www.musicnetwork.ie

“Exquisite singing” – The Guardian [on Parsons]

“A tremendous musician” – Hot Press [on Tourish]

“Sligo has a reputation for its richly rhythmic flute style, and Dervish’s Liam Kelly is one of its finest exponents” – The Irish times

“No one in Irish traditional music is a better guitarist than him right now” – The Wall Street Journal [on Doyle]

Music Network’s Spring 2017 season begins in epic form with a gathering of titans from trad super-groups Arcady, Altan, Dervish and Solas – vocalist Niamh Parsons, fiddler Ciarán Tourish, flautist Liam Kelly and guitar virtuoso John Doyle. On tour from 9 – 20 January, details at musicnetwork.ie.

Time to come in from the cold and gather round as four leading lights of Irish trad join forces in what promises to be an unforgettable tour. At the forefront of the Irish music scene for over 25 years, they’ve performed in every corner of the globe. Leading the charge is Arcady’s Niamh Parsons, a peerless balladeer with one of the most distinctive voices in Irish music.

Donegal fiddle maestro and long-time member of Altan, Ciarán Tourish is fêted for his incendiary improvisation and cascading arpeggios, providing the perfect foil for the invention and rhythmic drive of flautist Liam Kelly. A founder member of Dervish, Kelly is equally at home trading riffs with James Brown, The Buena Vista Social Club or Sting. Add to the mix John Doyle’s signature guitar sound, heard on recordings by Solas, Joan Baez, Usher’s Island, Linda Thompson and Tim O’Brien among others, and you’ll find no finer musical company to carry you through January with a light heart and a skip in your step.

Music Network’s Spring 2018 season also features one of the UK’s finest and most innovative jazz saxophonists in February, followed in March by the most recent winner of the prestigious Leeds International Piano Competition. Two of classical music’s brightest young stars join forces for a new collaboration in April and the season comes to an exuberant close in May with another specially curated line-up showcasing contemporary and traditional songs alongside polkas, slides and waltzes from the wilds of Kerry and Scotland. All this and two new Music Network commissions by Irish composers Siobhan Cleary and Benjamin Dwyer for our March and April tours!

This diverse selection of world-class Irish and international musicians will perform 44 concerts in 19 towns and villages across 14 counties from January to May 2018. Music Network tours are funded by the Arts Council and are presented in association with RTÉ lyric fm. Tickets for all regional concerts are available from individual venues around the country. Single tickets for Dublin concerts range from €10 – €20 (including free programme) and can be purchased by calling Music Network on (01) 475 0224 or booking online at www.musicnetwork.ie. Season tickets including all five Dublin concerts are available from €65. Booking fees apply.

On tour 9 – 20 January 2018

• Tuesday 9th January, The Sugar Club, Dublin 2, 8:00 p.m. Tickets €20 / €15 / €10, 01-4750224 / thesugarclub.com (booking fees apply). Promoted by Music Network
• Wednesday 10th January, Hawk’s Well Theatre, Sligo, 8:00 p.m. Tickets €18 / €16 / €9 (u 18s), 071-9161518 / hawkswell.com
• Thursday 11th January, Station House Theatre, Clifden, 8:00 p.m. Tickets €15 (on the door), 095-21699 (info only). Promoted by Clifden Arts Society
• Friday 12th January, Birr Theatre & Arts Centre, Birr, 8:00 p.m. Tickets €16 / €14 / €8 (children u.13), 057-9122911 / birrtheatre.com
• Saturday 13th January, Mermaid Arts Centre, Bray, 8:00 p.m. Tickets €16 / €14, 01 2724030 / mermaidartscentre.ie
• Sunday 14th January, National Opera House (Jerome Hynes Theatre), Wexford, 8:00 p.m. Tickets €16 / €14, 053-9122144 / nationaloperahouse.ie
• Tuesday 16th January, Triskel Christchurch, Cork, 8:00 p.m. Tickets €15 / €12, 021-4272022 / triskelartscentre.ie
• Wednesday 17th January, Pavilion Theatre, Dún Laoghaire, 8:00 p.m. Tickets €18 / €16 / €12, 01-2312929 / paviliontheatre.ie
• Thursday 18th January, Linenhall Arts Centre, Castlebar, 8:00 p.m. Tickets €17 / €14, 094-9023733 / thelinenhall.com
• Friday 19th January, Droichead Arts Centre, Drogheda, 8:00 p.m. Tickets €16 / €14, 041-9833946 / droichead.com
• Saturday 20th January, Kinnegar Brewery, Ballyraine Industrial Estate, Letterkenny, 8:00 p.m. Tickets €15 / €12, 074-9120777 (An Grianán) / regionalculturalcentre.com. Promoted by Regional Cultural Centre.

For further information www.musicnetwork.ie