Showcasing the very best in trad
TRADITIONAL musicians and singers from throughout the county converged on Wexford Arts Centre recently for The Best of Comhaltas Concert.
Hosted by the Loch Garman branch of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, the aim of the evening was to present a showcase of the best of the county’s traditional music and song.
Needless to say, a show such as this is only ever going to have time to focus on a selection of the many wonderful musicians and singers of which the county can boast.
However, taken as a snapshot of the health of traditional music in Wexford today, this concert showed that the standard has never been higher, especially among younger musicians.
The show opened with young musicians from Taghmon, Crossabeg, Shelmalier and Curracloe showing off their skills. The venerable Paddy Berry sang a couple of songs, one about Nicky Rackard, the other about Paddy and The Whale. Award-winning bi-lingual poet Máire Ní Bhriain read three poems: The Visiting Cat Discovers Sean-Nós, Blas, Revenge.
Ballymitty harpist Shelly O’Grady enchanted the house with a couple of beautiful tunes. Kathleen Wickham (flute), Kevin Whitty (mandolin, tin whistle) and Paddy Fortune (guitar) may go by the name No Direction, but once they picked up their instruments they knew exactly where they were going! Kevin’s Bannow Bay on whistle was a poignant affair.
Fear an Tí, Matt Murphy, was joined for a set of tunes and songs by his colleagues in the Bridge Folk & Trad Group (Kevin Murphy - whistle, flute; Statia Boyce - whistle, flute; Tony Boyce - guitar, banjo; Tony Durack accordion).
Statia Boyce’s tin whistle playing on Longing For Home was hauntingly beautiful. Mattie, himself, showed why he is in such demand on the traditional singing circuit when he launched into a raunchy Red Haired Mary. If ever a song is assured of full house participation it is this one! Gorey singer Rachel Ní Fhaoláin sang a lovely lament, An Mhaighdean Mhara, while Tom Coffey was warming up his pipes.
Tom was accompanied by son Rory on banjo for his set. The fine playing of the young Reville quartet from Bannow was accompanied by an infectious good humour.
Tuaisceart Comhaltas was represented by their All-Ireland Fleadh medal-winning U18 Céilí band crew. Their bodhrán supremo, Paddy Doyle, delighted the audience with a wonderful solo performance.
With the clock running down Tuaisceart was joined by as many of the evening’s musicians as could be fitted on stage for a rousing finale set. Sean nós dancer Annmarie Nolan found a few square inches and rattled the floorboards into submission!