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Comhaltas Perth
SEÁN DOHERTY BRANCH
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Lessons session every Monday at 7pm at the Irish Club of WA
40 YEARS IN PERTH, AUSTRALIA WHERE THE TRADITION OF IRISH MUSIC, DANCE, AND LANGUAGE IS ALIVE AND WELL.
It was 1 December 1980 when the first Comhaltas Annual General Meeting took place at the Stirling Hall on Bradford Street in Mount Lawley, Perth, Western Australia. Among the attendees were the late Fr. PJ Kelly (RIP), Cecil Cathal (chairman) and his wife Trish (club secretary). Also in attendance were Ray Deely and Russel Johnsen (music officer). Ray Deely still regularly attends the Monday night Comhaltas classes and Perth Irish sessions. In 1982, Ormonde ‘Mór’ Waters acted in the role of treasurer with his son Ormonde ‘Óg’ as training officer. In 1984 Sean Doherty, then chairman, brought Comhaltas to the Irish Club on Townshend Street in Subiaco. The year prior Comhaltas was located at Murdoch University. Since 1984, Comhaltas has established itself at the Irish Club of WA. Sean has been actively teaching Irish traditional music since 1984 to all ages and levels with weekly and monthly lessons and slow sessions which take place both at the Irish Club (every Monday night from 7pm) and The Victoria Park Centre for the Arts (the third Sunday of every month from 2pm to 4pm). Irish language classes also take place each Monday night in the upstairs meeting room of the Irish Club. The Irish language classes are run by Bridie Higgins and Máirtín Ó Dhubhlaigh. Comhaltas Perth Sean Doherty Branch has been the cornerstone for the promotion of Irish culture though music, song, dancing and language in Perth, Australia for over 40 years. Students from years gone by can still be seen performing at the regular Irish sessions and music events throughout Perth. Current members of Comhaltas who have been part of the club since its inception in Perth include traditional sean-nós singer Tommie Kearns and his wife Kathleen, Rita Fallon and Ray Deely.
SEAN DOHERTY AND ROBERT ZIELINSKI –‘THE ROUND HOUSE’ ALBUM CD RELEASE
Accomplished Irish fiddle players Sean Doherty and Robert Zielinski have recently come together to release their first CD collaboration in this wonderful collection of Irish jigs / slip jigs, reels and airs on the fiddle. Sean and Rob are also joined on tracks 5, 6 and 13 by Sean’s son Brendan Doherty on guitar. The Round House is a selection of 15 tracks all recorded in one at Electric Badge Recordings Studios in Glen Forrest, Perth in January 2019. The album was mastered by Sam Jones with the CD photography and layout by Brendan Doherty. The album artwork brings together a wonderful selection of photos captured over the many years of Sean’s playing. The album cover photo was taken at The Round House in Fremantle, Western Australia which was built in late 1830. The port of Fremantle is where Sean and his family first arrived in Australia having emigrated from Ireland via the UK in 1968. The album CD is available to buy for $25 (or concession $20) and can be purchased by getting in touch with Sean Doherty, Brendan Doherty or by getting in touch with Comhaltas via email at perthcomhaltas@gmail.com or Comhaltas’ Facebook page at facebook.com/perthcomhaltas/ . The CD will also be available for purchase at the Monday night lessons at the Irish Club.
As part of Comhaltas’ 40-year anniversary and Sean Doherty’s and Robert Zielinski’s CD album release, Comhaltas will be hosting a music camp at Bickley Outdoor Recreation Camp (Hardinge Rd, Orange Grove) on the weekend of 29-30 October 2021. The camp starts on Friday evening and goes through to Sunday morning. Activities include Friday night session, Saturday workshops, a family bush night walk and evening dinner followed by dancing and an open session. Details of the music workshops can be found on our Comhaltas Facebook page. All past and present members, family and friends are invited to join in the celebration of 40 years! Comhaltas welcome and encourage aspiring musicians of all ages and levels to get in touch. Members of our committee will be able to assist in the many areas of Irish music, song, dance and language, whether that be learning the bodhran, to gain an understanding of sheet music and common tunes played at the Irish sessions, the basics of Irish language and set dancing, amongst many more. Please get in touch either via email at perthcomhaltas@gmail.com or the branch’s Facebook page at facebook.com/perthcomhaltas/. We would love to hear from you. Details of our membership prices are included below. From the committee at Comhaltas we would like to thank our all our members and musicians and the Irish Club committee and staff for your continued support. We also look forward to welcoming new members in the future.
COMHALTAS PERTH, SEAN DOHERTY BRANCH 40-YEAR ANNIVERSARY – BICKLEY CAMP OPEN DAY
COMHALTAS MEMBERSHIP DETAILS
Monday night lessons (non member): $5 YEARLY MEMBERSHIP
Pensioner: $20 Child: $20 Family: $65 Adult (single): $40 Adult (couple): $55
CÉILÍ AND SET DANCING IN PERTH!
TUESDAYS AT THE IRISH CLUB, SUBIACO
Sean Nós - 5.30pm Set Dancing & Céilí - 6.00-7.00pm
