness and numbers attending the festival to the impact of the new design and its effectiveness in print, signage and online. A brochure designed by Designworks for Fáilte Ireland to promote Connemara won a HSMAI award. The awards are viewed as the country’s flagship tourism awards. Visit www.designworks.ie for the full story.

www.failteireland.ie

In February, Martin Cullen TD, Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, met with the heads of fifteen State tourism agencies, State arts bodies, and the cultural institutions to begin the work of further developing the cultural tourism market. This is the first step in implementing the Minister’s undertaking, to put in place an initiative to further develop the potential of cultural tourism. The Minister’s aim is, “to present Ireland as a first-choice destination for culture seekers and the examination of opportunities for creating new jobs, building additional arts/culture events and carefully-themed product development for the international market.” He said that cultural tourism is growing in importance internationally, adding, “It has been achieving average annual growth rates of 15% - three times the overall growth rate for tourism. It represents a third of all tourism business and is high yield. It is essential that Ireland places itself as a premier destination for the many tourists for whom experiencing culture is an important component of their holiday.”

Research carried out by Fáilte Ireland indicates that the largest segment of potential visitors to Ireland is in the category known as sightseers and culture seekers. This sector makes up over half (50 to 60%) of Ireland’s overseas holidaymakers each year.

www.returntocamden.org

As part of the St Patrick’s Festival
The London Irish Centre in association with
Return to Camden Town Festival present
In Concert:

Le Chéile
‘Iconic Irish Traditional Music Band’ The Irish Post
Legendary band from the 1970s, reformed in recent years with new members Andy Martyn (accordion) and Paul Gallagher (flute) joining original band members Danny Meehan (fiddle), Liam Farrell (banjo), Kevin Boyle (guitar/ piano) and John Roe (piano).
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August 1st, 2009
www.IrelandsMusicAwards.com

Ireland’s top traditional, folk and Celtic music industry stars will be recognised and awarded for their contribution to the industry at “Ireland’s Music Awards” which will take place in the Royal Theatre, Castlebar, Co, Mayo this summer on the night of Saturday August 1st 2009. The event will take place as part of “The World Fleadh” international Irish & Celtic music festival, but is a stand alone event and is expected to draw massive crowds to Castlebar, Co. Mayo for the Gala Ceremony.
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July 24th – August 15th, 2009
www.theworldfleadh.com

“THE WORLD FLEADH INTERNATIONAL IRISH & CELTIC MUSIC FESTIVAL TO BE HOSTED IN CASTLEBAR”

After the outstanding success the 2008 festival in Portlaoise, The World Fleadh International Irish & Celtic Music Festival returns with a fantastic selection of top Irish and Celtic music acts from around the globe alongside quality special guest acts from other musical genres. Festival Directors are delighted to announce the brand new location of Castlebar, Co. Mayo which will host the event between July 24th and August 15th 2009.
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July 31st – August 3rd, 2009
www.ocarolanfestival.ie

The O’Carolan Harp and Traditional Music Festival, Keadue, Co. Roscommon, Ireland, now in its 31st. year has established itself over the years as one of Ireland’s leading musical events.

The 2009 Festival which is held under the auspices of C.C.E. takes place over the August Bank Holiday weekend from July 31st. to August 3rd. while the O’Carolan Summer School in Traditional Music, Song and Dance precedes the Festival and takes place from July 27th to July 31st.
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Website :: www.fidilmusic.com
Audio samples :: www.myspace.com/fidilcd

Ciarán Ó Maonaigh :: Fiddle
Aidan O’Donnell :: Fiddle
Damien McGeehan :: Fiddle

“One of the most challenging and beautifully austere albums of the last fifty years.”
Sean Laffey, Irish Music Magazine

Music Network is delighted to announce a concert by Fidil on Thursday 5th March, at 8.00pm in Triskel Arts Centre. Fidil are Ciarán Ó Maonaigh, Aidan O’Donnell and Damien McGeehan who were awarded a place in 2008 on Young Musicwide, Music Network’s development programme for selected young professional musicians.
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