Entertainment
Trad band Roudledum for reunion gig after 30 years
Galway band Roudledum, which was prominent on the local music scene during the late 1980s will make a return to the stage after 30 years with a special gig at Pádraig’s Place at the Docks in Galway City on Friday, July 18, when they will relaunch an album that they first released in 1984.
The four musicians in Roudledum got together in late 1983 to play their music and songs in the Galway/Clare area. They are Gerry Hanley from Castlegar, Seán Ó hÉanaigh from Cárna, Jerry Mulvihill from Meath and East Clare fiddle player Vincent Griffin. Collectively and individually they were part of the resurgence of traditional music at the time.
The 1980s were exciting times for traditional music and the band organised a series of gigs. They also record an album, which was issued only on cassette. A tour of London followed, with gigs and sessions in various well-known venues including the Forum and the White Harte in Fulham Broadway. They met and played with various musicians including Bobby Casey, John Bowe, Finbar Dwyer and many more.
The four members of Roudledum have lived in and travelled to many places in the intervening years, and played their music in many locations. They recently decided to revive the band and to re-live the music they created together.
Now, 30 years on, the Roudledum album has been re-mastered by the man who recorded it, Gerald O’Donoghue of Greenfields Studio, and it has been re-issued as a CD.
The four members may be 30 years older, but time has not dampened their enthusiasm.
Vincent Griffin is a widely respected musician who spent time in London where he perfected his style of playing. He brings a strong Clare tradition to the mix. Box player Gerry Hanley was based in Sligo for years and has performed throughout the world. Jerry Mulvihill is well known on the traditional music scene as a banjo player, who also gigs with his musician wife Mary Staunton. Seán Ó hÉanaigh has composed various Irish language songs, and played for some years in Dublin.
They hope the CD has stood the test of time.
“We were aware of a lot of good tunes, many of which weren’t being played too often in those days. It was very enjoyable playing and recording them for a wider audience at the time” says Gerry Hanley. The four have planned further gigs for the Fleadh Cheoil in Sligo and other parts of the west of Ireland.
“It’s great being together again and we are enjoying the music and comradeship. As long as people enjoy it, who knows what will happen?” says banjo player Jerry Mulvihill.
Traditional music fans in Galway will get a chance to hear the tunes and to relive the music of the 1980s on Friday, July 18 in Pádraig’s Place, at 8pm as part of the Galway Fringe Festival.
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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