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As part of RTÉ Big Music Week Raidió na Gaeltachta will be broadcasting a series of special programmes, including a series called Dúchas an Cheoil which will feature guest presenters Gary Hastings, Jackie Small, Róisín Nic Dhonncha, Matt Cranitch and Robbie Hannan.

The series Dúchas an Cheoil will run from Monday–Friday 10–14 October at 8.30 pm each evening, and will feature a different guest presenter each evening.  On Monday Belfast flute player Gary Hasting, will examine the different styles of traditional music in Northern Ireland.  On Tuesday evening he hands the baton to Galway box player, fiddler and piper Jackie Small, an enthusiastic follower and long-term friend of the Irish traditional music scene in Germany, and in the programme he presents a brief introduction to some of the performers he has come to know and admire in the traditional music community in Germany.  On Wednesday Róisín Nic Dhonncha, flute and whistle player from Carna in Connemara, will present a programme on sean-nós singing.  In the programme she will explore some of the work of female singers from the Iorras Aithneach area renowned for many years for its singing tradition, and will look in particular at the female singers from the area and their repertoire. On Thursday fiddler Matt Cranitch will present a programme on the life and music of his great fellow fiddler and friend Séamus Creagh who passed away in 2009.  The programme will examine different facets of Séamus’s life and we will hear excerpts from his prolific musical output.  Piper Robbie Hannan from Holywood, Co. Down will present the final programme in the series on Friday evening on duets.  Duets have a special place within traditional Irish music, and on the show we will hear recordings from some of the legendary duets in the tradition, such as James Morrisson and PJ Conlon, Seán Maguire and Roger Sherlock, and more current duos such as Jesse Smith and Colm Gannon.

Raidió na Gaeltachta will also broadcast several other special programmes as part of RTÉ Big Music Week which runs from 10–16 October.  On Tuesday evening at 7pm musician and Music Editor at the station Neansaí Ní Choisdealbha will present a special edition of her programme Ceol Binn ó na Beanna featuring the best in music recorded at festivals and events throughout the country, including the Fleadh Cheoil, the Willie Clancy Summer School, and the London concert in memory of Raymond Roland earlier this year.  On Thursday at 5pm Kíla piper Eoin Dillon will play a live session in studio on Glór Anoir, accompanied by some musical friends.  On Friday at 7pm Peadar Ó Riada will dedicate his programme Cuireadh chun Ceoil to his father Seán Ó Riada’s music and listeners will get a chance to hear some rare recordings, not generally available to the public, during the show. On Saturday evening 7 pm Tomás Mistéal’s programme Timpeall an Tí will feature a selection of the best in live music recorded over the past year, including music recorded at The Gathering in Killarney, Éigse Dhiarmuidín in Cúil Aodha and Pádraig Ó Keeffe festival in Castleisland.  Finally on Sunday at 9pm listeners can hear highlights from an RTÉ Radio concert featuring the 12 shortlisted performers in the RTÉ Breakthrough competition, including the 3 finalists in the trad section and the winner who will receive a bursary of €5000.

All in all, a feast of traditional music on RnaG for RTÉ Big Music Week from 10-16 October 2011.

Further information on programmes www.rte.ie/rnag