Festival Highlights Frankie Gavin & Máirtín O’Connor out with salsa groups, including Son14 and Sonora La Calle. In 2001 the band visited John Joe Kelly plus special guest Karan Casey Cork to play the Jazz Festival. Huge crowds turned up to listen and dance to them at Like Mike, John Joe was born and raised in Manchester to Irish The Vineyard. Their success grew with a hectic touring schedule with 2005 tours of parents. He began playing the bodhrán at the age of seven, and | SAT.4TH | ST FIN BARRES CATHEDRAL | 5PM | ?20 Béal Tuinne | FRI.3RD | THE PAVILION | 8PM | ?20 the UK and Canada followed as well as one off shows in Germany, Belgium, Greece rapidly established himself as a force of nature on the instrument. Frankie Gavin & Máirtín O’Connor plus special guest Karan Casey come together for a and Italy. In 2006 they released their fourth studio album,‘El Camino’ (The Road).The He won the All-Ireland championship an astonishing six times, and Béal Tuinne came together to perform songs based on the poems unique concert at St Fin Barres Cathedral. Evening Standard described their forth album, ‘The tight Cuban piano and percussion then turned professional in his teens. He has toured the world with of the late Caobhín Ó Cinneide.The songs describe life and events kick off an exuberantly good-time salsa track that seamlessly weaves in a Scottish reel on Flook and Michael McGoldrick, and recorded with a host of stellar names. in Baile an Mhuraigh, at the western end of the Dingle peninsula. Frankie Gavin fiddle and pipes.Their fourth album and they’re swinging.’ The collaboration is led by composer Shaun Davey and singer Rita Frankie Gavin was born in 1956 in Corrandulla, Co. Galway. Mainly Ed Boyd Connolly, with Kerry traditional musicians and singers, Seamus learning by ear, he was strongly influenced by the 78 recordings of John Wynne & John McEvoy (The Pride Of The West) Having learnt the piano from a young age, started playing the guitar Begley and Eilis Ní Chinneide. Davey’s melodic music is performed Michael Coleman and James Morrison. Sessions in the Cellar Bar, in his teens and spent his formative years listening to fingerstyle ? in traditional,‘sean nos’style, with Ó Cinneide’s words sung in the original Irish. Beal Galway and later in Hughes’pub in Spiddal led to the formation in | SAT.4TH | AN SPAILPÍN FÁNACH | 9.30PM | 10 gurus John Renbourn, Bert Jansch and Pierre Bensusan. Moving to Tuinne’s first concert in St. James’s Church, Dingle, was filmed by Phillip King, and 1973 of De Dannan, with Dolores Keane, Johnny‘Ringo’McDonagh, John Wynne Manchester when he was 18, he discovered the rich Irish Music featured in a TV documentary shown on RTE. The CD recording is released on Tara Charlie Piggott and Alec Finn. He has recorded 16 albums with De Dannan as well scene there and quickly immersed himself therein. Asked by house- John Wynne is regarded as one of the best traditional Irish flute Records.The full line-up is: Seamus Begley (button accordion and vocals), Eoin Begley as a one a tribute to Joe Cooley entitled ‘Omos do Joe Cooley’ with Paul Brock ,and mate Mike McGoldrick to join the fledgling band Flook on its very first UK tour players of his generation. From Roscommon, he was naturally drawn (concertina and button accordion), Eilis Ní Chinneide (vocals, whistle and flute), Rita one with Stephane Grapelli exploring the languages of jazz and traditional music. He in 1995, he has been a member ever since, as well as working closely with McGoldrick to playing in the celebrated North Connaught style. He was started Connolly (vocals and guitar), Lawrence Courtney (vocals and banjo), Jim Murray & has also guested with The Rolling Stones on their‘Voodoo Lounge’ album, and with with many other artists including Cara Dillon, Karan Casey, Sharon Shannon and at eight years of age, on whistle by Paddy Ryan, and from the age of Donagh Hennessy (guitar), and Shaun Davey (harmonium and vocals).When Earl Scruggs, the great banjo man. Lúnasa to name but a few. available…Daithi Ó Sé (vocals), and Noel Eccles (percussion). ‘Davey’s deeply thirteen, he moved to the flute, receiving a huge amount of help sympathetic compositions scatter stardust across Ó Cinneide’s extraordinary tales of Máirtín O’Connor and encouragement from legendary Roscommon flute player, Patsy Hanly. His play- The Lee Valley String Band ordinary lives …A glorious meithil,a snapshot of a glorious summer’s evening of music’. Máirtín began playing the accordion at the age of nine, and his ing is strongly influenced by the great players of the region, including Peter Horan, | SUN.5TH | THE PAVILION | 9PM | ?15 Siobhan Long, Irish Times. remarkable career has seen him as a member of many of traditional Matt Molloy, Seamus Tansey, Pakie Duignan, Josie McDermott, Catherine McEvoy and music’s leading groups including, Midnight Well, De Dannan,The Tommy Guihen, among others. John has won All-Ireland titles at various grades on The Lee Valley String Band has been playing old time and bluegrass Finbarr Dwyer | FRI.3RD | AN SPAILPÍN FÁNACH | 9.30PM | ?10 Boys of the Lough, and Skylark. His first solo album‘A Connachtman’s flute and whistle. music since they formed in 1968 by Chris Twomey, Niall Toner and Colm Toner. Staying true to their original influences of the Carter Finbarr Dwyer is a legend in Irish music. He comes from the Beara Rambles’ established him as a solo musician and proved a major John McEvoy Family and Bill Monroe and the Stanley Brothers, they have been a peninsula but spent many years in England. He recently returned to critical success. As a soloist he has performed with the RTE Concert Orchestra on Bill John McEvoy has established himself as an outstanding exponent prominent presence in the Cork area for 35 years. On their 30th Ireland and now resides in Co. Clare. He comes from a musical Whelan’s ‘Seville Suite’ and in 1995 he played a major role in Bill’s world renowned of the North Connaught style of fiddle playing. Although brought anniversary the band recorded ‘Corner Boys’, which was produced by famous dynasty which includes his brothers Richie, John and the late ‘Riverdance’. up in Birmingham, both his parents came from North Roscommon Nashville producer Jim Rooney.This year at the Folk Festival the band will celebrate 40 Michael Dwyer. Finbarr is a genius on not only the accordion, but Karan Casey with Caoimhín Vallely and Kate Ellis and hailed from families steeped in traditional music and the GAA. years on the road with a special concert featuring Frankie Lane.The current line up is: guitar and keyboards also. He has composed some of the finest tunes in the tradition- One of the most influential – and most imitated – voices in folk John’s early musical influences included fiddle players such as Kevin Chris Twomey (autoharp), Mick Daly (banjo), Mick ‘Tana’ O’Brien (guitar), Brendan al repertoire and these tunes are to be heard in sessions and concerts and on many, music, Karan Casey is a natural innovator. More than a decade ago and Jack Cullen and Paddy Ryan all of whom hailed from Roscommon.Through Butler (mandolin), Kevin Gill (dobro), Pete Brennan (bass), and Hal O’Neill (fiddle). many recordings all over the world. It is amazing to see this man play his accordion. American audiences were introduced to Casey fronting the Irish his association with Paddy Ryan, John had access to recordings of the Sligo fiddle Jackie Hayden wrote in Hot Press magazine,‘Under renowned producer Jim Rooney’s He has an incredible imagination and when he plays, you know he is the real deal – “supergroup”Solas. Following their groundbreaking early releases masters and the McDonagh brothers who left a lasting impression on him. As a result, guidance they strike an uncannily relaxed pot-pourri of banjo,mandolin,fiddle,dobro, he is a trendsetter, not a follower! Casey struck out on her own.That decision was based on an he developed a deep love of the music associated with the North west of Ireland. guitars and vocals that,for once,sounds natural and Irish without a hint of fake twang. independent spirit determined to control her touring schedule and committed to During this time John also got to know whistle player Tom McHale and All-Ireland And the harmonies especially on ‘On My Mind’and ‘Ramblin’and Gamblin’’,are so rich and Niall Toner Band | FRI.3RD | CYPRUS AVENUE | 11.30PM | ?10 maintaining a family life.That family has now grown (her second child, Áine, was born champion, Brendan McGlinchey who lived in Birmingham for a short time. warm and heartfelt you want to bathe in them.’ ‘It’s taken this grizzled veteran of 58 a decade or three longer than most in May of 2006), as has her solo discography. Karan has just completed her fifth solo | | | | ? to finally get around to recording his debut album ‘There’s A Better album entitled ’Ships in the Forest’. Produced once again by Donald Shaw, the new Two Time Polka SAT.4TH AN CRÚISCÍN LÁN 10PM 10 Way’,but what an album he’s made! Niall Toner presented Country album focuses largely on the traditional repertoire.The album was recorded at Karan’s Two Time Polka formed in Cork in 1994 and have developed a The Cork Céilí Mór will take place on Sunday the 5th of music shows on RTE for a dozen years,has written for numerous home in County Cork and features the members of her current touring band: distinctive sound that has its roots in Cajun, Zydeco, and Bluegrass October, 2pm-6pm at the Grand Parade and Bishop Lucy Park.