An evening of song and dance
CRAOBH Loch gCarman CCÉ presented a St Patrick’s Weekend show with a difference at Wexford Arts Centre.
The county’s newest branch of Comhaltas put on a cabaret very much in keeping with the weekend, which brought together traditional musicians, singers and dancers along with poets and storytellers from throughout the county.
The highlights throughout the evening were many: Aisling Cadogan and Olivia Walsh on harps gave a fine rendition of Aileen Kennedy’s ‘ There is No Night’ and followed up with O’Carolan’s ‘Sí Beag Sí Mór’.
The six young lads of Skins & Strings played a powerful set of reels (‘Easy Club’ and ‘ The Congress’) and jigs (‘ The Mouse in the Kitchen’ & ‘ The Jug of Brown Ale’). Alice and James McIntyre (fiddle and guitar) played some more reels – ‘George White’ and ‘Over the Moor to Maggie’. Barbara Walsh (on accordion) and daughter Una (on harp) performed a short, but perfectly balanced, set – ‘Strike the Gay Harp’ and ‘Hannah’s Polka’.
Multi-talented Una had danced earlier in the evening with her young sean nós dance colleagues. On the dancing side there were children no older than five years sean nós dancing like they had done it all their lives. Senior dancer Ciara O’Grady was very impressive, moving with ease and grace as she demonstrated the Clare battering step and other set pieces. Former branch Chairman Paddy Berry sang about ‘Paddy the Whale’.
Julie Walsh Kurylo read a couple of poems by her much lauded late brother John Francis Walsh.
Poet Máire Ní Bhriain’s mix of Irish, English and bilingual poems was very well received. Máire loves to work at the interface between both languages, especially latching on to Irish words that we like to use in everyday dialogue.
Her lightness of touch combined with an economy of style and a subtle humour means she gets you on her wavelength every time.
One of the most engaging performances of the evening came from writer, poet, journalist and musician Peter Murphy. Apart from reading extracts from his own writings he dived into the works of poets Louis McNiece and Dylan Thomas.
Poet Deirdre McGarry was involved in the most interesting collaboration of the evening as live music was matched with each of her poems.
The poem “Brian’s Bodhrán’ was followed by a bodhrán solo courtesy of young Darragh Doyle; ‘Carolan’s Farewell’ was followed by the tune of the same name played, with exceptional poignancy, by Alice and James McIntyre. The final poem ‘ The Piper’ led into a beautiful set of tunes from Clonroche uileann piper Éanna Harrington.
Singer and songwriter Fergal O’Hanlon is a folk singer par excellence with shades of English folk hero Sam Lee to his delivery. Add to this a natural sounding country/bluegrass sensibility and you have a musician working off a very eclectic palette. Fergal is currently working on his debut solo album.
Amanda Kehoe also sang ‘Caledonia’ to her own piano accompaniment.
Audience participation prize of the evening, had there been one, would have gone to traditional singer and Craobh Loch gCarman chairman Matt Murphy for his rousing ‘Auld Triangle’.