Toe-tapping music at Monroe’s as trad’s finest take to stage

Local talent is to the fore in Monroe’s next week when some of Galway’s finest musical residents perform in the venue as part of Galway International Arts Festival.

First up is the sublime accordion player Sharon Shannon, who will be on stage on Tuesday, July 12.

Sharon, who stepped in at short notice last year to play the Big Top with John Grant when Sinéad O’Connor cancelled, will perform with her band and audiences can expect an energetic show that will range from trad to reggae as she combines different genres in her own unique way.

Tickets for her show are €30 /€28 and are available at www.giaf.ie.

On Wednesday night, four of the leading men of Irish music will be on stage. Lúnasa founder Sean Smyth will be on fiddle and flute, Alan Kelly on piano accordion, Galway’s own Jim Higgins will play bodhrán / percussion and Jim Murray will be on guitar.

These men have been at the forefront of Irish music for more than 20 years, performing all over the world with major names including Lúnasa, Sharon Shannon, Christy Moore, Eddi Reader, De Danann, Altan and Riverdance.

Sean Smyth’s groundbreaking 1993 solo debut, The Blue Fiddle, was named one of that year’s 10 best albums by The Irish Echo. Three years later, the Mayo man formed Lúnasa with Donogh Hennessy and ex-Waterboy Trevor Hutchinson. They have toured the world and released seven highly acclaimed and award-winning studio albums.

Roscommon-born Alan Kelly is credited with reviving the piano accordion in traditional Irish music and is one of its finest exponents. Renmore’s Jim Higgins, formerly a member of The Stunning and The Saw Doctors, now plays with both The Máirtín O’Connor Band and Altan. He is currently performing with Christy Moore. Completing the line-up is Cork’s Jim Murray who has toured and recorded with Sharon Shannon since 1999. Jim also released two critically acclaimed and award-winning albums with Kerry accordion player Seamus Begley.

This is rare chance to hear four of Ireland’s leading musicians perform together.

Doors 8pm, tickets €20/€18 online, www.giaf.ie.