Having spent the last 20 years living and performing in San Francisco and New Orleans, Jenny Mac returned to her native Clonakilty in 2023 and is a prominent part of the local music scene.
An impressive, versatile and extremely talented vocalist, Jenny honed her craft under the watchful eyes of Mossie Shanley, Noel Redding & Carole Appleby performing regularly in Shanleys and De Barras for 15 years before moving stateside. Jenny has guested with artists such as Hot House Flowers, Christy Dignam, Don Baker and Donovan and her repertoire is a nostalgic collection of jazz n’ blues, country rock and 60s and 70s classics.
The Céilí Allstars are an exciting traditional Irish music group from Cork.
They formed from a group of friends playing the session trail in Cork city in the late nineties. Their musical style includes shades of Sliabh Luachra – where they originate from – combined with generous sprinklings of folk & country.
They’ve played residencies in some of Cork’s legendary folk venues and have also performed at festivals around the globe.
The Ceilí Allstars are: Michael O’ Sullivan – Banjo, Flor Rahilly – Guitar and Vocals, Stan O’ Sullivan – Fiddle and Lisa O’ Sullivan – Fiddle.
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
‘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
Eoin Stan O’Sullivan has had a colourful life in music. From a youth spent immersed in traditional music to punk rock and from guitars and synths to bass and the fiddle. He’s back at the CIGF bringing new life to the music of his beloved Sliabh Luachra. It’s Dessert Blues meets Mountain Music or a whole new genre that Stan calls “Bog Jazz” 🙂
Clonakilty native, Anthony Noonan has over the years recorded, performed and toured with a variety of artists such as UK folk legend Roy Harper, Bill Shanley, The West Cork Ukulele Orchestra, Interference & Glen Hansard and Dog Tail Soup.
A feature of many Cork artists’ rhythm section, Anthony has previously been seen drumming for the likes of Ian Whitty & the Exchange, Fred, Mick Flannery, Lerner, FirBeag & Gavin Moore to name a few.
Releasing a first album of his own music in 2003, the follow-up second album in 2008, ‘Honeycomb Moons’, garnered some favourable national Airplay and attention in the press. TV features on The Last Broadcast with Dave Fanning, and The View with John Kelly, coupled with live appearances at Electric Picnic solidified this album as one of the best in 2008 with it featuring in Paul McLoone’s top 100 releases of the year.
The following period saw Anthony focus more on his drumming career. With appearances on Other Voices, to supporting Glen Hansard in Radio City Music Hall New York as drummer for Irish legends Interference, Anthony left song writing behind, until remerging under the moniker Q.U.I.E.T.
Q.U.I.E.T.’s debut album Somnambulist was released in 2023
There are no words to describe the music that West Cork based band The bones below create. That is unless you usewords like rock, folk, blues, guitars, drums, pianos, vocals….
TRADITIONAL IRISH SESSION Front Bar with the Debarras resident musicians
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.
Áine Duffy (born in Bandon, Co. Cork) is an Irish singer, songwriter, guitar player and performer with a well-established reputation as one of Cork’s finest vocalists. She sings in her own very unique style combining guitar riffs and energetic performances on stage and her lyrics have an honest and unique point of view
Don’t divert your eyes, as the Evening Echo reports, this Cork-based song-writer is no stranger to international performances. Taking her Irish beacon around the world, Áine Duffy has played in New York, Toronto, Los Angeles, London, Dubai, Switzerland, Germany, Spain, Belgium, and beyond. When she sang in front of the Swiss, they picked their jaws off the floor, handed her two beautiful guitars by Patrick Eggle, then took her to where they were made and asked her to play again. Of course, Áine Duffy being who she is, couldn’t refuse them.
After being invited to record with Roger Greenawalt, the very same who worked with Bruce Springfield and Sophie B Hawkins, Áine Duffy built a large following. This was thanks to the fact she stayed true to her heritage and didn’t change who she was.
Not only this, it’s never been all about her, either. Áine Duffy understands and loves that music culture relies on itself to stay afloat. She’s made a name for herself and has been given a platform, so in her natural way, this is also made to benefit all musicians. An involved part of Airplay as a music advocate, the voice of the under-represented has been heard. Supporting up-and-coming and hard-working musicians in her local area and around the world, plenty of people are in the upper leagues thanks to Áine Duffy.
Known for her homely Irish accent that spans across an impressive range, the voice, talent, and persona of Áine Duffy is in hot demand. With her trusted guitar, festivals such as The Electric Picnic and The Body and Soul Festival have all enjoyed her crowd grabbing appearances. She’s also been on stage at world-class venues such as the Cork Opera House, The Theatre Royal in Waterford, Whelans, Riverbank Arts Theatre, The Middleton Arts Festival, The Irish Animation Awards, and Madam Claude’s Berlin. A true professional with a resume stoked with laurels, the road is long, wide and open for this piece of history in the making.
As well as her prolific home performance diary, she’s performed at BB Kings in LA, The Cat Club, Club Europa New York, and Fat Baby. .
She shared a stage with Kila, Imelda may, the lost brothers, Mick Flannery, Jack Lukeman, Philippe Cohen Solal of Gotan project.
Most recently, Áine Duffy has converted an old donkey box into a camper which doubles up as a stage. This upcycled contraption, known fondly as the Duffbox, will be the source of many impromptu and pre-booked live shows that can literally take place wherever there’s a patch of land.
“The world needs more Áine Duffy”Cormac Ó hEadhra RTE Drivetime
“Áine Duffy is an innovator and horsebox hero.” Todayfm
Bandon-born singer-songwriter Áine Duffy has done it again in her catchy new single ‘Tits Up’ where she shows off her quirky style and belter of a voice. It’s a high-end funk-infused track and features a bouncy beat and repeated lyrics that would have even the most sullen listener nodding along. Hotpress
celebrating the 30year anniversary of his debut album ‘Well he said he’d be Here!’
Well he said he’d be here!
In 1995, having lived in Clonakilty for a few years prior, I decided that I would record a CD! No real experience but with enthusiasm and a whole bunch of friends, family and the odd unsuspecting, visiting musician! 10 songs were recorded in 8 days and two days were put aside to mix, not a lot of time to mix 10 songs but needs must…eight of the songs were my compositions and it also included a beautiful song, by Jeremiah O’Keeffe, about watching his nephew grow up, perhaps a little too fast and a catchy folksy ballad, penned by Colm O’Sullivan, local educator, musician and visual artist.
After spinning my dream to some friends and family, all were supportive in their various ways, none more so than 16 year old prodigy, John Fitzgerald, now a multi-instrumentalist, producer, and engineer. He helped arrange the songs and suggested the musicians to choose for certain pieces, propelling the project along nicely.
Nick Harper was over a few times to record with his dad and to work on his first two solo records. We became buddies quickly and his boundless energy and his off-the -scale talent, was so welcomed, from the first notes he played on Miles & Miles, one of my favourites on the album.
Clonakilty is always in bloom in my eyes, but it never shone brighter than it did in those days in the mid 90s, when Hothouse Flowers were regular visitors and I had the pleasure to jam and play with their amazing drummer Jerry Fehily and I felt blessed when he came to the Dublin sessions and played drums on 5 of the rockier tracks. Les Sampson did the drums on 3 of the other acoustic songs, including the aforementioned Miles & Miles, listening to it now, 30 years later, you can hear what he was the chosen kit man for the likes of Steve Marriot and Noel Redding It blew my mind. Inspired by the solo work of the Alarm’s Dave Sharp, I decided to split the album, 5 up tempo, Rock/Pop songs and 5 folksy, acoustic songs. It made sense to me in more ways than one. As luck would have it, the great virtuoso guitarist and Clon man, Bill Shanley, was laying down guitars on Paul Harrington’s album at another studio in Temple Bar, so he jumped in for some of the sessions there and elevated things somewhat with his driving, colourful and melodic sound.
Kieran Kiely (Sinead O’Connor, Shane McGowan) heard about the session from one of the lads. No mobile phone in those days to announce our impending arrivals, so, Kieran just showed up and set up his keyboards, with a very confused engineer who had heard nothing about a keyboards player. Kieran assured him, “twill be grand”! It was much better than grand. Thank you Kieran.
The writer of the second song on Well he said he’d be here !, Colm O’Sullivan, also played piano and arranged string parts for the Rossmore sessions, adding depth to the acoustic songs with their sparse arrangements. My bestie at the time was bassist supreme, Noel Barrett. He and I had worked at my home set up in Ardfield, on the demos, a few weeks prior to the recording dates and shared the bass duties with John Fitzgerald. At both sessions, Neil Amor (The Christians, Chris Rea, Nick Harper) was at the helm, keeping everyone and everything calm and relaxed and moving despite the sometimes chaotic happenings. At the time Neil was co-credited with the production, but looking back now, Well he said he’d be here! was produced by a group of musicians, family and a bighearted community spirit, somehow all gathered together during during a very special time for music in Clonakilty.
Nowadays, artwork may not mean what it did back then, when the booklet and front and back covers of your CD, were a very important part of the music, having it in your hands, reading the lyrics, finding out who played the drums, staring at the photos or artwork, while the music played was always special to me and I remember being delighted when I saw the proofs, prepared by Liz Twomey, for the photos, artwork and layout. Happy Days indeed.