Andy Irvine is one of the great Irish singers, his voice one of a handful of truly great ones that gets to the very soul of Ireland. He has been hailed as “a tradition in himself”.
Musician, singer, songwriter, Andy has maintained his highly individual performing skills throughout his over 50-year career.
Andy has been at the helm of legendary bands like Sweeney’s Men in the mid 60s, to the enormous success of Planxty in the 70s, and then Patrick Street, Mozaik, LAPD and recently Usher’s Island. Andy has been a world music pioneer and an icon for traditional music and musicians.
As a soloist, Andy fills the role of the archetypal troubadour with a show and a travelling lifestyle that reflect his lifelong influence, Woody Guthrie. To quote the Irish Times, “Often copied, never equalled”, his repertoire consists of Irish traditional songs, dexterous Balkan dance tunes and a compelling canon of his own self-penned songs.
A SPECIAL TRADITIONAL IRISH SESSION LIVE-STREAMING WITH AN AUDIENCE FOR CIGF22
One of the few positives from the past three years is the connection that live streaming gave us when we were unable to meet and commune in person.
this year we are delighted to once again Live stream our resident Clonakilty Traditional Irish Musicians live from DeBarras with an audience!
be sure to call in !
At the heart of this popular weekly session are a collection of musicians & songsters, whose combined experiences of performing, locally and internationally, along with their diverse musical interests produce a vibrant, but easy going experience of the best in traditional music & ballads.
Featuring:
Dennis Noonan on Bodhrán & bones sings in a uniquely laid back style, drawing material from his native Dublin as well as Ulster & Scotland. The late Frank Harte would have thrilled at his deliveries of some of the more humourous and bawdy ballads.
Tommy Madden can lay claim to a lifetimes experience playing across the USA, England & Scotland and at venues all over Ireland, Playing with many legendary musicians. His bewildering knowledge of balladry draws on a wide range of material from Europe, America & Australia covering military, humourous, industrial, rural, urban and romantic songs.
Jerry Lombard served his time with some of the greatest musicians ever to play in Ireland, England and America. He has a seemingly endless repertoire of tunes and an equally extensive collection of tales and yarns to entertain one and all. Jerry’s lively playing style matches his attitude to life, music and the Craic.
Eoin Stan O’Sullivan: I thought I was a reformed guitarist. I gave up rock’n’roll to play the traditional Sliabh Luachra music on my fiddle. I only kept strings on my guitar to teach basic chords to some local students.
That was until the first lockdown when I found it hard to find the space to practice fiddle. I resorted to staying up late picking out my traditional tunes on an unplugged electric guitar. To my surprise the tunes started to find a whole new life with six strings instead of four.
Over the last year I’ve come up with some arrangements for my favourite fiddle tunes on electric guitar. The few people who’ve heard my new music have compared it to the guitar stylings of Ali Farka Touré or Tinariwen so I suppose it’s like “Desert Blues” meets “Sliabh Luachra” or maybe it’s just a whole new genre called “Bog Jazz” – who knows? I’m really looking forward to unleashing my new sound at the Clonakilty International Guitar Festival this September.
Naive Ted’s going to Clonakilty for a 3 night residency for CGF 2021!
Last seen in Clon back in the heady days of 2018, Ted is back as resident DJ for the weekend, dropping rock science on the turntables on both Friday (after Pretty Happy) AND Saturday (after Windings). Sure, the buzz is up already but wait there’s more!
For the finale on Sunday, Ted has enlisted multi-instrumentalist polymath Dan Walsh AKA Fixity for a never seen before improvised collaboration! What this will entail is hard to envisage, not sure Ted or Dan could tell ya either. But Ted plays turntables and Dan plays drums so there’ll definitely be lots of that.
Formerly known as nicetry, of all living things is a four piece Dublin based band. Inspired by nostalgia and memories of youth, the sound is reminiscent of 90’s alternative music, with textured guitars complementing delicate female vocals.
Following their debut single release last year, of all living things will be releasing a 4 track EP late October 2021, recorded with Ber Quinn at Sonic Studios in Stoneybatter, Dublin. The first single off the EP, ‘If I Go’ will be released on the 27th August, followed by vinyl release under Any Other City Records in Autumn.
John Francis Flynn is a singer and multi-instrumentalist whose work centres around traditional and folk material from Ireland.
He is a founding member of the band Skipper’s Alley, with whom he has toured extensively throughout Europe and America. While supporting Lankum on their 2019 UK tour he caught the eye of Geoff Travis and Jeanette Lee who quickly signed John to Rough Trade imprint label, River Lea. River Lea will release John’s debut album “I Would Not Live Always” in Spring 2021.
Produced by highly regarded producer, Brendan Jenkinson, this release looks to continue where River Lea last left off; highlighting the enormous talent hidden away in the corners of Ireland’s folk scene.
“Human experience burns ferociously on this extraordinary debut from the uncompromising Irish artist John Francis Flynn. An extraordinary debut” The Guardian
“Double Tin Whistle and Tape-Loops. Revelatory new takes on English and Irish folk songs in the manner of Sam Amidon. A singular and striking clarity of vision” Uncut Magazine
Little John Nee is a writer/performer based in Co. Galway in the west of Ireland. A prolific creator of work for theatre he was recently elected to Aosdána (established by the Irish Arts Council in 1981 to honour artists whose work has made an outstanding contribution to the creative arts in Ireland)
His style of storytelling theatre with music has won him international recognition and his play “Sparkplug” won an Irish Times Theatre Award for his sound design while the RTE radio version won a Special Mention Prize at the Prix Italia 2013.
He has recently published a book of Haiku “The Apocalypse came on a Friday” and previously his “A Donegal Trilogy” was published by An Grianan Theatre. He has released an album of songs from his theatre shows recorded with The Caledonia Highly strung Orchestra. “Songs from the Lough Swilly Delta”
Little John Nee has been commissioned to write plays for Barabbas Theatre Company, Axis Ballymun, Scottish Touring Theatre Consortium, An Grianan Theatre, Earagail Arts Festival, Donegal Co. Council, Leitrim Co. Council, children’s plays for Galway Arts Festival and a radio play for RTE Radio Drama on One.
John Spillane is a musician, songwriter, performer, recording artist, storyteller, poet and dreamer. Rooted in people, place and story, his music transports the listener and his live performances captivate audiences around the world. After 20 years, in April John released his first independent release; 100 Snow White Horses.
Inspired by his travels around Ireland, these new songs are full of poetry, Irish mythology and wonder. 100 Snow White Horses is John’s first independent album in 20 years.
Recorded in London with producer John Reynolds and singer Pauline Scanlon; the trio have previously worked together on John’s albums Hey Dreamer (2005), The Gaelic Hit Factory (2006) and My Dark Rosaleen and the Island of Dreams (2008).
“After 10 years and many adventures we are combining our skills and painting this, our masterpiece.” – John Spillane
100 Snow White horses was released on April 2nd 2021.
In addition, John will lead one of his legendary songwriting workshops tickets for that are available here
9pm // Debarra’s Folk Club // September 16 (ALSO LIVE-STREAMED)
Channeling the music of her ancestors through her deep rooted Irish traditional fiddling and bilingual song, Clare Sands is a unique force in Irish music. A sixth generation fearless feisty fiddler, the singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist is breaking the boundaries of Irish Music. She makes pulsating Folk music, infused with a myriad of influences from around the world to create an invigorating new sound, for the young and the old, brave and the bold.
Sands has been wowing audiences around Ireland and further afield with her groundbreaking style, passionate performance, and infinite warrior-like energy. Performing with the likes of Hothouse Flowers, Mick Flannery, Albert Hammond, The Stunning, Susan O’Neill, Jack L, Niamh Regan, Luka Bloom and many more, as well as selling out dates around Ireland as an artist in her own right, this ‘force of natures’ time has come.
Throughout 2021, Clare has been collaborating with some of Ireland’s finest Folk and Traditional musicians to compose four new songs over the four seasons, inspired by the landscapes and soundscapes of the four provinces. These compositions with Steve Cooney & Tommy Sands, Susan O’Neil, Brídín and Liam Ó Maonlaí will feature on Clare’s highly anticipated self-titled debut album of pulsating Folk, due for release in 2022. Described by Mark Radcliffe on BBC Radio 2 as ‘full of life’ they are a glance into the invigorating new Irish sound to come.
‘AN EMPOWERING, EXCEPTIONAL TALENT, CHANNELING THE MUSIC OF HER ANCESTORS TO CREATE THE SOUND OF A NEW IRELAND’ LYNETTE FAYE, BBC RADIO ULSTER
‘CLARE CREATES BRAVE MUSIC THAT TAPS DEEP INTO THE WELL OF WHAT WE ARE ABOUT, OF TRADITIONAL MUSIC, AND BRINGS IT RIGHT TO THE PRESENT DAY. A PHENOMENAL MUSICIAN’ FIACHNA Ó BRAONÁIN, RTÉ RADIO 1
‘AN IMPASSIONED VOICES AND MUSICAL GENIUS ON STAGE. A UNIQUE FORCE IN IRISH MUSIC’HOTPRESS MAGAZINE