Renowned fiddler and singer Seamus Creagh passed away on March 15th, 2009

Séamus was born in Killucan, County Westmeath in 1946. His early musical education was an introduction to dance band violin from his neighbour Larry Ward. A brief excursion with a ballad group in Dublin where he played guitar brought him closer to the traditional fold.
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www.battlefieldband.co.uk
As soon as the band returns from the USA after their March tour they’ll be back into the recording studio to start work on a new album. All being well, they’ll be hoping to have a new recording available by the time they head out on the ‘40th Anniversary Milestone Tour in Germany, Switzerland & France’ in January 2010.
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www.2duos.com
Until the Cows come Home is the name of the new CD from a combination of a pair of Scots and German duos, both of which will be well-known to our readers. Fiddle player, Gudrun Walther and guitarist Juergen Treyz from the German band Cara have teamed up with Claire Mann flute) and Aaron Jones (bouzouki and guitar) for this cross-European collaboration.
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www.francismcpeake.com
After some twenty years in existence the recession has hit home hard in Belfast where we hear that the famous McPeake music school is in dire need of funding. Francis McPeake has been actively campaigning to secure some funding from the US, to “network and build partnerships with as many Irish American groups in USA as is possible.” The school needs the sterling equivalent of about $60,000 to survive this year. The school was one of the forerunners of many of the many music schools that now operate in Ireland; it has always been about the music and has always been non-sectarian.
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www.christymoore.com
Christy Moore will release his first studio album in four years on April 17th. The album called Listen will be promoted through a series of live gigs, the brief details of which follow here. Christy has shared a number of sporting memories with to the Irish press over the past, few months. A lover of horse racing (well, he is from Kildare), and a life long passion for Rugby. One track on the new album is called the The Ballad of Ruby Walsh, written in honour of the Champion National Hunt Jockey.
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www.leitrimarts.ie
Leitrim County Council’s first Traditional Music Residency featuring the renowned traditional group Lúnasa came to a close in February 2009 with the launch of a CD recorded with 28 Leitrim musicians and members of Lúnasa. They handed over their position as Musicians in Residence to Dervish, who will work on a similar year and a half project. Dervish will be at Moniaive Folk Festival, Dumfries, Scotland on May 9th and the hugely enjoyable Wimborne Folk Festival in Dorset, England on the 14th of June.

www.myspace.com/ballyopromo
Two of the most well-known musicians on the Irish music circuit, flute player, Kevin Crawford and uilleann piper, Cillian Vallely, announced the release of their new album, On Common Ground. A couple of years of researching tunes in between a heavy schedule of band commitments has directly led to this recording from Lúnasa’s powerhouse melody makers.
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www.daisydiscs.com
Box player, Sharon Shannon was presented with the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ at this year’s Meteor Ireland Music Awards which were held in Dublin’s RDS on St. Patrick’s Day. Sharon Shannon joins the ranks of The Dubliners, Clannad and The Pogues as a recipient of this award.
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Tuesday 21 April 2009
Visiting from Dundalk,
well-known musicians
GERRY ‘fiddle’ O’CONNOR
and his son DÓNAL O’CONNOR (piano/fiddle )

6p.m. – 8p.m.
(doors open 5.45p.m. )
ADMISSION: €15 ( incl. complimentary finger food !)
Bar open/Tea and coffee available
Booking essential (limited space !): 087-2547574

October 9th – 17th 2009

www.celtic-colours.com

The Celtic Colours International Festival is entering its 13th year of celebrating the only living Celtic culture in North America. The event takes place on beautiful Cape Breton Island, off Canada’s east coast. With the fall leaves being their most awe inspiring in the fall of the year, we have our festival amidst the breathtaking views of Cape Bretons true colours. One of the unique aspects of Celtic Colours is that it takes place in communities that have maintained our culture for the past 250 years. The festival features the finest Celtic Artists from around the world together with many of the wonderful Cape Breton artists who live here and travel the globe in celebration of Celtic music. International Guests in previous years have included the Chieftains, Altan, Dougie MacLean, Carlos Nunez, Phil Cunningham, Bela Fleck, Balzing Fiddles, Brock McGuire Band, Liam o Maonlai and many more. Events take place in all manner of venues ranging from fire halls and churches to soft set theatres and arenas. You will meet up with festival goers from 25 countries as well as enjoy some of the genuine hospitality that Cape Breton is known for around the world.

For detailed festival information visit www.celtic-colours.com