3:30pm // €15 // Clonakilty Community Resource Centre , 21 Western Road, Clonakilty. P85 RW35
Tickets on the door or contact info@clonguitarfest.com to reserve a spot
One of the most accomplished songwriters in the country today, award winning trad/folk poet John Spillane continues to redefine musical boundaries with his own unique style of playing and songwriting which he likes to call ’Sean Nós Blues’.
“At my workshop we write songs. We do not theorise or talk about songwriting but we work, and follow certain steps to make a song. We lock out criticism and negativity and create an atmosphere where people can make something grow.” – John Spillane
Join the Sister Ghost gang for an afternoon of herstory, creativity and zine-making activism! Suitable for beginners to advanced zine-makers, this workshop will be fun & hands-on, touching on topics within intersectional feminism, women in music and activism. You’ll learn about zine culture and have the opportunity to create your own zine with the band.’
This workshop is for female & non binary participants.
‘We want the impact of our festival to continue to reverberate throughout Clonakilty celebrating the diversity that makes this town so vibrant. We ALL are guitar town’
‘Reverb’ incorporates the educational and community outreach programme that runs parallel with the Clonakilty International Guitar Festival. It ensures that the effects of the festival are experienced by as diverse a selection of our community as possible. You may not hear Reverb, but you’ll definitely feel its effects! The main festival caters to a general audience and takes place in a range of venues across the town. However, there are members of the community who are unable to access these events, for a variety of reasons. The ‘Reverb’ programme brings artists and facilitators directly in contact with these groups so they don’t have to miss out.
We aim to facilitate meaningful artistic participation for a diverse group of people with the ultimate aim of empowering members of the community who are sometimes marginalised. Each year we team up with the Irish Wheelchair Association, CoAction, Cope Foundation, The Family Resource Centre, the ETB, and many other local groups,
We are kicking things of in 2015 with a performance by Eugene Brosnan & Friends in the The Michael Collins Mural Park
Sister Ghost, (winner of Best Live Act at the 2019 NI Music Awards) is the project of Derry-based artist Shannon Delores O’Neill.
Sister Ghost has garnered support slots with internationally acclaimed artists such as We Are Scientists, Shellac, Petrol Girls, Fontaines DC, Pussy Riot, Ratboys and Le Butcherettes as well as airplay on KEXP Seattle, BBC Radio 1, RTE 2FM, Today FM and BBC 6 Music. Sister Ghost has also been featured in high level press such as The Guardian and Hot Press.
As of 2020, O’Neill has teamed up with Gary Lightbody’s Artist Development & Label ‘Third Bar’ to create the debut Sister Ghost album. Set for release in 2023 the album was recorded in Los Angeles, California (July/August 2022) with the world class producer Brad Wood (Smashing Pumpkins, Liz Phair, Veruca Salt and more).
Shannon is also known for mentoring and encouraging other female and gender non-conforming musicians to perform in the Northern Irish scene, having set up the Girls Rock! NI chapter in 2016.
As well as a live performance Sister Ghost will also host ‘ZINESTER GHOST: SISTER GHOST’S ZINE WORKSHOP’
Press Quotes:
“Absolutely massive!” Jack Saunders, BBC Radio 1
“Big guitar hooks! I’m obsessed!” Gemma Bradley, BBC Radio 1
“Feels authentic from the era of Pixies, Breeders and Hole; brilliant music, beautifully made” Tom Robinson, BBC 6 Music
“One of the most gifted songwriters to come out of the North in a long, long time.” Stephen McCauley, BBC Radio Ulster
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 his acclaimed release of 100 Snow White Horses in 2021, in October 2022, John will release ‘In Another Light’ a career spanning album recorded live at the Right Here Right Now Festival recorded at Cork Opera House in November 2021.
The Acoustic Forum is an eclectic event unlike anything else you’ve ever seen which sees five of our artists play in an intimate and informal concert in the round, with each artist staying onstage for the duration.
Guided by the guest host, each performer gives an insight into their craft and performs a short selection to whet the appetite for the weekend ahead.
It’s off the cuff, it’s friendly and it provides the listener with a varied and spontaneous night that never fails to surprise.
2pm // €15 // Clonakilty Community Resource Centre , 21 Western Road, Clonakilty. P85 RW35
Tickets on the door or contact
One of the most accomplished songwriters in the country today, award winning trad/folk poet John Spillane continues to redefine musical boundaries with his own unique style of playing and songwriting which he likes to call ’Sean Nós Blues’.
“At my workshop we write songs. We do not theorise or talk about songwriting but we work, and follow certain steps to make a song. We lock out criticism and negativity and create an atmosphere where people can make something grow.” – John Spillane
For a variety of reasons, not everyone in the community can get to the shows in guitartown, and during the pandemic, this number has only increased.
We want the impact of our festival to continue to reverberate throughout our town, so we are partnering with The Irish Wheelchair Association, Cope Foundation, Clonakilty Community Hospital, Scoil na mBuachaillí, Clonakilty Friends of Asylum Seekers and more for a series of concerts, livestreams and private cinema screenings across the week, some of which will be open to the public the majority of which will be private.
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
Forty years on from when George Lowden first built an electric guitar, 2018 sees the introduction of the all new GL-10 electric.
George says: “My interest was revived through a request from an artist in 2016. I went away on a retreat to think through the design options. The first prototype exceeded my expectations in terms of visual appeal, balance and, in the guitar’s inherent design features, a natural ability to sustain without trying!”
The single cut pairs instantly recognisable Lowden characteristics and carefully crafted contours with unique design features finely tuned for that signature tone and sustain.
The GL-10 embodies classic Lowden character, drawing from over 40 years of guitar making heritage to invite the player to explore new tonal possibilities that await.