Trad music fills the air at the Opera House
LOVERS of traditional music converged on the National Opera House, Wexford on St Patrick’s Day for a live broadcast of RTE Radio 1’s Céilí House programme.
The three-hour show, presented by Kieran Hanrahan, featured a selection of the county’s top traditional musicians along with some very special guests including Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh and Colm Mac Con Iomaire.
While the show attracted a great turnout to the National Opera House it also went out live to a national and international audience through RTE Radio 1’s FM and online broadcast.
The show opened with a large troupe of musicians from Bannow CCÉ / Danescastle Music Group under the watchful eye of Áine Kennedy. Embedded in their ranks were the award-winning Scór and Siansa Gael Linn groups.
An order should be issued immediately appointing Wexford Harp Ensemble / Cruitirí Loch Garman as Wexford music ambassadors. That the group is so spectacularly good is down to the diligence and perseverance of teacher, musician and composer Aileen Kennedy.
Aileen and fellow harpist Aoife O’Donnell stayed on to contribute to a highly varied and entertaining set by Gorey / Ballygarrett CCÉ which started with Michael McGoldrick’s Farewell to Whalley Range and finished with some rip-roaring polkas.
Tuaisceart CCÉ may have had the smallest of the ensembles in the first hour of the show but they created a huge sound.
The show recommenced with violin supremo, composer and music improviser Colm Mac Con Iomaire. The Frames founder member creates music which is worlds away from that which he would have played on the road with Glen Hansard and the lads.
The task of turning the dial back up to 11 went to The 3 Ds, a talented young trio from New Ross. Eoin Doyle (uilleann pipes), Eoin Doyle (banjo) and Daragh Doyle (banjo, bodhrán) are members of Craobh Loch Garman CCÉ. There was a poignant note in proceedings as Kieran Hanrahan recalled the passing earlier in the week of the musician Liam O’Flynn.
Wexford uilleann piper, Mark Redmond, who, just the day before, had performed at Liam’s funeral service, spoke of the huge musical legacy he left and how he influenced the current generation of pipers. In tribute, Mark performed the slow air Aisling Gheal.
The star attraction of the evening was Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh. The former front woman of Danú was joined by multi-instrumentalist Gerry O’Beirne and fiddler and leader of the Irish Memory Orchestra Niamh Varian-Barry.
‘This is exactly what we needed as we prepare to make our bid for Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2020.’ said Craobh Loch Garman Chairman Matt Murphy.
He described the event as a major shot in the arm for traditional music in Wexford and a timely acknowledgement of the wealth of talent here.