Entertainment
Musicians gather to celebrate legendary Johnny
Johnny Connolly, master of the melodeon and much-loved traditional musician, will be honoured at a special event in the Park Lodge Hotel, Spiddal, next Friday, May 13. Musicians and friends from Ireland and abroad will come together for a night of music, song and dance to celebrate the Connemara man’s contribution to traditional music over the past 50 years.
Performers will include Máirtín O’Connor; John Carty; Marcus ó hIarnáin & family; Seamus Begley; Mary Shannon; Joe Burke; Don Stiffe; Liam O’Connor; Charlie and Eilís Lennon; Liz & Yvonne Kane; Meaití Jó Shéamuis; Mick Foster; Harry Bradley; Colm & Kelly Gannon; Caitríona & Pól Ó Ceannabháin; Neansaí Ní Choistealbha and more.
Johnny’s flawless style has seen him being described as ‘King of the Melodeon’. He has been in great demand over the years for concerts, at sessions or as an accompanist for set- or sean-nós dancing. His vivacious, rhythmic playing, and welcoming presence at sessions is admired by musicians and listeners alike, and his love of the traditions and culture of his native Connemara colours every tune he plays.
Johnny first solo album, An tOileán Aerach, was released in 1991 to great acclaim throughout the traditional music world. Some years later, he released Drioball na Fáinleoige or The Swallow’s Tail, on which he was joined by accompanists Charlie Lennon and Steve Cooney. In 2004 he released An Mileoidean Scaoilte, and in 2010 he joined forces with Marcus Ó hIarnáin to record Seoda na nOileán – Island Treasures.
Johnny Phádraic Pheter as he is known locally, is originally from the small island of Inis Bearacháin off the Connemara coast.
Having lived for many years in Preston, he returned home in 1976 and has since lived in Cor na Rón in Connemara with his wife Patricia, a Sligo native. They have three children; renowned accordion player, Johnny Óg Connolly, Jimmy Connolly a TV editor, and Mary Ellen who teaches in the Jesuit National School in Galway.
Next Friday’s concert, In Ómós Johnny, will commence at 9pm and tickets (€10) are available at Tigh Giblin, Spiddal; Taaffes Bar, Tigh Chóilí and the Crane Bar in Galway.
Folk duo Niall Teague and Pádraic Joyce are launching their new album What Will We Be, a blend of folk, Americana and acoustic music, this Friday, May 19, at 8pm in An Taibhdhearc.
The success of their well-received 2020 release Taobh le Taobh, as well as recent successes at the Pan Celtic and Oireachtas Song Contests, spurred the duo on to record this new album which represents many years of collaboration and musical development.
It features Niall and Pádraic on vocals, harmonies, and acoustic guitars, Maidhc Ó hÉanaigh on double bass and Neil Fitzgibbon on fiddle. The catchy title track, What Will We Be, features contributions from percussionist Jim Higgins (The Stunning, Christy Moore, Paul Brady) and haunting, driving melodies on vocals, guitar, and fiddle.
Themes of love and hope are woven through Come Away with Me which features interplay between piano and fiddle as well as rich vocal harmonies.
People, places, and broken dreams are celebrated and lamented on Martin and Tom, Guitar Gold, Memories of You and Achill Island. The influence of David Henry Thoreau’s novel Walden features on the tracks Simple and Wise and Walden, with the beauty of nature, escape and simple pleasures at their core.
The album moves from minimalistic folk ballads such as Galway Ghost to swirling, string-laden arrangements on the song Neptune, both of which are influenced by maritime tales from Galway. Much of the work on this album was supported by the Arts Council, including work with musical arranger Eoin Corcoran and the string ensemble Treo.
The album will be launched this Friday, May 19, at 8pm in an Taibhdhearc. Tickets €22, plus booking fee at Eventbrite.ie.
Dunmore is the place to be this weekend for lovers of traditional music, as the Galway County Fleadh will take place there from this Friday, May 19, to Sunday, May 23.
It is 10 years since Dunmore last hosted a fleadh and the local Comhaltas branch, which has re-formed since Covid, is looking forward to facilitating this gathering of music, song, dance and craic.
The official Opening Concert will take place in Dunmore Town Hall this Friday at 8pm with the acclaimed Mulcahy family from Limerick. Mick, Louise and Michelle are well known throughout the country, thanks to their live performances, television appearances and numerous CDs. They were the winners of the TG4 Gradam Ceoil Grúpa Ceoil Award for 2023. Tickets for their concert can be purchased on the door and a great night of music is promised.
Two days of competitions will kick off this Saturday at the town’s Community School, with more than 1,500 competitors taking part. Participants will be hoping to qualify for the Connacht Fleadh 2023, which will be held in Ballina, County Mayo, from June 23 to July 2.
Competitions for those aged Under 10, Under 12 and Under 15 will be held in a large variety of instruments on Saturday, as well as in singing and Comhrá Gaeilge. Sunday’s competitions will be for the Under 18 and Over 18 ages groups, as well as in dancing.
On both days a large entry is expected for Grúpaí Cheoil and Céilí Band competitions across all age groups.
Seventeen Comhaltas branches from across Galway will have participants in this weekend’s competitions, which will result in a large number of visitors to the Dunmore area.
Members of the public are welcome to attend the competitions, which offer a great opportunity to hear and see the talent on display. There will be sessions in local pubs over the weekend as well and everybody is welcome to attend these.
For more information on the County Fleadh, go to www.galwaycomhaltas.ie.
Music for Galway’s concert with renowned Swiss pianist Cédric Pescia which had been due to take place on April 27 but which had to be deferred, will now take place next Tuesday, May 23, at 8pm, in the Emily Anderson Concert Hall at the University of Galway.
This concert of German classics with Bach at its core, will brings the Bach element of Music for Galway’s 41st season to an end.
This world-class pianist who won the famous Gina Bachauer International Artists Piano Competition, has a repertoire that spans many eras from baroque to contemporary and he is widely known for his elaborate programmes. Cédric Pescia describes music as ‘language and movement at the same time’.
Audiences will have a chance to experience his soft, clear touch as he performs a programme for solo piano that will include classics such as Schumann’s popular Waldszenen (Forest Scenes), a suite of nine short pieces, and the penultimate of Beethoven’s piano sonatas, No. 31. These pieces will be interspersed with French Suites by Bach.
■ Ticket for Cédric Pescia’s concert are available at www.musicforgalway.ie, or by phone 091 705962 and on the door on the night. They cost €20/€18. The price for fulltime students of all ages is €6 while MfG Friends can avail of the friends’ rate of €16.
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