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TWO giants of Irish traditional music come together for a rare performance at this year’s John Dwyer Weekend which is taking place in Waterford beginning on Friday night.
The trad music festival is named after a former New Ross sergeant, John Dwyer. It runs in Waterford from Friday to Sunday.
This is seventh year of the John Dwyer Trad Fest which is run in conjunction with the Imagine Arts Festival in Waterford.
John himself, is originally a Cork man but New Ross has been his home for over 40 years now.
He performs on Friday night at 8 p.m. in a gala concert at St Patrick’s Gateway Church featuring Dylan Foley, Jack Tatly, Derek Hickey, Padraig McGovern, John Blake, Mairéad Hurley and many more. Admission is €12, or €10 for senior citizens or students.
The ‘ kings’ of concertina and fiddle will put on a rousing performance that any lover of traditional music will not want to miss on Saturday night at St Patrick’s Gateway Church, at 8 p.m. at 8 p.m. Tickets cost €15 or €12 for senior citizens or students.
Noel Hill is one of those standard-setting voices in Irish music today.
Few musicians in any field or in any generation achieve a position where both audiences and experts agree on their preeminence and mastery of an instrument; Noel Hill’s virtuosity has firmly established him as the defining Irish concertina player of our time.
Frankie Gavin is the most celebrated Irish fiddle player of all time and has performed and recorded with rock legends The Rolling Stones, jazz Legend Stephane Grappelli and world renowned violinist Sir Yehudi Menuhin amongst many others.
He is considered by most to be the most virtuosic fiddle players in the Irish tradition.
They will be joined on Saturday night of by Brian McGrath on piano for what will be certainly one of the most unforgettable performances of the festival to-date. Tickets cost €15 and the concert begins at 8 p.m.
There are pub sessions in various venues across the city along with numerous Irish musical events and workshops.
On Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. music and dance workshops take place at Gaelscoil na nDéise, Carrickpherish. Admission is €25 for instrumental classes, €15 for dance class, €10 for beginner whistle.
For information, contact johndwyertradweekend@outlook.com or 087-9664436
There are fiddle classes with Aidan O’Donnell and Dylan Foley; concertina classes with Mairéad Hurley and Jack Talty and accordion classes with Derek Hickey (TBC), while there will be banjo classes with Brian McGrath (TBC) and tin whistle classes with Ann Marie Grogan.
A tin whistle class for total beginners will also take place on Saturday from 11.30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m.
Flute classes with John Blake, uilleann pipes classes with Pádraig McGovern and sean nós danc classes wiith Irene Cunningham are also planned.
At 3.30 p.m. the final of U-18 composition competition - sponsored by Custy’s Music Shop, County Clare, takes place at Dooley’s Hotel.
This competition is open to U-18 traditional musicians on all instruments.
The winning tunes will be chosen by John Dwyer himself.
On Sunday at 2 p.m. a farewell session featuring John Dwyer and friends takes place at Dooley’s Hotel on Waterford quay.