Sessions
Back to main page!This year Sligo Live embraces the digital age by broadcasting some of the Festival’s top Trad Sessions live on the internet. Similar to a TV show, the on-line broadcasts will zoom in and out of the sessions as they occur, capturing the atmosphere in each venue, with the occasional surprise along the way as guest artists drop into these sessions. The webcasts will be fun and lighthearted and online viewers will be able to interact with the Festival by sending messages directly to the pub. They may even be lucky enough to get the musicians to play their favorite reel or jig or sing their favorite song!
It’s great to open out the session beyond the four walls of the pub; so that anyone can be part of a live music session from anywhere in the world as we stream live shows to home computers and direct to mobile phones. It’s not always easy for Irish traditional music fans from around the world to get to Ireland but this webcast offers people the next best thing, providing both a Live Stream and a delayed webcast.
Sligo Live is dedicated to marketing and developing traditional Irish music alongside more contemporary music. Sligo Live celebrates the session as the core of Irish music. It is a melting pot for young and old to enjoy the true spirit of Irish music and Irish people and a community where long life friendships have begun and where romance can blossom. It is one of Ireland’s richest natural resources.
The Festival nurtures this culture and keeps it fresh in an ever changing Ireland. Traditional music has been at the heart of Sligo Live since our foundation and the Arts Council is supporting the festival again this year through its Traditional Arts funding. The webcasts are an innovative way of developing new audiences for Irish Traditional Music. We hope you enjoy them.
Talented Sligo accordion player Josephine Judge is
joined by a host of local musicians in one of Sligo’s
most enjoyable regular weekly sessions.
Connemara native and longtime Gurteen resident,
legendary box player P.J. Hernon is joined by
Declan Folan, the consummate Sligo style fiddler,
backed by Declan Courell on guitar for a lively few
tunes and even a song or two.
The weekend’s first ‘Young Guns’ session
showcases some of the Mid West region’s finest
talent. 2006 Fiddler of Dooney and multi
instrumentalist, Tara Breen from Ennis, is joined by
Limerickman Cillian Doheny on guitar and banjo
and Limerick born Clare resident, Cillian King on
concertina
Friday’s last session sees top young Fiddler,
Mossie Martin from North Roscommon
join up with Leitrim native and Mayo based
, Brian Lennon, on flute, top Belfast guitarist, Paul
McSherry (Tamlin and Deanta) and Matt Cranitch,
the master of the Sliabh Luchra style, who won the
Fiddler of Dooney competition back in the 70s.
Sligo’s ‘Young Guns’ are represented by Sproai,
who play a fiery uplifting brand of Irish music. They
won this year’s Gael Linn/TG4 Siamsa national
competition for young bands. They are Ted Kelly on
banjo, Elsa Kelly on Harp and Flute, Niamh Farrell
on vocals and flute, Box player, Jos Kelly, Paddy
Hazelton on bodhran and percussion, Lillian Harris
and Lydia Warnock on fiddles.
Keeping it in the family are the Dohertys from
Foxford, three excellent musicians who play as tight
as only families can. Box player Tommy joins his
brothers Stephen on flute and Kevin on double
bass for a lively blast of Mayo music.
Brilliant Sligo Style fiddler, Declan Folen, is joined
by two of the country’s brightest rising stars; All-
Ireland champion, Sligo’s Cian Kearins on Flute and
Breda Shannon from Roscommon on concertina.
Breda won honours in both under 18 flute and
concertina at this year’s All Ireland Fleadh.
Piper, Alan Roberts from Glencar plays this regular
Saturday night slot with Seamus Hernon, from the
well known South Sligo musical family on flute and
Paul McMahon from Belfast on guitar.
The Festival session club presents New York’s Tony
DeMarco (see p.31) together with the eminent flute
player John Wynne from Roscommon, who has
many solo, duet and group albums to his name.
Tony and John are backed on guitar by Shane
McGowan – the South Sligo Shane, not the Pogue!
Father and daughter Colm (flute) and Siobhain
O’Donnell (guitar/bodhran) are joined by box player,
Sean Carroll to jump start Sunday. Both O’Donnells
toured in the superb band, The Border Collies,
which shares the same name as their well known
Tourlastrane, Co. Sligo pub.
This time it is the turn of the Northern ‘Young Guns’
to show what they can do. Four of Co. Down’s best
emerging musicians; Stephen Rooney on guitar,
Niall Quinn on bodhran; Joe Murray on fiddle and
Austin Donnelly on flute and whistle bring a fresh
innovative approach to trad.
Another session we are lucky to enjoy year round is
anchored by Seamus Hernon on flute and Rodney
Lancashire on banjo and concertina. The lads will
be joined by local and visiting musicians for this
enjoyable teatime session.
Hosted by fiddler Verona Ryan, one of the
legendary Henry family from Doocastle, this regular
Sunday night relaxed session enjoys the superb
flute and whistle playing of Maria Keaney, Frank
Carter on accordion and Francis Roberts on Banjo.
If it’s a hopping session you want, then look no
further than this combination. New York’s finest, Tony DeMarco, plays with
Clare native Padraig Rynne on Concertina and
Gerdy Thompson from Lurgan, a guitarist rapidly
becoming one of the most sought after rhythm
backers.
Brid Harper, another former Fiddler of Dooney,
joins by fellow fiddler and Temple Bar cultural
supremo, Dermot McLaughlin and Conor Byrne on
flute as the session club hosts a lively evening of
distinctive Donegal flavoured music.
A last session and perhaps lunch for those who
need to hit the road early. The final ‘Young Guns’
promise to send you home with a smile on your
face and a step to your toe. Cormack Murphy plays
box, Colm O’Cuiv, Fiddle and Philip Clarke, guitar.
all are from Dublin and Meath and are breathtaking
musicians who play an exciting and energetic
brand of traditional music.
The last blast sees festival volunteers, musicians
and organisers get together for a session that lifts
the lid off this popular Sligo pub. Kilargue, Co
Leitrim flute player Dave Sheridan joins remarkable
Sligo fiddler Oisin MacDiarmada of Teada fame
and Shane McGowan from Knocknashee (hill of the
fairys) for some truly magical musical moments.
For those going from strength to strength, The
Harp’s regular Monday night session is next on the
agenda. Former Shaskeen box player Kevin
O’Brien and Harry McGowan from Knocknashee
on flute are joined by proprietor, Sean Dwyer on
guitar for Sligo Live’s 2009 wrap up.
