Clare County Council will host two free traditional singing workshops during Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in Ennis next week.

The workshops, which offer young singers the opportunity to experience County Clare’s rich singing tradition, take place at the De Valera Public Library in Ennis from 10.30 am to midday on Tuesday August 16th and Wednesday August 17th.  The sessions will also feature demonstrations of traditional songs and style by John Flanagan and Elle Marie O’Dwyer.
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Festival highlights Celtic culture and heritage at 36th annual event

www.IrishFest.com

An Irish immersion experience, Milwaukee Irish Fest offers four days of Celtic music, culture, food and fun. Held August 18-21 on Milwaukee’s Lakefront, the festival features 17 stages with more than 100 musical acts. Some highlights for Milwaukee Irish Fest 2016 include:

New This Year

Entertainment: Milwaukee Irish Fest is excited to welcome 11 new acts to this year’s festival. New acts include international talents like Barrule, Calan, JigJam and De Barra. Special shows for this year include:

Solas - All These Years 20th Anniversary Tour
Moyá Brennan
Trinity Irish Dance Company
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“Masters of Tradition”

www.facebook.com/westcorkmastersoftradition

Bantry, West Cork

Wednesday 17th – Sunday 21st August 2016

Now in its 14th year, Masters of Tradition, taking place in Bantry from 17 – 21 August, continues to celebrate traditional music in its purest form.

Artistic Director Martin Hayes, the renowned fiddler from County Clare, will once again open and close this year’s Masters of Tradition. Joining him in the opening concert will be guitarist Dennis Cahill, fiddler Liz Knowles and New York clarinettist Doug Wieselman. Also appearing throughout the week will be guitarist Steve Cooney; accordion players Dermot Byrne and Colm Gannon; fiddler Bríd Harper; singers Colm O’Donnell, Róisín Elsafty and John Flanagan; flute and tin whistle player Conal O’Grada; uilleann piper Máire Ní Ghráda; pianist Utsav Lal and more.
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Tickets on sale this Friday 22 July at 10am
www.thewillisclan.com

The Willis Clan have announced a very special Dublin show at the National Concert Hall on Thursday 25 August 2016 following the success of their nationwide tour and new album ‘Chapter Two: Boots’.  Tickets priced €30 go on sale this Friday 22 July at 10am. Concessions available for students, OAPs and Group Bookings. The Willis Clan, who recently performed for children in Temple Street Children’s Hospital, will donate a percentage of proceeds to the hospital.
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www.facebook.com/fannyodeas.bar/

Fanny O’Dea is Lissycasey’s most famous character and her family originated from Dysert O Dea Castle.

Fanny was raised a Roman Catholic, got a good education and learnt housekeeping in the Brews Household in Kilrush. She married Owen Coughlan from Knockbeg and in 1790 persuaded him to move to Lissycasey. Fanny built a small mud cabin turning it into a shop dealing in all the necessities of life. Gradually this industrious woman expanded her business. Her humble abode soon became a half-way house catering for travelers going to or from the west. The story is told that during the winter assizes of 1790 a high court judge and his solicitors were travelling by stage coach from Ennis to Kilrush. Impressed by the warmth of the fire, her hospitality and the refreshments Fanny provided, particularly the “egg-flips”, he granted her a licence to sell liquor.
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Friday 12 August, 8pm
www.ballymaloegrainstore.com

Ballymaloe Grainstore is delighted to present a special one-off concert by three of the greatest names in Irish traditional music. On Friday 12 August, the legendary uilleann piper Liam O’Flynn and fiddlers Paddy Glackin and Seán Keane come together to make spectacular music in the Grainstore’s intimate setting.

Born in Kildare to a musical family, Liam O’Flynn (uillean pipes) formed the legendary group Planxty with Dónal Lunny, Christy Moore and Andy Irvine. He has recorded and performed with international musicians as diverse as Van Morrison, Kate Bush, John Cage, the Everly Brothers, Carlos Núñez and Mark Knopfler. His s​oundtrack recordings include Cal, The Field, A River Runs Through It (with Elmer Bernstein), Kidnapped and Roses from Dublin.
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In Aid of Cancer Clinical Research Trust at St. Vincent’s Hospital
Vicar St., Dublin
Fri 2nd Sept at 8.00pm

A concert in memory of RONNIE DREW will take place on Friday, 2nd September in Vicar Street with all proceeds going to the Cancer Clinical Research Trust at St. Vincent’s Hospital, Dublin.   Artists so far confirmed to appear on the night include John Sheahan, Declan O’Rourke, Mike Hanrahan, Eleanor Shanley, The Nualas, Phil Coulter, Mary Coughlan, Phelim Drew with more to be added.
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www.facebook.com/luciacomnesmusic/

Lucia Comnes is an American fiddler-singer-songwriter from San Francisco, California, who has been greatly influenced and inspired by the Irish tradition over the years. Her impressive musical background includes playing/touring with Joan Baez, opening for Paul Bradyand collaborating with Liam Ó Maonlaí, Colm Ó Riain, Seamus Begley and Téada.
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TO REPRESENT MUSIC GENERATION AT THE 32ND ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR MUSIC EDUCATION - PREMIERING THEIR OWN ORIGINAL COMPOSITIONS LIVE FOR A GLOBAL AUDIENCE IN GLASGOW

Fourteen young musicians ages 14 to 19 from Sligo and Donegal will travel to Glasgow later this month to represent Music Generation at the 32nd Annual International Society of Music Education (ISME) Conference. The ensemble, formed especially for the occasion, will premiere their own original compositions on Tuesday 26 July at the National Piping Centre, Glasgow, for an audience of musicians and educators from across the globe.
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June 22 2016

Leo Brennan, musician, entertainer, and father of the talented family which includes the international talents of Clannad and Enya, has died today, aged 90, at his home in Gweedore, Co. Donegal, Ireland.

All of the family have been with him in his final days and the Irish musical community are mourning the passing of a man who dedicated his life to making happiness with his songs.

Leo was born into a showband family and spent much of his life on the road with the Slieve Foy Dance Band playing accordion, saxophone and as a singer. When the showband era finished - and with the demise of the dance halls - Leo set up in a small pub, Leo’s Tavern, in Meenaleck, Donegal in 1968 to continue his enchanting trade.

‘Leo’s Tavern’, as it became known, went on to become a famous place of nightly entertainment and, significantly, a live stage on which all members of the Brennan family have been able to perform and follow in their father’s footsteps. Over the years the pub has hosted a long list of famous names from stage and screen. The musical tradition has continued to this day and is an important focus of tourist interest in the the North West of Ireland.

Leo is survived by his wife Máire ‘Baba’ Brennan and his peaceful passing is equally mourned by his children - Moya, Ciarán, Pól, Deirdre, Leon, Enya, Olive, Bartley and Brídín.

The funeral will take place at St Mary’s Chapel, Derrybeg, Co Donegal at 12 noon Friday June 24th.