www.spiritoffolk.com
Festival organisers Natasha and Emily Duffy have officially launched the second year of the Spirit of Folk Festival and announced over a dozen new acts to the line-up. The festival will return to the lush surrounds of Dunderry Park, Co. Meath from September 21st-23rd, and looks to build on the success of last year to create an original, intimate, and inspiring event.
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Traditional Music Workshops in Ireland
www.connemarairelandworkshops.com

Traditional Irish Music Workshop in the West of Ireland with
John Carty, Arty McGlynn and Others Announced for October, 2012

Connemara Ireland Workshops is pleased to announce a 5-day /4-night traditional Irish music workshop for October 19-23, 2012. Hosted by and held at the award-winning country house, The Anglers Return, the workshop will feature some of Ireland’s most distinctive traditional musicians – including John Carty on fiddle and Irish tenor banjo,  Arty McGlynn on guitar, Jimmy Higgins on bodhrán and Fiachra O’Regan on whistle and pipes. Guests will attend classes during the day, impromtu evening sessions as well as two house concerts – including a concert with John Carty, Arty McGlynn, Jimmy Higgins and friends – all in the comfortable surroundings of a wonderful historic country house just outside of Roundstone in Connemara. It’s an incredible opportunity for intermediate  (or better) players on fiddle, tenor banjo, and/or guitar interested in advancing in traditional Irish music. Spaces are very limited, by design, to maximize one-on-one instruction and are offered on a first-come, first serve basis.
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Ennis, Aug 15th | Dublin, Aug 16th | Cavan, Aug 18th | Kilkenny, Aug 19th

(Dublin, 05.07.2012) Scottish singer ALYTH McCORMACK joins Irish band GUIDEWIRES, Scottish and English musicians KAN, and a group of BRETON MASTERS, for DÁN, a series of four concerts this August in Ennis, Dublin, Cavan and Kilkenny.

Melding traditional and jazz musical cultures from Ireland, France and Scotland, with elements from the Middle East and Galicia, this first-time collaboration will infuse our musical and spoken word legacies with originality and innovation. DÁN’s exploration of the place where the traditional and the modern meet, by 14 world-respected artists at the height of their creativity, will invigorate the interconnectedness of music from the Celtic Fringe and challenge musical conventions.
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www.musicnetwork.ie

“We Banjo 3 are terrific. There really isn’t a better way to say it. Wonderful musicianship of the first order. Best of all, they are different.” Bill Margeson, Irish Music Writer

“… a talented trio that combine virtuosity, class, energy and an indefinable magical element”.   Carl Corcoran, Presenter, The Blue of the Night
RTÉ lyric fm

This September sit back and watch the sparks fly as We Banjo 3 – virtuosos Enda Scahill, Martin Howley and David Howley - take you on a rollercoaster ride through banjo history from ragtime to reels. Featuring three tenor banjos, mandolins, tenor guitars, guitars, banjolin and David’s vocals “with soul beyond his years”, We Banjo 3 combine Irish music with Old-Time American, Ragtime and Bluegrass influences, revealing the banjo’s rich legacy from its roots in African and minstrel music through to the Irish traditional sound pioneered by Barney McKenna. Music Network tours provide a wonderful opportunity to see some of the world’s foremost musicians at affordable prices in venues around Ireland, and are presented in association with RTÉ lyric fm.  Music Network is funded by the Arts Council. Further information from (01) 671 9429 or www.musicnetwork.ie.
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Families, Military, Students and More Will Enjoy Taste of Ireland at Discounted Rate
www.irishfest.com

The organizers of Milwaukee Irish Fest have made it easy and affordable to enjoy the 2012 festival by bringing back some of its most popular gate promotions. Festival goers can take advantage of free or discounted admission via seven different gate promotions during the four-day festival, August 16 to 19, 2012.
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On Mo Leanbh Records
www.cathieryan.com

It has been seven years since Cathie Ryan released a studio recording of new material and Through Wind and Rain proves the old Irish proverb true: Is maith an scéalaí an aimsir, time is a good storyteller. While Ryan’s voice still rings with the luminous clarity of her earliest work, this collection is truly about the stories: 11 handpicked songs of love, loss, and hope, sung with the hard–won wisdom of a woman who has lived them. It is Ryan’s most deeply affecting work to date.
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Featuring – Enda Scahill, banjo, Martin Howley, banjo, David Howley, banjo, mandolin, guitar and vocals
www.musicnetwork.ie

“We Banjo 3 are terrific. There really isn’t a better way to say it. Wonderful musicianship of the first order. Best of all, they are different.”
– Bill Margeson, Irish Music Writer.

“Enda does things on the banjo which should be impossible.”
–  Irish American News.

The banjo has been likened to Marmite – you either love it or hate it. But when the remarkable We Banjo 3 hits the vellum and virtuosity takes flight, any doubts about this much–maligned instrument are swept aside in a wave of verve and sheer joie–de–vivre.
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www.irishworldacademy.ie

A new scholarship fund has been made available for post–graduate study at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, University of Limerick. The Stepping Stones Scholarships target international post– graduate students with a demonstrable record in a performance and/or academic specialisation relevant to a programme of study at the Academy.
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Gleneagle Hotel, Killarney,
February 20th – 24th, 2013
www.thegathering.ie

Toes will be tapping all the way to Killarney for the fourteenth Gathering Traditional Festival which is set to take place at The Gleneagle Hotel, Killarney from February 20th – 24th, 2013.

This festival is firmly established as one of the most popular celebrations of Irish song and dance the world over. It has grown in strength since its inception way back in 1999 and incorporates a finely tuned mix of concerts, céilís, sessions, workshops and masterclasses.
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September 6th–9th, 2012
www.dingletradfest.com

Dingle Tradfest returns this year after the success of the inaugural event in 2011. Kicking–off on September 6th and running until September 9th in Dingle town, the festival will host a series of concerts, a themed session trail and outdoor events, which will include a session at the summit of Mount Brandon, entitled Tom Crean’s Expedition.
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