Kilkenny Tradfest 2017

ST PATRICK’S WEEKEND

A FESTIVAL OF TRADITIONAL MUSIC, SONG & DANCE

www.kilkennytradfest.com

WELCOME/FÁILTE This year we’re celebrating the 5th anniversary of Kilkenny Tradfest in the Marble City. We’re incredibly excited to be welcoming a fantastic range of hugely talented artists from across the country for this celebration of Irish traditional and folk music. With a line-up including Paul Brady, Ushers Island, Beoga who recently recorded with Ed Sheeran for his latest album, Eleanor McEvoy, Heidi Talbot, Pauline Scanlon and Fourth Moon, we are proud to present classic trad music with contemporary blends as well. We hope that you will enjoy planning your visit which can take you from one music gig to another, and enjoy this lively and special festival in the heart of Kilkenny.

Táimid ag súil go mór le deireadh seachtain fada den scoth i gCathair na gCat. Bí linn i gCathair Meanaoiseach na hÉireann chun gach a mbaineann lenár gcultúr a cheiliúradh. Is anseo go mbeidh an ghabhar á róastadh!

Is mise le meas, Cllr Malcolm Noonan (Chairperson) FESTIVAL COMMITTEE Cllr Malcolm Noonan (Chairperson), Cllr & Mayor Patrick O’Neill, Cllr Joe Malone, Joe Reidy and Martin Bridgeman FESTIVAL TEAM Marian Flannery (Festival Director), Carrie Hart (Festival Assistant), Karol Ryan (Website) BOOKING & INFO www.kilkennytradfest.com, www.ticketmaster.ie and Rollercoaster Records, Kieran Street, Kilkenny Mon - Sat 10am to 6pm, Sunday 11am - 5pm

TRADFEST 2017 SPONSORS THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT MAIN SPONSOR

TRADFEST 2017 HOTEL PARTNERS THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT

CONTENTS Paul Brady .............................................................................................................................................. 1 Declan Sinnott & Vickie Keating ............................................................ 2 Mary MacNamara, Sorcha Costello & Andrew MacNamara ............................................................................................... 2 The Voice Squad ........................................................................................................................ 3 Pauline Scanlon & Band ........................................................................................... 3 Nuadán ........................................................................................................................................................ 4 Dermot Byrne, Steve Cooney & Brid Harper ................ 4 Heidi Talbot ........................................................................................................................................ 5 Fourth Moon .................................................................................................................................... 5 Beoga................................................................................................................................................................. 6 Eleanor McEvoy & Ushers Island ........................................................... 7 Bulmers Music Trail .............................................................................................8 & 9 Workshops .................................................................................................................10 & 11 Barry McCormack & John Hegarty .............................................. 11

PAUL BRADY VENUE: St. Canice’s Cathedral, The Close, Coach Road TICKETS: €35 (plus booking fee) from ticketmaster.ie kilkennytradfest.com or Rollercoaster Records.

Unallocated seating

Paul Brady is one of Ireland’s most highly regarded and successful artists. He crosses musical boundaries again and again incorporating folk, rock, blues, traditional Irish and classic pop styles into his songwriting.

His live performances, whether solo or with full band, include songs from his extensive catalogue of 40 years. His songs have been covered by a huge array of major artists.

An evening with Paul Brady on stage is a captivating experience, as he invites you into his world of songs and music in a way that will surprise in its intimacy, sense of fun and raw power.

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Date: Thursday 16 March DOORS: 7pm // ON STAGE: 7.30pm

DECLAN SINNOTT & VICKIE KEATING

VENUE: Cleere’s Bar & Theatre, Parliament Street TICKETS: €15

(plus booking fee) from ticketmaster.ie kilkennytradfest.com or Rollercoaster Records.

MARY MacNAMARA, SORCHA COSTELLO & ANDREW MacNAMARA Date: Friday 17 March DOORS: 9pm // ON STAGE: 9.30pm VENUE: Home Rule Club, John’s Quay TICKETS: €10 from Home Rule Club call 086 2430372 or on the door OR ROLLERCOASTER RECORDS

We’re proud to present world-renowned Irish guitarist, producer, songwriter and Folk legend Declan Sinnott, accompanied by singer/ songwriter Vickie Keating, who has accompanied Declan in harmonies on ‘Window on the World’.

Declan was a founding member of Moving Hearts and played with Christy Moore for over thirty years.

Natives of the famously musical Tulla in East Clare, Mary MacNamara is an acclaimed concertina player and recording artist with an impeccable background in music, who has put out several outstanding albums. Mary is joined by her daughter, Sorcha Costello, who has had some great success in Fleadh competitions.

Joining them for this performance is Mary’s brother Andrew MacNamara who plays his own individual style of traditional Irish music and has the knack of electrifying audiences.

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Date: Saturday 18 March DOORS: 9.30pm // ON STAGE: 10pm

THE VOICE SQUAD The Voice Squad is made up of Phil Callery, Fran McPhail and Gerry Cullen who together have a style of singing in harmony that gives the group a unique sound. As a group they have been much in demand as studio session musicians adding their vocal textures and melodic colour to the recordings of other artists who have included; The Chieftains, Rita Connolly, Christie Hennessy, Elvis Costello, Jimmy McCarthy, Sinead O’Connor, Liam O’Flynn, John Renbourn and Dolores Keane.

We welcome them back to Kilkenny Tradfest 2017 and are delighted to have them as a part of the festival line up, singing in the city centre’s gorgeous new Medieval Mile Museum.

PAULINE SCANLON

Date: Saturday 18 March DOORS: 8pm // ON STAGE: 8.30pm VENUE: Medieval Mile Museum, St Mary’s Lane, High Street TICKETS: €15

(plus booking fee) from ticketmaster.ie kilkennytradfest.com or Rollercoaster Records.

UNALLOCATED SEATING

SPECIAL TICKET OFFER FOR BOTH THE VOICE SQUAD & PAULINE SCANLON GIGS €25, ONLY AVAILABLE FROM ROLLERCOASTER RECORDS

& BAND

Date: Saturday 18 March DOORS: 10pm // ON STAGE: 10.30pm VENUE: Medieval Mile Museum, St Mary’s Lane, High Street TICKETS: €15

Pauline Scanlon is a talented vocalist and songwriter who electrified the Irish music scene with her stunning debut album, Red Colour Sun, produced by John Reynolds over ten years ago. Deeply immersed in the tradition, yet completely aware of the edgier developments within the folk and world music realm, Scanlon is capable of making the oldest ballads sound immediate and fresh while granting newer material a timeless resonance.

“Her voice is a superb mix of china cup fragility and steely strength” The Irish Times

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(plus booking fee) from ticketmaster.ie kilkennytradfest.com or Rollercoaster Records.

Unallocated seating

NUADÁN

Date: Thursday 16, Friday 17, Saturday 18, & Sunday 19 March TIME: From 6pm VENUE: Matt The Millers, John St Lower TICKETS: FREE EVENT

Nuadán are a four piece band from the West Waterford Gaeltacht, An Rinn. The band is made up of the remaining members of a band that won the prestigious Siansa Gael Linn Competition in the National Concert hall in 2013. They play tunes and songs in both Irish and English as well as sing local sean-nós songs from An Rinn with arrangements. Not to be missed!

Date: Sunday 19 March ON STAGE: 6pm VENUE: Paris Texas, High Street TICKETS: FREE EVENT

Dermot Byrne, Brid Harper and Steve Cooney have joined forces to tour in 2017 and look forward to a re-union that only happens sporadically due to all their individual demands. They will play a series of concerts in March and we’re delighted that they’ll be featuring at Tradfest together.

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DERMOT BYRNE, STEVE COONEY & BRID HARPER

HEIDI TALBOT

Date: Sunday 19 March DOORS: 7.30pm // ON STAGE: 8pm VENUE: Cleere’s Bar & Theatre, Parliament St TICKETS: €15 (plus booking fee) from ticketmaster.ie, kilkennytradfest.com or Rollercoaster Records

From Co. Kildare, Heidi Talbot, became a folk star in the USA as a member of the Irish American band, ‘Cherish the Ladies’. From her gossamer voice to the delicate re-working of traditional and contemporary material that earned her rave reviews for her album Angels Without Wings. Heidi slips effortlessly between musical worlds but retains a personal modesty rooted in traditional folk. “Simply vocal heaven” The Sunday Times

FOURTH MOON

VENUE: Billy Byrne’s, John Street TICKETS: €10 (plus booking fee) from ticketmaster.ie, kilkennytradfest.com or Rollercoaster Records

Fourth Moon line-up consists of Mohsen Amini (Concertina), David Lombardi (Fiddle), Géza Frank (Whistles, Flute, Pipes) and Jean Damei (Guitar), who between them have performed globally with their own projects and also with the likes of Riverdance and Carlos Nûnez. Amini from Scotland, originally met the band in Limerick, where the other three at the time were studying a Masters in traditional music at the World Academy of Irish Music, UL.

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Date: Sunday 19 March DOORS: 9pm // ON STAGE: 9.30pm

Date: Thursday 16 March ON STAGE: 10pm VENUE: Paris Texas, High Street TICKETS: FREE EVENT

Beoga are based in County Antrim. The bedrock of their sound lies firmly within the Irish tradition, however, they are not afraid to incorporate other genres. The Wall Street Journal describes them as “the most exciting new traditional band to emerge from Ireland this century.” Their unique sound features the twin duelling accordions of Damian McKee and multi-instrumentalist Seán Óg Graham, pianist Liam Bradley and four times All-Ireland bodhrán champion Eamon Murray, and the line-up is completed with Niamh Dunne, on vocals and fiddle. Most recently the band were asked by Ed Sheeran to accompany him on songs for his latest album, ‘Divide’.

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BEOGA

ELEANOR McEVOY First on stage for this special evening of Irish music is award winning Eleanor McEvoy, one of Ireland’s most accomplished contemporary singer/songwriters. Best known for her songs Sophie, Harbour, The Secret of Living, and of course Only A Woman’s Heart, Eleanor will be performing songs from her latest album “Naked…

Live” as well as others from her vast repertoire.

Double Headliner

USHER’S ISLAND DATE: Friday 17 March DOORS: 7pm // ON STAGE: 7.30pm VENUE: Watergate Theatre, Parliament St TICKETS: €25

Following on from Eleanor’s performance we’re thrilled to present Usher’s Island. The five names in this band read like a nominations list for an Irish traditional music hall of fame; Andy Irvine (Sweeney’s Men, Planxty, LAPD, Patrick Street, Mozaik), Dónal Lunny (Bothy Band, Planxty, Moving Hearts, LAPD, Mozaik), Paddy Glackin (Bothy Band, LAPD), Michael McGoldrick (Lunasa, Capercaillie) and John Doyle (Solas).

Each is a talented soloist in their own right, but in this new band they offer a blend of old and young and of vocal and instrumental talents that results in exceptional music. This is an evening not to be missed.

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(plus booking fee) from ticketmaster.ie, kilkennytradfest.com or Rollercoaster Records.

BULMERS MUSIC TRAIL EVENT

OPEN TRAD SESSION

FREE EVENTS TIME

VENUE

ADDRESS

9.30PM

CLEERES BAR & THEATRE

28 PARLIAMENT ST

EVENT

TIME

VENUE

ADDRESS

THE BARDS

6PM

THE FIELD

2 HIGH STREET

ANTHONY MCAULEY AND FRIENDS

6PM

KYTELERS INN

KIERAN STREET

NUADÁN

6PM

MATT THE MILLERS

1 JOHN STREET LOWER

TRAD & BALLADS MICK LEECH

6PM-8PM

LANIGANS BAR

29 ROSE INN STREET

PASCAL WALSH

7PM

CHRISTY’S BAR

34 UPPER PATRICK ST

TRAD TRIO

8PM-10PM

HIBERNIAN BAR

1 ORMONDE STREET

RAGLAN ROGUES

8.30PM

KYTELERS INN

KIERAN STREET

JOHN TRAVERS

8.30PM-11PM

PV’S BAR AT THE KILFORD ARMS

JOHN STREET

HILLBILLY PORTER

9PM

THE FIELD

2 HIGH STREET

TOMAS JACKMAN

9PM

THE DYLAN WHISKY BAR

5 JOHN STREET LOWER

TRAD KARAOKE

9PM

BIDDY EARLY’S

6 JOHN STREET LOWER

TRAD SESSION

9PM- 11PM

BOLLARDS BAR

31 KIERAN’S STREET

IRISH DANCING WITH CUCHULAINN

9PM

LANIGANS BAR

29 ROSE INN STREET

WHISKERS OF LICHEN

9.30PM

RYAN’S BAR

3 FRIARY STREET

THE NORE SESSIONS: TRAD AND BALLADS

9.30PM

O’GORMAN’S PUB

41 JOHN STREET

BEOGA

10PM

PARIS TEXAS

HIGH STREET

EVENT

TIME

VENUE

THE PADDY CLEERE BAND

2PM-5PM

KILKENNY RIVERCOURT HOTEL THE BRIDGE, JOHN ST.

THE SHAMROCKERS TOSS THE FEATHERS THE MAGUIRES COMHALTAS CILL CHAINNIGH NUADÁN WHISKERS OF LICHEN ANTHONY MCAULEY AND FRIENDS HILLBILLY PORTER BLUE MASSEYS LAST ORDERS PASCAL WALSH DANNY BURKE THE KELTIC KATS ROSS KEARLY SHANRAGH DROICHEAD NUA

3PM 3PM-5PM 4PM 4.30PM 6PM 6PM 6PM 6PM 6PM 6PM - 8PM 7PM 7PM 7PM-9PM 7PM-9PM 7.30PM 8.30PM-11PM

THE FIELD LANIGANS BAR PARIS TEXAS BOLLARDS MATT THE MILLERS RYAN’S BAR KYTELERS INN THE FIELD J.B BURKES BAR LANIGANS BAR CHRISTY’S BAR BREWERY CORNER LANGTONS KILKENNY RIVERCOURT HOTEL KYTELERS INN PV’S BAR AT THE KILFORD ARMS

THE PARADE 29 ROSE INN STREET HIGH STREET 31 KIERAN STREET 1 JOHN STREET LOWER 3 FRIARY STREET KIERAN STREET 2 HIGH STREET 42 JOHN STREET 34 UPPER PATRICK ST. 34 UPPER PATRICK ST 29 PARLIAMENT STREET JOHN STREET THE BRIDGE, JOHN ST. KIERAN STREET JOHN STREET

NO HOT ASHES

9PM

THE FIELD

2 HIGH STREET

THURSDAY 16TH MARCH

FRIDAY 17TH MARCH

FREE EVENTS

FREE EVENTS ADDRESS

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WEDNESDAY 15TH MARCH

BULMERS MUSIC TRAIL EVENT VINNY NOLAN CUCHULAINN TRAD SESSION SEANNY O’RAW DAMIAN NOLAN PHIL & GILL ACOUSTICATS BEN REEL BAND

FREE EVENTS TIME 9PM 9PM-11PM 9PM-11PM 9.30PM-11PM 9.30PM-11.30PM 9.30PM 10PM 10PM

VENUE BIDDY EARLY’S LANIGANS BAR BOLLARDS BAR KILKENNY ORMONDE HOTEL KILKENNY RIVERCOURT HOTEL THE DYLAN WHISKY BAR KYTELERS INN RYAN’S BAR

EVENT

TIME

VENUE

ADDRESS

ABBEY FOLK

5PM

THE FIELD

2 HIGH STREET

SATURDAY 18TH MARCH

ADDRESS 6 JOHN STREET LOWER 29 ROSE INN STREET 31 KIERAN STREET ORMONDE STREET THE BRIDGE, JOHN ST 5 JOHN STREET LOWER KIERAN STREET 3 FRIARY STREET

FREE EVENTS

NUADÁN

6PM

MATT THE MILLERS

1 JOHN STREET LOWER

ANTHONY MCAULEY AND FRIENDS

6PM

KYTELERS INN

KIERAN STREET

TOMAS JACKMAN

6PM

J.B BURKES BAR

42 JOHN STREET

WHISKERS OF LICHEN

6.30PM

RYAN’S BAR

3 FRIARY STREET

PASCAL WALSH

7PM

CHRISTY’S BAR

34 UPPER PATRICK ST

ABBEYFOLK

8PM

KYTELERS INN

KIERAN STREET

WICKERHOUSE

8PM-10PM

LANIGANS BAR

29 ROSE INN STREET

THE CELTIC GROOVE

9PM

THE FIELD

2 HIGH STREET

GARETH O’BRIEN

9PM

BIDDY EARLY’S

6 JOHN STREET LOWER

PADDY FEST

9PM

ORCHARD HOUSE

NEW ORCHARD ROAD

TRAD SESSION

9PM-11PM

BOLLARDS BAR

31 KIERAN STREET

SEANNY O’RAW

9.30PM-11PM

KILKENNY ORMONDE HOTEL

ORMONDE STREET

THE PRESIDENTS

10PM

RYAN’S BAR

3 FRIARY STREET

SHANRAGH

10PM

KYTELERS INN

KIERAN STREET

STEPHEN MURPHY

10PM-12AM

KILKENNY RIVERCOURT HOTEL THE BRIDGE, JOHN ST.

TIME 6PM 6PM 6PM 6PM 6PM - 8PM 6PM 7PM-9PM 8.30PM 9PM 9PM 9PM 9PM 9.30PM

VENUE THE FIELD MATT THE MILLERS KYTELERS INN RYAN’S BAR O’GORMAN’S PUB PARIS TEXAS BIDDY EARLY’S PV’S BAR AT THE KILFORD ARMS KYTELERS INN THE FIELD ORCHARD HOUSE LANIGANS BAR THE DYLAN WHISKY BAR

SUNDAY 19TH MARCH

EVENT RUSTY SPRINGS NUADÁN ANTHONY MCAULEY AND FRIENDS SUNDAY SESSIONS (VARIOUS ARTISTS) BALLADS & CRAIC WITH PAT AND BOZO DERMOT BYRNE, STEVE COONEY & BRID HARPER CAROUSE PAUL FLYNN TOMAS JACKMAN LOOSE CANNONS TOM BOLGER MEASCA KEVIN & EUGENE

FREE EVENTS ADDRESS 2 HIGH STREET 1 JOHN STREET LOWER KIERAN STREET 3 FRIARY STREET 41 JOHN STREET HIGH STREET 6 JOHN STREET LOWER JOHN STREET KIERAN STREET 2 HIGH STREET NEW ORCHARD ROAD 29 ROSE INN STREET 5 JOHN STREET LOWER

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FRIDAY 17TH MARCH

WORKSHOPS

TICKETS: €10 (plus booking fee) from ticketmaster.ie kilkennytradfest.com or Rollercoaster Records.

Clare Horgan Seán Nós Singing

Saturday 18 March | 2pm | Parade Tower | Kilkenny Castle By the age of eleven, Clare had reached national level in the Fleadh Cheoil in the Sean-nós category (unaccompanied singing in the Irish language). From a childhood steeped in the rich tradition of Irish music, Song, Dance and Culture. Clare is delighted to have joined the all female Sean Nós choir Cór Ban Chúil Aodha in Baile Bhúirne under the baton of Peadar O’Ríada.

SORCHA COSTELLO Fiddle

Saturday 18 March | 2pm | Parade Tower | Kilkenny Castle Fiddle player Sorcha Costello from East Clare, is the daughter of Mary MacNamara and hails from a family emerged in traditional Irish music.

Sorcha is in great demand as a teacher of music because of her ability to transmit her unique style which has the trademark rhythm and swing qualities of generations of her family.

MARY MACNAMARA Concertina

Saturday 18 March | 2pm | Parade Tower | Kilkenny Castle Mary’s musical style was honed and perfected as a young girl. Her workshop will focus on helping the student musicians to improve their rhythm and play music with competence confidence and conviction. The objective will be to teach a selected number of tunes with this focus of quality rather than quantity.

TOMMY LANIGAN Bodhrán for Beginners

Sunday 19 March | 2pm | Parade Tower | Kilkenny Castle

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Tommy learned to play the bodhrán in his teens and never looked back “over the years my talent has given me the privilege to play in bands and sessions, travelling the world and performing alongside some the greats in Irish Music”.

THE VOICE SQUAD

Harmonised Singing Workshop

Date: Sunday 19 March START TIME: 2pm VENUE: Parade Tower, Kilkenny Castle TICKETS: €10 (plus booking fee) from ticketmaster.ie, kilkennytradfest.com/book-tickets or Rollercoaster Records.

The union of the distinct tenor voices of Fran and Phil plus the bass of Gerry, along with their own particular arrangements of good songs, has made them one of the most distinctive unaccompanied singing groups of recent times.

CONVERATION & PERFORMANCE

BARRY McCORMACK & JOHN HEGARTY

Date: Saturday 18 March START TIME: 3pm VENUE: Town Hall, High Street (The Tholsel) TICKETS: €15

(plus booking fee) from ticketmaster.ie, kilkennytradfest.com/book-tickets or Rollercoaster Records.

John has been a songwriter and multiinstrumentalist for many years now and recently released his collection ‘Into The Great Unknown’.

Held in the intimate surroundings of the Town Hall, this event begins with Barry and John talking about their songs and the balladeers of Dublin, followed by performances from both musicians. Hosted by festival Chairperson Malcolm Noonan.

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Barry McCormack is one of Ireland’s foremost and prolific songwriters. Drawing on the rich ballad tradition Barry has, over a career spanning thirty years, honed a talent that has won him many accolades and cult status on the Dublin music scene.