LATEST NEWS

EUGENE BROSNAN & THE INNOCENT BYSTANDERS

When singer songwriter and guitarist Eugene Brosnan moved back to Clonakilty in 2015, after an 18 year absence from the place he had called home in the ‘90s, he contacted bassist Martin Kingston and in their first conversation it was mooted that they might get a band together, mainly, as a vehicle for the songs of the late great American songwriter and composer, WARREN ZEVON, as they both share a love for his music.

They soon assembled a group of musicians, with equal enthusiasm for the INNOCENT BYSTANDER project and in the 18 months so far, they have played a number of full house gigs and a handful of festivals. The band has also extended their set to include some original songs that sit happily and snugly among the Headless Thomson Gunners, identity thieving Gorillas and the colours of Georgia O’ Keeffes……

EUGENE BROSNAN (Guitar & Vocal) has performed over 2500 shows in Ireland, the UK, Europe, Scandinavia and the USA. He has released 3 albums, mainly of his own material, to critical acclaim and has appeared as a guest vocalist on various other productions. His guitar style features a number of different tunings and ranges from delicate finger picking techniques, to a full on, funky folk, almost punky, and strum style.

MARTIN KINGSTON (Bass & Vocals) ran the now legendary, Kilty Stone pub and live music venue in Clonakilty’s Pearse Street. In the 90s, it was home to many great music sessions and musicians, which included the proprietor, as bass player for the house band and many of the guest artistes that appeared there during his tenure.

STEPHEN HOUSDEN (Guitar & Vocals) is regarded as one of the finest guitarists in the world. Well known as guitarist with Little River Band for more than two decades, he has also played and recorded with such music legends as Warren Zevon, Glenn Frey, Dr. John, Christopher Cross, John Entwistle , P.F Sloan, Albert Lee, Steve Cropper,  Noel Redding and many others.

JERRY FEHILY (Drums) came to prominence as the drummer with Hothouse Flowers, touring the world with them and drumming on their Top 10 hits and a No.1 album. Apart from the Flowers, he has also played live or recorded with: Tim Finn, Michelle Shocked, Luka Bloom, Midnight Oil,  Ronnie Wood, Joe Elliot, Sinead O’ Connor, Ray Lynam, Interference and Celine Carroll.

22 year old Australian singer/songwriter Tullara Connors has quickly developed a reputation as one of that country’s brightest up and coming performers. Known for her renowned guitar playing ability described as “beautifully complex and intricate while within an instant raw and powerful”, Tullara has an endearing stage presence which has been well received across the land.

Having spent the last 4 years touring Australia and recording as half of the renowned folk/roots duo ‘Siskin River’, Tullara has racked up performances at many of the country’s largest and most well respected music festivals including: Woodford Folk Festival, The National Folk Festival, Port Fairy Folk Festival, Mullumbimby Music Festival and Caloundra Music Festival just to name a few. Tullara has also recently returned fresh from her first solo international tour performing at festivals in Ireland, Slovenia, Sweden and Germany.

With her Debut EP release on the horizon, Tullara will be touring nationally with her dynamic new band come July 2016 with the release of her first single “Too Many” and music video.

Lead single, ‘Too Many’, is a bittersweet reflection on the bustle and cynicism of contemporary life, and the damaging paths we follow to try and escape it. A roots song at heart, ‘Too Many’ delivers a catchy pop atmosphere while remaining raw and unapologetic.

Leonard Podolak has been touring full force for the last 17 years mostly with the bands Scruj Mac Duhk, and then the Juno/Grammy Award winning, Duhks.

He is a critically acclaimed 5-String Claw-hammer banjo player, and is known for putting together wonderful combinations of musicians, often creating a full, but new sound in what ever project he touches.
In the last couple years, since The Duhks have spent less time on the road, Leonard has had a great opportunity to expand his musical endeavor. Now he splits his time playing with The Duhks, Dry Bones, with Nathan Rogers, and Jd Edwards, and this duo with his pal Matt Gordon.
Recently Leonard was invited to take part in The Cecil Sharp Project, which was a collaborative project sponsored by the Shrewsbury Folk Festival. That project gained much acclaim in the UK and international folk press, and provided Leonard with a fabulous introduction to the UK folk circuit.

Matt Gordon has been living in the woodwork of the music business. He’s a great Fiddler, Clogger, Hamboner, and Harmonica player. He toured in the 80s and 90s with the Fiddle Puppet Dancers, taking part in the London debut of Riverdance, and participating in festivals around North America and Europe, with that group.
His CD with Leonard Podolak and their pal Bill Shanley called ‘Three Thin Dimes’ is the first full recorded effort on his part, and although he knows many people in the tribe, and has laid a track or two, on other Cds he has not toured much in the last few years, focusing on his career as a woodworker, and cabinet maker.
Together, Matt, and Leonard put on an exciting evening of Old-Time traditional fiddle and Banjo Music. They also clog, and do Hambone.

A very special show for smallies & their parents – NB Children must be supervised at all times-

Clonakilty International Guitar Festival is proud to present a special concert for very young children featuring Fiona Kelleher

Early Bird Music is a project with a passion for music and creativity, founded by Fiona Kelleher, singer, composer and mother of three . Creating music for little ones and nurturing the creative talent in everyone is our mission. We are delighted to give you a glimpse into the world of  I am a little Boat . . This is the album with beautifully illustrated songbook, loved and cherished by children and parents everywhere . It features happily in classrooms and Early Years settings worldwide.

Fiona Kelleher is a singer, composer and performer who works on many collaborative projects with other musicians, theatre artists and visual artists. Her album “My Love Lies” has received much critical acclaim internationally. She continues to write and record and collaborate while also working as an early years artist on many projects.

VIDEOS:

https://youtu.be/_Z3zR7qLHno

Limited Tickets // Doors 9:45pm // Show Start 10pm

The Redneck Manifesto:
Mervyn Craig, Matthew Bolger, Richie Egan, Niall Byrne, Neil O’Connor

only show this year.
new music.
Clonakilty International Guitar Festival.
GuitarTown.

Choice Award winning musician Adrian Crowley joins the Vespertine Quintet for a collaborative performance at this years Clonakilty International Guitar Festvival.

Some Blue Morning’ – 4 stars The Irish Times
Aidan Crowley captures life as insightfully as any contemporary Irish songwriter does. The Galway native has steered a trusty course throughout his career, each album a musical progression yet anchored by that commanding, sonorous voice and reflective, evocative lyric-poems that bind love, life and nature together. Strings play a more prominent role than ever before on his seventh album, elevating the opening title track to an uplifting finale, dancing lithely through The Hungry Grass, galloping through The Angel and punctuating the soft waltz of The Stranger. Spoken word track The Wild Boar is a highlight, but the whole record is a blissful, rich, cinematic soundtrack to autumn and winter that is bracing and snug in all the right places.

VIDEO:

Spook of the Thirteenth Lock:

Named after a poem about a haunted canal lock, The Spook of the Thirteenth Lock combine elements of the Irish folk tradition with modern experimental rock sounds. They have released two albums to date, 2008’s eponymous debut and 2012’s “The Brutal Here and Now” on Transduction Records.

Spook Guitar Orchestra:

“Lockout” and “Bullet in the Brick” are two new large-scale works by The Spook of the Thirteenth Lock about the 1913 Lockout and the 1916 rising respectively. For these projects the band are joined by an electric guitar orchestra, bringing this unique sound into the world of contemporary Irish traditional music. “Lockout” is a grand departure for the band, bringing an epic volume and scale to their unique blend of contemporary and traditional sounds, and adding a sharper, more political voice which addresses the recent anniversary of the Lockout, and its relevance today.

This september the Clonakilty International Guitar Festival acknowledge the Centenary of 1916 with a performance of a piece written by the critically acclaimed genre defying Trad/prog metal band Spook of the Thirteenth Lock for 16 guitars.

Original White lightning members Jeff Ward & Noel Gilbert Jones return to West Cork with old pal Steve ‘ Smiley’ Barnard (Joe Strummer/Robbie Williams) on drums to hang another Festival scalp around their battle worn rock n roll necks.

Since 1979 Jeff  Ward has either played with, recorded or produced: White Lightning, Iron Pig, Mourneblade, Noel Redding, Paul King, & Colin Earl (Mungo Jerry), Vijay Jagtap, Eric Bell (Thin Lizzy), John Coughlan (Status Quo), David Jackson (Van Der Graf Generator), Roy Harper, Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull), Corky Laing (Mountain), Eric Schenkeman (The Spin Doctors).

“Jeff Ward is better than good, He’s Tasty!” – Noel Redding (the Jimi Hendrix Experience).

George Lowden is one of the world’s most celebrated luthiers, and his guitars are played by the finest players on the planet. The list of Lowden devotees includes Eric Clapton, Pierre Bensusan, Paul Brady, Ed Sheeran, Damien Rice, Alex DeGrassi, Richard Thompson, Mike Oldfield, Nick Harper, Jon Gomm, Bill Shanley and Thomas Leeb. George is an old friend of the festival, having given numerous seminars and workshops over the previous 14 years. As we celebrate our fifteenth year, George is celebrating his forty fifth in the business!