August 10th – 17th 2014
www.FleadhCheoil.ie

Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann is Ireland’s biggest traditional Irish music festival, a week long celebration of Irish music, song, dance and culture. From the first timer to the experienced session musician, you’ll find a cultural mix like no other at the Fleadh Cheoil.

Fleadh means party – and this Summer we invite you to visit Sligo, Ireland for this annual celebration of all things Irish. From music concerts to street performances, pageants to pub sessions, we’ve got a great line–up in place for the Fleadh, taking place between August 10th–17th, 2014.
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www.irishfest.com

The Willis Clan tops the line–up of talented bands returning by popular demand to the 2014 Milwaukee Irish Fest, taking place August 14th–17th along Milwaukee’s lakefront. Featured fan favorites performing this year include:

· The Willis Clan, a family of artists and musicians who merge their Irish roots with other music and dance genres to create a unique blend of the old and new.

· Carlos Núñez, a master showman and groundbreaking artist from the Galician region of Spain who remains undisputed as the tradition’s greatest piper.

· The Red Hot Chilli Pipers have fast become a global phenomenon, taking their signature “Bagrock” sound to the masses.

· Award–winning Irish banjo band, We Banjo 3 renowned for their incredible technical virtuosity and musical innovation.

· Gaelic Storm, who is celebrating their fifteenth anniversary of appearing at Milwaukee Irish Fest and is famed for their rousing, energetic shows.

· Glasgow–based Manran who brings a powerful blend of Gaelic and English traditional music and is the only band to use the Highland and Uilleann pipes in one line–up.

· Scythian, classically trained musicians who began as a group of street performers and went on to become one of the most energetic groups around.
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www.oaim.ie

At OAIM there are now 37 full Irish music courses for a wide array of instruments available online, with plenty more in the pipeline for the coming months. Access to ALL these courses, equalling 500+ quality Irish music tutorials is available for the small monthly price of E19.95. OAIM has lessons to suit almost all levels of skill and instruments of choice. If you haven’t logged onto OAIM for a while – now is a great time to log in and check out some of their new courses!

‘Standard Tuning Guitar Accompaniment’

with Cillian O’Dalaigh (The Outside Track)
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Debut Album set for release by the All–Ireland Champions Shannon Vale Céilí Band

www.shannonvaleceiliband.com

Following on from their St. Patrick’s Day performance at Áras an Uachtaráin, Kerry’s award winning Shannon Vale Céilí Band are preparing to launch their debut album in Listowel, Co. Kerry on June 7th.

Shannon’s Lovely Vale takes it’s title from a newly composed tune by renowned musician and composer, Maurice Lennon, of Stockton’s Wing fame. Having composed this piece in honour of the band, Lennon also features as guest artist on the recording. The album includes music and song of North Kerry, much of which previously has been unrecorded.
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www.itma.ie

The Irish Traditional Music Archive is delighted to have been chosen by the International Association of Music Libraries (UK & Ireland) as one of the 2014 winners of its prestigious Excellence Award for Music Libraries, recently presented at a ceremony in Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge.

The Award celebrates institutional and individual excellence, and acknowledges ‘activity in music libraries which demonstrates sustained good work and good practice with the potential to be adopted and adapted by others’. It is presented every two years. The nominations for this year’s awards were judged by a panel of experts from both the music and library worlds, chaired by Professor Jan Smaczny of Queen’s University, Belfast.

ITMA is the only Irish institutional award winner of the year,
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35th Anniversary Festival August 8th – 10th, 2014

www.irishfair.com

The Irish Fair of Minnesota, the three-day annual celebration of Irish heritage and culture, was awarded “Best Public Event” during the Minneapolis–St. Paul Chapter of the International Special Event Society’s (ISES) 2014 Minnesota Star Awards. The Minnesota Star Awards recognize outstanding professionals in the special event industry for all of the events they create, plan, manage and execute each year.

The 35th anniversary of the Irish Fair of Minnesota will be held Friday, August 8th through Sunday, August 10, 2014 on Harriet Island in St. Paul, Minn. With nearly 100,000 attendees each year, this event is the largest free celebration of its kind in the nation.
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August 1st – 4th, 2014
www.jamesmorrisonfestival.com, www.comhaltas.ie, www.fleadhcheoil.ie

The 22nd James Morrison Traditional Music Festival runs from Friday, August 1st–4th, 2014 in Riverstown, Co. Sligo. The unspoiled rural village of Riverstown in an idyllic setting on the banks of the River Unshin, two miles off the N4 at Drumfin, makes for a most enjoyable music festival. Riverstown’s Irish name is Baile Idir Dhá Abhainn (between two rivers). It is an undiscovered tranquil rural retreat 9 miles from Sligo Town, locally noted for the relaxed warmth of its residents. A convivial and also welcoming village atmosphere is the hallmark of an intimate festival which focuses on the real traditional experience, featuring trad pub sessions all day and night, a superb concert, open air ceilís, music workshops and a symposium on John Brehony.

The Official Opening will be performed by Veronica Mc Namara (New Jersey). Veronica is one of the last surviving pupils of James Morrison. The Opening concert on Friday, August 1st features a host of traditional musicians. Artist, Gordon D’Arcy’s workshop on Saturday at 11.00am is always a totally absorbing experience for those children selected to take part. The Diamond is the location of the Saturday and Sunday open air Céilís.

The Festival has frequently been favoured with balmy August Bank Holiday weather where locals and visitors can enjoy the very best of traditional music. Trad music enthusiasts can this year extend their stay in Co. Sligo by booking in early for Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in Sligo August 10th–14th.

For further information visit www.jamesmorrisonfestival.com, www.comhaltas.ie, www.fleadhcheoil.ie
email: info@fleadhcheoil.ie

June 20th–22nd, 2014

www.jimdowlingfestival.com

June 20th–22nd sees the 2nd Jim Dowling Uilleann Pipe and Traditional Music Festival take place in Glengarriff, Co. Cork. The festival looks to revive the tradition of Uilleann piping in the area and is a must for all piping and traditional music enthusiasts. This year’s festival promises to be a spectacular event with a strong artistic line–up featuring renowned names such as De Dannan, Liam O’Flynn, Jackie Daly & Matt Cranitch and Kila’s, Rónán Ó’ Snodaigh.

De Dannan will open the festival on Friday night followed by music sessions in each of the village pubs. This year the festival will offer a range of workshops for all abilities in piping, accordion and the fiddle. One of the highlights of the festival will be an intimate concert with Liam O’Flynn on Saturday afternoon in the Glengarriff Park Hotel.
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SCAIP AN SCÉAL!

Craolfar clár speisialta faoi Chraobhchomórtas Siansa Gael Linn 2014
ar TG4, Dé Céadaoin 23 Aibreán, 10.30 p.m.  Ghlac 8 ngrúpa
thraidisiúnta ó cheann ceann na tíre páirt sa cheolchoirm iontach seo
sa Cheoláras Náisiúnta ar 6 Aibreán, 2014.   Bhí os cionn
míle duine i láthair don ócáid.  Beidh ceol agus amhránaíocht den
scoth le cloisteáil - ná caill é !
Lean sinn ar Twitter #Siansa nó ar Facebook Siansa Gael Linn!

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Don’t miss a special programme on TG4 at 10.30p.m. on Wednesday, 23
April, featuring highlights from the Siansa Gael Linn 2014 final from
the National Concert Hall, Dublin. Eight young traditional music
groups took to the stage to battle it out for the prestigous title of
All-Ireland Champions in front of an audience of over 1000 people.
Follow us on Twitter #Siansa or on Facebook Siansa Gael Linn!

Venue: IMRO, Copyright House, Pembroke Row, Lwr Baggot St, Dublin 2
Date: Tuesday, 22nd April
Time: 7pm
Booking: Email: events@imro.ie or call IMRO at 01 661 4844

This April, IMRO will be welcoming Iarla Ó Lionaird and Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh in for a chat about their recent success with The Gloaming as part of the IMRO Interviews series. The event is open to the public and free to attend. To reserve a place at this event, email events@imro.ie.

IMRO will take this opportunity to present Iarla and Caoimhín with an IMRO Award to acknowledge their recent No.1 Irish Independent Album Chart ranking with the The Gloaming album which was produced by Thomas Bartlett and released in January on Real World Records. The Gloaming features New York pianist Thomas Bartlett (aka Doveman), Chicago guitarist Dennis Cahill, fiddle master Martin Hayes, hardanger innovator Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh and singer Iarla Ó Lionaird.
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