The 36th Cork Folk Festival 1-4th October.
‘A Taste of Southern Traditions’
Followers of great trad music, if you want a taste of southern traditions then the place to go on the first weekend in October is Cork. Many of Ireland’s finest bands, musicians and singers will be travelling south to perform at one of the nations favourite music festivals. The festival will feature over 200 national and international musicians performing in 10 venues. Headline acts this year include Jimmy MacCarthy, Peadar O Riada, Paddy Glackin & Donal Lunny, Paddy Keenan plus some of Ireland’s finest trad groups, including DERVISH, DANU, CHERISH the LADIES, The VOICE SQUAD, TREELAN and BUILLE.
Jimmy MacCarthy Cork’s international songwriter will be the headline artist at this year’s Cork Folk Festival. Jimmy is known to all for writing enduring hit songs like The Contender, Bright Blue Rose, Ride On and As I Leave Behind Neidin. His concert at the Opera House is sure to thrill all his followers and enthuse a new audience with a mixture of old and new songs.
Mo Ghille Mear will be the premiered at the Cork Opera House, this concert will feature some new compositions by composer, musician & choir director Peadar O Riada. His concert entitled “Mo Ghille Mear ” will present a very special evening of new compositions, pipes concerto and orchestral arrangements of Cór Cúil Aodha’s well known repertoire. Along with Peadar are special guests, Cork’s own well known singer Seán O’Sé, Cór Cúil Aodha, the highly regarded performer and teacher of Irish Uilleann pipes Mick O Brien & Camerata Chorcaí, a professional chamber orchestra made up of Cork’s most experienced and versatile orchestral musicians under the baton of Musical Director John O’Connor.
DERVISH have had a great year including a new album The Thrush in the Storm, plus some wonderful performances on Fleadh TV at the Sligo Fleadh. Dervish’s line up features Cathy Jordan (vocals, Bodhran, bones), Tom Morrow (fiddle, viola), Shane Mitchell (accordion), Liam Kelly (flute, low whistle), Michael Holmes (bouzouki) and Brian McDonagh (mandola, mandolin).
DANÚ from Na Déise feature Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh (Flute and Vocals), Donnchadh Gough (Bodhran), Dónal Clancy (Guitar), and Benny McCarthy (Accordion), Éamon Doorley (bouzouki), Oisín McAuley (Fiddle).
CHERISH THE LADIES are a much-loved, Grammy nominated, Irish-American super group formed in New York City in 1985 to celebrate the rise of women in what had been a male-dominated Irish music scene. Features Joanie Madden (Flute), Mary Coogan (Guitar), Mirella Murray (accordion), Nollaig Casey (fiddle), Kathleen Boyle (piano) and Deirdre Connolly on vocals.
BUILLE was formed in 2004 by Armagh born brothers Niall and Caoimhín Vallely as a vehicle to perform a body of new music composed by Niall. The music was based on traditional forms but freely borrowed stylistic elements from various genres including jazz, blues, Eastern European music and contemporary classical music.
THE VOICE SQUAD are a traditional Irish singing group the members are Gerry Cullen, Phil Callery and Fran McPhail. They have recorded two albums and have toured Ireland, the UK and the US. The Voice Squad have a considerable repertoire of Irish traditional songs and have always sung unaccompanied. They have been compared to English family groups of similar style, such as ‘The Watersons’ and ‘The Copper Family’.
A Tribute to Seamus Creagh Concert will be the highlight on Saturday of the festival at Cork School of Music. This concert will celebrate the life and music of one of Cork’s finest fiddle players Seamus Creagh, although Seamus was from Westmeath he played most of his music in Cork. The all star line up of this concert features: Matt Cranitch & Jackie Daly, The Four Star Trio (Johnny McCarthy, Pat Ahern & Con O’ Drisceoil), Aidan Coffee & Geraldine & O Callaghan, Jimmy Crowley, Hammy Hamilton and Máire Ni Chéileachair and special guests Donal Lunny & Paddy Glackin.
Donal Lunny is one of the key figures in the history of Irish traditional music. He has been founding member of some of the seminal bands in the traditional music scene, including Planxty, the Bothy Band and Moving Hearts. He continues to be an influential performer and producer.
Paddy Glackin is one of Ireland’s best-known traditional fiddlers. He was born in Dublin with strong family links to Co Donegal. He is also a former member of The Bothy Band and is a noted commentator and lecturer on Irish music. Paddy is also in demand as a session player and a senior producer in RTÉ Radio.
PADDY KEENAN is a player of the uilleann pipes who first gained fame as a founding member of The Bothy Band. Generally acknowledged as the most accomplished uilleann piper performing today, Paddy is certainly one of the most brilliant musicians of his generation. He can rightfully claim his place alongside such open-style legends as pipers John Cash and Johnny Doran.
International Acts
Over the 36 years of the festival the international element has always added variety and interesting combinations. Travelling from the UK will be ace guitarist Martin Simpson who last featured in Cork in 1980 with June Tabor. Also coming from the UK are musical comical geniuses, THE NEW ROPE STRING BAND who are on their final tour. BAYRISCH will be coming from Germany; they are group of Bavarian musicians and will perform with Eoin O Riabhaigh, Timmy and Tony McCarthy. Some of the other interesting acts include BALKAN ALIEN SOUND based in Derry, The Céili Allstars, Frankie Lane & Paul Kelly, TWO TIME POLKA, Arundo, and visitors from the Warwick Folk Festival. For people who love song there will be many events to choose from, including competitions for budding songwriters, song classes, singers club events, a talk by Jimmy Crowley on his new book, ‘Songs from the Beautiful City’ and the launch of a new book by Seán Ó Sé.
A SEASON TICKET covering 30 events (except Cork Opera House) will be available online from tickets.ie, PROC at €98.
Cork Folk Festival 36th 1st-4th October
Programme
Wednesday 30th Sept
The Lord Kinsale 9pm: Songs by the Fireside
Thursday 1st Oct
Cork City Library: 1pm Jimmy Crowley “Songs from the Beautiful City” The Cork Urban Ballads
Cork Opera House Bar 6pm Book launch “An Poc Ar Buile” by Seán Ó Sé, (by invite)
Cork Opera House 8pm “Mo Ghille Mear “Peadar Ó Riada with Cór Chúil Aodha, Camerata Chorcaí Orchestra, Musical Director John O’Connor, Seán Ó Sé & Mick O’ Brien €25
The PAV 9pm DERVISH + Arundo €20
Douglas GAA: 9.30pm Francis O Neill Comhaltas Céilí with Ger Murphy & Ken Cotter €8
The Corner House 9.30pm: Lee Delta Blues Club- Dizzy Blue Band Free
The Oliver Plunkett 10.30pm: BALKAN ALIEN SOUND + BUILLE €15
Friday 2nd October
Cork City Library: 1pm Talk John Nyhan
Crane Lane 7pm: Noel Brazil Contemporary Song Contest Prizes €400
Cork Opera House 8pm: JIMMY Mac CARTHY €31
Cork School of Music 8pm: DANÚ + The Céilí Allstars €20
Cyprus Avenue 8pm: Christy Dignam & Joe Jewell €20
The Roundy Bar 9pm: Lynda Cullen €5
The Oliver Plunkett 10.30pm-2am: New Rope String Band + Frankie Lane & Paul Kelly, Dan & Sarah Bennett €20
An Spailpín Fánach 9.30pm: BAYERISCH IRISH + Timmy the Brit, McCarthy, Tony MacCarthy, Eoin O Riabhaigh €10
Saturday 3rd October
Cork School of Music 11am-1pm: Workshops Flute with Hammy Hamilton & Fiddle Workshops €10/€15
Grand Parade 11am-5.30pm: Food & Folk with BAYERISCH IRISH, Dan & Sarah Bennett
Cork School of Music 1pm: Douglas Comhaltas Concert Free
An Spailpín Fánach 12pm: Déaglán Tallon Traditional Song Contest €400 in Prizes
Cork City Children’s Library 3pm: Song and stories for children
Cork City Music Library 3pm: Percussion Workshop. Free
An Spailpín Fánach 3pm: Cork Pipers’ Club Presents: €10
The Oliver Plunkett 4pm: MARTIN SIMPSON + Greeneshine, Dan & Sarah Bennett €15
Quaker Meeting House 4-7pm: The Sacred Harp Singers of Cork, (donation at door)
Cork School of Music 8pm: A Tribute to Seamus Creagh Jimmy Crowley, Hammy Hamilton, Four Star Trio, Máire Ni Chéileachair, Aidan Coffee & Geraldine O’ Callaghan, Matt Cranitch & Jackie Daly and special guests Donal Lunny & Paddy Glackin €20
On The Pig’s Back 8.30pm: Soiree Concert with Rue du Canal €15 -Booking 4617832
Cyprus Avenue 9pm JOHN SPILLANE €15
An Spailpín Fánach 10pm: ‘Down from the Mountain’ Richie Foley & Paddy Kiernan, Sara Corkery & Brendan Butler, Eileen Healy & Dan Linehan €10
The Oliver Plunkett 10.30pm: Paddy Keenan & Daoirí Farrell, New Rope String Band, Barry Tierney €20
Sunday 4th October
An Spailpín Fánach 12.30pm: Fiddle Concert, Matt Cranitch, Geraldine O Callaghan & many more €10
Venue (TBC) 2-5pm: Céili Mór BAYERISCH IRISH with Timmy the Brit McCarthy, Tony MacCarthy, Eoin O Riabhaigh, Seven Glens (5 piece group from Sliabh Luachra) Free
The Oliver Plunkett 3pm: THE VOICE SQUAD + Colm Murphy & Harry Bradley €15
An Spailpín Fánach 5pm Concertina concert with Paul Clesham, Dónal Savage, Cliona Halley, Seán Ó Fearghaíl & Caoimhín Ó Fearghaíl €10
THE PAV 9pm: CHERISH THE LADIES +Mother Jones Band, Dan & Sarah Bennett €15
An Spailpín Fánach 9.30pm: Cork Singers Club + surprise Guest.
The Oliver Plunkett 10.30pm TREELAN: Niwel Tsumbu, Martin Tourish & Eamonn Cagney, (12pm) TWO TIME POLKA €15
A SEASON TICKET covering 30 events (except Cork Opera House) will be available online from tickets.ie, PROC at €98.