Beoga for two shows at Galway Sessions

Beoga will bring their fresh twist to Irish trad when they play play two shows at this year’s Galway Sessions Festival, on Thursday and Friday, June 20 and 21.  The band is made up of Eamon Murray (bodhrán/percussion), Damian McKee (accordion), Seán Óg Graham (accordion/guitar), Liam Bradley (piano/keys) and Niamh Dunne (fiddle/vocals).

A combination of geography and a competitive streak brought Beoga together, Eamon explains.

“Myself and Seán Óg grew up playing together and we always wanted to have a band. We got together with Damien and Liam at the All-Ireland Fleadh in Listowel in 2002. Seán knew the lads in a roundabout way and we just sat down and had a night’s craic, made big plans. it was one of those times where you hit it off musically; we sort of took it from there.”

Eamon was particularly successful at the Fleadhs, having been named All-Ireland bodhrán winner three times. How does the competition work?

“You just get up and play a couple of tunes with a musician that you have provided,” he explains. “One of my sisters used to always play at the Fleadh so we’d go up and play. It was nerve racking, I decided to leave it for a while. I got a three in a row and I said ‘that’ll do me’. Anything else would be pushing your luck.”

Niamh Dunne was the last member to join the band, and and Eamon is quick to praise her.

“When Niamh joined the band [in 2005], it just opened a completely different dimension. Her voice is unbelievable, but she could jump into the string parts that we were already doing. It was great to have scope to that, bring another layer to it.”

Doors 9pm, tickets €15.