September 30th – October 3rd, 2010
www.corkfolkfestival.com

Ireland preps for International folk fever with the 31st annual  Beamish Cork Folk Festival 2010. The Beamish Cork Folk Festival is back from September 30th to October 3rd 2010 in some of Cork City’s  favourite venues. The festival will showcase some the world’s best folk including: Imagined Village, Alan Kelly, Eddi Reader, Beoga,  Iarla Ó Lionáird, Niwel Tsumbu, Catfish Keith, the Kilfenora Céilí
Band and more to come.
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www.nuigalway.ie/arts/artsinaction.html

NUI Galway is delighted to announce the 2010/2011 ‘Arts in Action’ Programme, which invites students to engage with the creative arts during their studies. Aimed at students across the campus, ‘Arts in Action’ offers access to a variety of international-standard arts events throughout the academic year.
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www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOGgmA7CsY8

Cashel’s singer songwriter Billy O’Dwyer Bob’s “The Tipperary Girl” has recently been recorded by Daniel O’Donnell and the Donegal crooner brought it into the Top 50 Irish single charts in July.

The song was touched with tragedy as it was the last recording made by the band’s durmmer John Hickey who lost his battle with liver cancer last Easter.

Billy and the Sorryass Blues band will soon be appearing on Dublin’s  Balcony TV, which should give Billy and the Sorryass Blues Band a huge web profile. Balcony TV has clocked up over 10 million hits on its viral music service to date.
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www.fidilmusic.com

www.westcorkmusic.ie

All hailing from Donegal, what makes Fidil’s achievement even more  remarkable is the fact that they didn’t use any conventional accompaniment such as Guitars, Bodhráns, Piano’s etc. It is their diverse and groundbreaking use of fiddles coupled with the depth of lore and tunes of the Donegal fiddle tradition which make Fidil one of the most unique and entertaining ensembles in Irish Traditional
Music.

Fidil’s line-up is composed of three Donegal fiddle players; 2010 TG4 Young Musician of the Year, Aidan O’Donnell; Ciarán Ó Maonaigh, a former TG4 Young Musician of the year and nephew of Altan’s, Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh; and Damien McGeehan whose unique ability to bring different sounds and technique’s to the fiddle helps see Fidil go  boldly where no Trad band has gone before. This concert is presented
by West Cork Music and Music Network.

For further information www.westcorkmusic.ie or Tel: 027 52788

www.slotpb.com

The world pipe band championships were held in Glasgow, Scotland on  August 14th, with a crowd of over 55,000 in attendance. Two Irish pipe bands carried off first and second place with the top rated Scots pipe band only making it to fourth.

Congratulations St Laurence O’Toole Pipe Band from Dublin who won the  title in a close run battle with Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band from Lisburn and Simon Fraser University Pipe Band from Canada coming  in third place. St. Laurence O’Toole Pipe Band were crowned World Pipe Band Champions 2010, topping off their 100th year anniversary in style. The band have been on fine form also winning the European Championships earlier this year so warm congratulations to St. Laurence O’Toole.

www.wkpf.org

An exciting new Armagh group composed of members of the All – Ireland Championship winning Grade 2 Killeen Pipe Band and Armagh Pipers Club made its debut on Saturday 31st July at a reception hosted by Belfast City Council in the Europa Hotel on the occasion of the European Pipe Band Championships held at Stormont.
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www.musicnetwork.ie

Music Network has recently announced the closing date for applications to three music funding schemes: The Music Recording Scheme 2010, the third round of the Performance & Touring Award 2010 and The Music Capital Scheme 2010. Closing date for receipt of applications for The Music Recording Scheme and the Performance & Touring Award is 5:30pm Monday 4th October, 2010. Closing date for receipt of applications for The Music Capital Scheme is 5:30pm  Tuesday 2nd November, 2010.
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www.trocaire.org/trad

Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh, world renowned fiddle player with traditional music giants Altan, is urging traditional music groups and musicians across Ulster to lend their support to a new fundraising venture for overseas development agency Trócaire.

“This new idea for raising funds for Trócaire’s vital work is called ‘Trad for Trócaire’ and it basically asks traditional musicians to organise a trad session in support of the charity,” said Mairéad who has recorded with Enya, the Chieftains and Dolly Parton during her career. “I love the idea of the traditional music community here at home doing something to help those who are less well off than us and I have no doubt this will receive terrific support.”

Trócaire has teamed up with Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Eireann to run the new national fundraising initiative in September. Comhaltas is at the forefront of the preservation and promotion of Irish traditional music and has hundreds of local branches.

“We are asking musicians, venue owners and the general public to get involved,” said Mairéad. “Put on a session in your venue or your own home, come out and play no matter what your instrument or go along and support a session – no matter where you are in Ulster between the 23th and 29th of September there’ll be a ‘Trad for Trócaire’ session taking place near you!”

“It’s really easy to get involved. Log on to www.trocaire.org/trad to order your information pack or register your event. I would encourage everyone to support this venture. Let’s raise the roof and raise money for a fantastic cause at the same time!” Mairéad concluded.

presents
Damien Dempsey
WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 15TH , 2010

**Tickets go on sale THIS FRIDAY 20 August**

€28 including booking fee from Ticketmaster outlets nationwide
Tel 0818719300 & online at www.ticketmaster.ie

Dublin’s newest live music venue, The Workman’s Club, at 10 Wellington Quay, Dublin 2, are delighted to welcome Dublin’s favourite singer-songwriter Damien Dempsey, for a very special show on Wednesday September 15th. Damien will play this one off intimate club date to celebrate the opening of The Workman’s Club. Damien is currently recording his new album and this will be a rare opportunity for fans to catch him up close and personal, performing in what should be the perfect setting for an original working class Dubliner. Support on the night will be from Eoin Glackin. Tickets for this event are priced at €28 including booking fee and will be available from 9am this Friday, August 20th from the usual Ticketmaster outlets.
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www.secretgarden.no

Available from stores nationwide, to download from iTunes
and to order on CD from www.IrishMusicShop.ie

This September, one of Ireland’s most successful musicians, Fionnuala Sherry, releases her debut solo album. Entitled “Songs From Before” the album features an enchanting collection of some of Ireland’s most cherished and recognisable melodies. On the concept of the album Fionnuala says “for a long time I have wanted to record some of the beautiful traditional Irish songs that I grew up with. This year the dream became a reality!”.
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