Busy week

All go here. Had a lovely rehearsal with the Connemara Gang for Sunday’s Traidphicnic Fest gig at 6.45 on Mainstage; Ceardlann, Spiddal. Couple more days to get mixes finalized before Mastering Session of the forthcoming CD with Lena Ullman. Phew!
Also, the end-of-year student concert in Tigh Giblin’s upstairs last Saturday was great; some fine music was played! Sessions in Donnelly’s in Barna and Padraigin’s in Furbo and Taaffe’s in Galway over the weekend. Check out the gig listing…. img_3048

img_3049

Céili House Program/Traidphicnic brochure

If you missed Céilí House from An Droighnean Donn in Spiddal you can have a listen on the rte website…google rte and Céili House and select June 3rd on the program archive. Some lovely music, all promoting the Traidphicnic Festival May 30/July 1/2.. Music from Connemara will be celebrated with the final Sunday evening gig and I am looking forward to join Steve Sweeney and friends on the main stage!

traidphicnic-brochure

Nice few gigs this weekend

check out gig calender— two sessions in Padraigin’s Friday and Sunday night; with Ged Foley and Steve Sweeney. In Loughrea Saturday afternoon with Murray & Falkenau playing for kids celebrating International Children’s Day. Taaffe’s Saturday night. And Sunday evening tunes in Blakes on Eglington Street with guitarist Kevin Hough and Philip Doddy on fiddle, tin whistle and songs. all lovely happenings :-121111s-005c

Congrats to my fiddle students

Big Congrats to my fiddle students for beautiful performances at The Galway County Fleadh in Portumna last weekend! Mary Duggan took 1st place in Slow Airs (age 15-18), Sinead Duggan placed 1st in Fiddle (12-15), also 2nd in Slow Airs, and in the Miscellaneous Instruments Category. Aimee McCarthy took 1st place Fiddle Slow Airs (12-15),  Shauna McCarthy came 2nd in Slow Airs U12. And after only 9 months of playing, Orna McCormack was awarded joint 3rd place in the U9’s. Well done to all!

A few Pix from Ceilidh House Recording

Here a few pictures from the lovely night last Saturday night: Ceilidh House recording in the Droighnean Donn in Spiddal. The Program will air on JUNE 3rd from 9pm RTE1. It featured a host of great musicians young and old. We had some lovely tunes in the bar afterwards.

Ceilidh House recording
Ceilidh House recording

img_2544 img_2547

Dream Weather

It has been so beautiful here the whole week; feeling very lucky, to be surrounded by such stunning beauty! Inspiring. The House Band has the tunes organised for Saturday’s Ceilidh House recording; looking forward. Also, tomorrow night Ged Foley will be with us again in Padraigin’s; love the musical spontaneity and bounce between  the three of us! Not too often that is found! Sunday, session in Blakes. Great tunes! Hope see you at one of the events.

Old-Time Gig

looking forward to an old-timey session at The Crane with the wonderful Ben Keogh (vocals, guitar, five-string banjo), Lena Ullman (vocals, five-string banjo) and myself. This Friday, 9.30pm.

Sunshine

A sunny day here in Galway. Beautiful. The first one since a very rained out Saint Patrick’s Day weekend. I was most grateful for the music and great company throughout the day. A long but rewarding day. Five gigs ahead between this Friday and this Sunday…all around Galway. News of a gig confirmed during The Traidphicnic in Spiddal, July 2nd, on the main stage. It’s great to see the trees turning green again!

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day

Wishing you all a very Happy Saint Patrick’s Day! It will be a music marathon for me, and I am looking forward…In Spiddal on the Stage 11.30-12.30 with Johnny Og Connolly agus chairde. Session in Droighneann Donn in Spiddal 1.30pm till 3.30pm with Steve Sweeney and Ged Foley. Over to Connemara Coast Hotel for 4pm where Eoghan Burke aka Fia Rua and myself are playing tunes and songs, traditional and otherwise. Over to Padraicin’s in Furbo for 6.15pm … Steve and Ged and myself will be on early evening & night time double shift. I am sure we’ll re-visit quite a few tunes that may have not been played for a while :- All welcome, and all day time events are certainly in a  kids friendly setting!