Debut Album set for release by the All–Ireland Champions Shannon Vale Céilí Band

www.shannonvaleceiliband.com

Following on from their St. Patrick’s Day performance at Áras an Uachtaráin, Kerry’s award winning Shannon Vale Céilí Band are preparing to launch their debut album in Listowel, Co. Kerry on June 7th.

Shannon’s Lovely Vale takes it’s title from a newly composed tune by renowned musician and composer, Maurice Lennon, of Stockton’s Wing fame. Having composed this piece in honour of the band, Lennon also features as guest artist on the recording. The album includes music and song of North Kerry, much of which previously has been unrecorded.
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www.itma.ie

The Irish Traditional Music Archive is delighted to have been chosen by the International Association of Music Libraries (UK & Ireland) as one of the 2014 winners of its prestigious Excellence Award for Music Libraries, recently presented at a ceremony in Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge.

The Award celebrates institutional and individual excellence, and acknowledges ‘activity in music libraries which demonstrates sustained good work and good practice with the potential to be adopted and adapted by others’. It is presented every two years. The nominations for this year’s awards were judged by a panel of experts from both the music and library worlds, chaired by Professor Jan Smaczny of Queen’s University, Belfast.

ITMA is the only Irish institutional award winner of the year,
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35th Anniversary Festival August 8th – 10th, 2014

www.irishfair.com

The Irish Fair of Minnesota, the three-day annual celebration of Irish heritage and culture, was awarded “Best Public Event” during the Minneapolis–St. Paul Chapter of the International Special Event Society’s (ISES) 2014 Minnesota Star Awards. The Minnesota Star Awards recognize outstanding professionals in the special event industry for all of the events they create, plan, manage and execute each year.

The 35th anniversary of the Irish Fair of Minnesota will be held Friday, August 8th through Sunday, August 10, 2014 on Harriet Island in St. Paul, Minn. With nearly 100,000 attendees each year, this event is the largest free celebration of its kind in the nation.
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August 1st – 4th, 2014
www.jamesmorrisonfestival.com, www.comhaltas.ie, www.fleadhcheoil.ie

The 22nd James Morrison Traditional Music Festival runs from Friday, August 1st–4th, 2014 in Riverstown, Co. Sligo. The unspoiled rural village of Riverstown in an idyllic setting on the banks of the River Unshin, two miles off the N4 at Drumfin, makes for a most enjoyable music festival. Riverstown’s Irish name is Baile Idir Dhá Abhainn (between two rivers). It is an undiscovered tranquil rural retreat 9 miles from Sligo Town, locally noted for the relaxed warmth of its residents. A convivial and also welcoming village atmosphere is the hallmark of an intimate festival which focuses on the real traditional experience, featuring trad pub sessions all day and night, a superb concert, open air ceilís, music workshops and a symposium on John Brehony.

The Official Opening will be performed by Veronica Mc Namara (New Jersey). Veronica is one of the last surviving pupils of James Morrison. The Opening concert on Friday, August 1st features a host of traditional musicians. Artist, Gordon D’Arcy’s workshop on Saturday at 11.00am is always a totally absorbing experience for those children selected to take part. The Diamond is the location of the Saturday and Sunday open air Céilís.

The Festival has frequently been favoured with balmy August Bank Holiday weather where locals and visitors can enjoy the very best of traditional music. Trad music enthusiasts can this year extend their stay in Co. Sligo by booking in early for Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in Sligo August 10th–14th.

For further information visit www.jamesmorrisonfestival.com, www.comhaltas.ie, www.fleadhcheoil.ie
email: info@fleadhcheoil.ie

June 20th–22nd, 2014

www.jimdowlingfestival.com

June 20th–22nd sees the 2nd Jim Dowling Uilleann Pipe and Traditional Music Festival take place in Glengarriff, Co. Cork. The festival looks to revive the tradition of Uilleann piping in the area and is a must for all piping and traditional music enthusiasts. This year’s festival promises to be a spectacular event with a strong artistic line–up featuring renowned names such as De Dannan, Liam O’Flynn, Jackie Daly & Matt Cranitch and Kila’s, Rónán Ó’ Snodaigh.

De Dannan will open the festival on Friday night followed by music sessions in each of the village pubs. This year the festival will offer a range of workshops for all abilities in piping, accordion and the fiddle. One of the highlights of the festival will be an intimate concert with Liam O’Flynn on Saturday afternoon in the Glengarriff Park Hotel.
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SCAIP AN SCÉAL!

Craolfar clár speisialta faoi Chraobhchomórtas Siansa Gael Linn 2014
ar TG4, Dé Céadaoin 23 Aibreán, 10.30 p.m.  Ghlac 8 ngrúpa
thraidisiúnta ó cheann ceann na tíre páirt sa cheolchoirm iontach seo
sa Cheoláras Náisiúnta ar 6 Aibreán, 2014.   Bhí os cionn
míle duine i láthair don ócáid.  Beidh ceol agus amhránaíocht den
scoth le cloisteáil - ná caill é !
Lean sinn ar Twitter #Siansa nó ar Facebook Siansa Gael Linn!

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Don’t miss a special programme on TG4 at 10.30p.m. on Wednesday, 23
April, featuring highlights from the Siansa Gael Linn 2014 final from
the National Concert Hall, Dublin. Eight young traditional music
groups took to the stage to battle it out for the prestigous title of
All-Ireland Champions in front of an audience of over 1000 people.
Follow us on Twitter #Siansa or on Facebook Siansa Gael Linn!

Venue: IMRO, Copyright House, Pembroke Row, Lwr Baggot St, Dublin 2
Date: Tuesday, 22nd April
Time: 7pm
Booking: Email: events@imro.ie or call IMRO at 01 661 4844

This April, IMRO will be welcoming Iarla Ó Lionaird and Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh in for a chat about their recent success with The Gloaming as part of the IMRO Interviews series. The event is open to the public and free to attend. To reserve a place at this event, email events@imro.ie.

IMRO will take this opportunity to present Iarla and Caoimhín with an IMRO Award to acknowledge their recent No.1 Irish Independent Album Chart ranking with the The Gloaming album which was produced by Thomas Bartlett and released in January on Real World Records. The Gloaming features New York pianist Thomas Bartlett (aka Doveman), Chicago guitarist Dennis Cahill, fiddle master Martin Hayes, hardanger innovator Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh and singer Iarla Ó Lionaird.
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3pm €8

www.riverbank.ie

This April world-famous Irish trad music legends Moya Brennan (the voice of Clannad) and Cormac De Barra (celebrated Harper) perform in this beautiful music show that they have created especially for children and families.

Commemorating 1000 years since the Battle of Clontarf, Ten14 uses gorgeous music and lyrics to evoke the adventures of our first High King, Brian Boru, and his love of the harp.

As part of its ongoing focus on music, The Ark commissioned Moya Brennan and Cormac de Barra to create a new music concert for children and families. Both Moya and Cormac were fascinated by the history of Brian Boroimhe as children. They also shared with him a love of the harp which furthered their interest in the man, the music and the myth. Brian Boru’s ‘March’ was one of the first pieces both Moya and Cormac learned on the harp and they jumped at this chance to celebrate the hero himself, his last battle, his harp and to bring his story to life through music and song. The concert will combine brand new music and well-loved trad tunes as you’ve never heard them before.

Join Moya Brennan and Cormac de Barra on a magical musical journey for everyone aged 4 to 104 on Thursday, April 24th at Riverbank Arts Centre.

Ten 14 is brought to you by The Ark with the support of an Arts Council Touring Award.

For more information, visit www.riverbank.ie.
To book tickets, visit box office or call 045 448327.

www.uch.ie

The prestigious Gradam Ceoil TG4 2014 (TG4 Traditional Music Awards) takes place in the University Concert Hall in Limerick this Saturday, 12th April at 7.45pm where this year’s recipients will be presented with their  awards at a gala event.
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The young traditional music group ‘Iontas’ from Coola Post Primary School, Riverstown, County Sligo, are the Siansa Gael Linn 2014 winners! At the Grand Finale concert in the National Concert Hall on Sunday, 6th of April 2013, they were chosen from among eight finalists of a high standard for this prestigious award. It is the third time a group from County Sligo has won the Siansa Grand Finale after’Spraoi’ in 2009 and ‘Teaspach’ in 2012. Siansa is  a competition for young traditional Irish music and singing groups, organized annually by Gael Linn, with support from Foras na Gaeilge, RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta and Irish Music Magazine. (more…)