Liz Carroll among stellar line-up of special guests for Sligo Live
ASK anyone in Traditional Irish Music who Liz Carroll is, not only will they tell you who she is, most will have seen her in concert and nearly all will have her albums.
Liz Carroll will return to Sligo Live, accompanied on guitar by Séan Óg Graham from the ground-breaking band, Beoga. Liz Carroll featured in the 2008 and 2013 Sligo Live festivals and is back by popular demand. Liz Carroll and Séan Óg Graham (Beoga) will be special guests of Rhiannon Giddens at the Hawk’s Well Theatre on Sunday, 28th October.
Other special guests joining the stellar line-up at Sligo Live are Susan O’Neill as special guest of Lisa Hannigan at The Hawk’s Well on Friday night, 26 th October and Niamh Farrell with be Saint Sister’s special guest on Saturday night, 27 th October also at the same venue. The Hawk’s Well will host a Trad@lunch concert on Thursday, 25 th October.
Liz (pictured) and her fiddle have been entertaining audiences around the globe. And now, with a recording just released from The String Sisters, and a new album also in the works for this fall, there will be fresh destinations in 2018.
In recent years, Liz Carroll has been honoured with many accolades including becoming the first Irish-American musician nominated for a Grammy in 2010, with John Doyle, for their duet album, “Double Play.” In 2011 Liz was awarded the Cumadóir TG4, the first American-born composer honoured with Ireland’s traditional music prize.
She was born in Chicago to Irish parents. She’s a junior and senior All-Ireland Fiddle Champion, and has toured as a solo artist and with the Greenfields of America, Trian, String Sisters, and as part of the duo Liz Carroll & John Doyle. She’s featured on thirteen albums and has appeared on many more. Liz is a recipient of the National Heritage Fellowship Award (1994).
A mid-week musical treat featuring the exemplary banjo, box and piano playing skills of three members of the award-winning Knocknashee Ceili Band takes place at the Hawk’s Well on Thursday, October 25 th at 1.10pm. Theresa O’Grady and Daithi Gormley both recently released exceptional debut albums and are joined in this very special Trad@Lunch for Sligo Live by Catherine McHugh on piano. Please note this concert takes place in the Hawk’s Well foyer so feel free to bring your own lunch!
From Co. Clare, the prodigiously gifted Susan O’Neill’s soulful and husky-voiced performances are truly something to behold. Using guitar, harmonica, trumpet and loop pedal, Susan delivers a timeless and powerful blend of the old and new and you can see her at The Hawk’s Well on Fri- day, Oc- to- ber
26 th.
An- other talent returning from North America for Sligo Live is Sligo’s own, Niamh Farrell on Saturday, as a guest of Saint Sister. Her versatile voice and love for music and singing was instilled from a very young age. Supremely cool and melodic, Niamh is a stunning talent who crosses genres effortlessly. She spent time as a member of The JP Trio and later of Project West. In 2014 she embarked on a hugely successful World Tour with singer/songwriter David Gray. She will be joined for her Sligo Live concert by former bandmates, Damien Mullane on Box and guitarist Sean O’Meara, both of whom are consummate musicians and household names in the tradition. Most recently, O’Meara toured as a member of jazz/ trad fusion supergroup, The Ollam. Damien, who began his professional career in Frankie Gavin’s legendary band, De Dannan has been described as a virtuoso with an avant-garde playing style.
The festival will again host the world-renowned Fiddler of Dooney competition in association with Sligo Town Comhaltas Branch. Arguably the most prestigious national traditional fiddling award other than the All Ireland, it has been won by the who’s who of traditional fiddlers since its inception in 1965. There are two competitions, the Junior Fiddler of Dooney for under 16s on Saturday 27 th October and the Fiddler of Dooney for senior players on Sunday 28th October. Adjudicators will be well known fiddlers Manus McGuire and Attracta Brady. Manus Maguire will play an intimate concert in the Methodist Hall, Wine Street, on Saturday afternoon at 4.30pm. More details and entry forms are available on-line at Sligolive.ie
Sligo Live MultiPass Tickets at €129.50 + s.c. facilitate booking at all seated concerts, admission to the unique Festival Club, the Arrivals emerging artists’ strand, and the renowned The Fiddler of Dooney competition.
Liz Carroll and Séan Óg Graham (Beoga) join the line-up which includes Dara Ó’Briain, The Boomtown Rats, The Bootleg Beatles, Lisa Hannigan, Hudson Taylor and more.
Catherine McGrath and Síomha headline the Sligo Live Festival Club at Andersons on Friday night, Little Hours and Brave Giant will headline the Saturday night Festival Club @ Andersons and Hudson Taylor will headline the Sunday night Festival Club at Andersons all on the Headline Stage. And continuing the Sligo Live tradition of supporting new acts, a selection of exciting new artists will play on the acoustic Arrivals Stage downstairs over the three nights.
Additional artists will be announced in the coming weeks.
Tickets are on sale from www.sligolive.ie and from the Hawk’s Well Theatre, Sligo (071 916 1518).