Galway’s rising star Conor Connolly performs at TradFest Temple Bar 2023

One of Galway’s brightest stars of the traditional music world is among the headline attractions at Ireland’s largest trad and folk music festival at the end of this month.

Conor Connolly, the button accordion and piano player and singer from Clarinbridge and TG4 Young Musician of the Year for 2019, will play a lunchtime concert in Dublin’s Collins Barracks on January 26 as part of this year’s TradFest Temple Bar.

Coming from an area steeped in Irish music, Conor was always destined to play the accordion, with players like Joe Cooley from the locality and the great Joe Burke, from whom he took lessons.

He started playing tin whistle at the age of eight and with encouragement from his parents moved onto the accordion aged twelve, going to lessons with teacher Mary Murray in Athenry.

He then attended the Anne Conroy Burke and Joe Burke School of Music in Kilnadeema near Loughrea for a few years while playing with the local Kilnadeema branch of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann and local musicians.

In his late teens, he heard the music of Joe Cooley for the first time – as well as other players Tony MacMahon, Fiachna Ó Mongáin and Eoin O’Neill – which spurred him to change from the conventional B/C style of playing to the C#/D system.

Charlie Harris, who lives locally, was also a great source of inspiration and encouragement introducing him to the music of the 78RPM era and such players as Galway legend P.J Conlon from Milltown, and Sligo fiddlers Morrison, Killoran and Lad O’Beirne.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.

Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App

Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper.

Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.

Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite  HERE.

Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.