World Fiddle Day takes place this year on May 16th in Scartaglin. In talking to the organisers they have stated that “This will be our third festival having started in 2013. Our first event attracted seventeen fiddle players including an American bluegrass musician who was touring Ireland that month. His name was Skip Gorman and to celebrate his birthday we visited Scartaglin where he gave a workshop on American fiddle styles and tunings.”
“ For the first event we also produced a historical photo collection of fiddle players from our area . Our second event attracted fiddle players from various parts of Ireland and they all played together in a tribute to “The Star Above The Garter” record by famous musicians Denis Murphy and his sister Julia Clifford. This year’s event is more ambitious with session trail, lectures, photo exhibitions etc. The Star Above The Garter is being hosted by Cork fiddler Matt Cranitch who will be joined by the cream of Sliabh Luachra fiddlers including. Gerry Harrington, Connie O’Connell, Con Moynihan, Emma O’Leary, John Daly and many more. Famous Sliabh Luachra box players Jimmy Doyle, Bryan O’Leary, John Brosnan lead earlier sessions at 15.00. Gradam Cheoil winner Liam O’Connor joins Kerry Accordion virtuoso Graham Guerin and guitar player Paul De Grae for a session of the great Dublin Tradition and its popular tunes.”
“At 19.30 Dublin musician and historian Mick O’ Connor will give a talk and video presentation of Jerry McCarthy R.I P. who was one of Patrick O’ Keeffes finest pupils. Afterwards we have the “Across The County Bounds ” fiddle concert which has an all star line up, including Liam O’Connor, Aidan Connolly, Nicky McAuliffe, Matt Cranitch, Connie and Aine O Connell, Con Moynihan, Paddy Jones, and loads more. All visitors are encouraged to join in to the open sessions and participate in all events”.
Gale force winds blowing across Scartaglin last Saturday Night had little or no impact on the inaugural Sliabh Luachra Young Musician of the Year Award. The evening was a feast of musical riches demonstrating that the unique Sliabh Luachra stlye is in safe hands.
The Sliabh Luachra Cultural and Heritage Centre played host to the event, which saw five young musicians from Kerry and Cork shortlisted for the prestigious award. The award is jointly funded by Cork County Arts Office and Kerry County Arts Office in support of the continued development of the Sliabh Luachra Music Trail www.sliabhluachra.ie
The evening was attended by the Cathaoirleach of the Killarney Municipal District Cllr. John Joe Culloty, Deputy Mayor of Cork County, Cllr. Timmy Collins, Minister Jimmy Deenihan and Sean Kelly, MEP. Cllr Collins said he was happy to cross the border once again to support the work of the arts offices, music festivals, teachers and students and all those involved in the Sliabh Luachra music trail.
students and all those involved in the Sliabh Luachra music trail.
This joint project focuses on promoting awareness of the unique repertoire of Sliabh Luachra music as well as fostering the next generations of musicians.
‘We are proud to support this initiative,’ stated Cllr. John Joe Culloty, ‘the Councils recognise that music in communities helps keep communities alive’. He praised the standard of the musicians on the night and also thanked Bridie Garvey and Tom at the centre for hosting the events; tea and brack was served after the performances!
Both Cllr Culloty and Cllr Collins commended the work by the Arts Officers in Kerry and Cork, Kate Kennelly and Ian McDonagh. ‘They work extremely hard, as I know from experience, they promote arts across the county working with individuals, groups, festivals, venues, schools and organisations. They are dynamic and fight for the arts when so many other demands are made on Council resources!’
Minister Deenihan said that the reach of Sliabh Luachra music is across the globe. There is great interest in the music style and music masters over the decades. He thanked the performers and audience for their continued support of the Sliabh Luachra Music Trail.
As Bridie Garvey pointed out there were two people present on the night not to be envied, the adjudicators; Paudie O’Connor, box player and Connie O’Connell, fiddle player. Theirs was a difficult task, the finalists were outstanding. It was not an easy decision; the standard on the night was inspiring. After much deliberation the inaugural award was given to a very deserving Bryan O’Leary.
Kate Kennelly thanked the members of the media present stating that raising the profile of such events, the talent and skill of our young musicians is truly important.
A number of festivals, music masterclasses and sessions will take place in the Cork and Kerry Sliabh Luachra area over the coming months; the Sliabh Luachra Young Musician of the year, 2015, Bryan O’Leary will be performing as will the other finalists. Bryan won €500 and the organisers are looking into a possible link with a music trail in America. Minister Deenihan said he would love to see the winner playing at prestigious traditional music festival, part of a similar music trail abroad. ‘This is world class music; it shows people across the world the value of our music and culture’.
Bryan O’Leary, Gneeveguilla who was the winner of the Sliabh Luachra Young Musician of the Year at The Scartaglin Arts Centre, on Saturday night with Bryan after was John Joe Culloty (Cathaoirleach of Killarney Municipal District), Sean Kelly (MEP), Bryan O’Leary (Young Musician of the Year), Jimmy Dennihan TD (Minister of Diaspora) and Timmy Collins (Deputy Mayor of Cork)
Sliabh Luachra Young Musician of the year will be announced at 7pm on Saturday 28th March at the Sliabh Luachra Centre, Scartaglin.
This is the first year of the award, which recognises excellence by young musicians in the Sliabh Luachra music style.
Five musicians have been shortlisted and will perform on the evening. They are Bryan O’Leary from Gneeveguilla, Liam O’Shea from Currow, Darragh Curtin from Brosna, Niamh Dalton from Gneeveguilla and Cliona Halley from Castlemartyr.
Attention Young Musicians – The deadline for the Sliabh Luachra Young Musician Award 2014 has now been extended until 26th of September 2014. For more information on the competition and details on how to apply please see here.
And good luck to all who enter!
We are delighted to see a vast array of Sliabh Luachra’s fine musicians will be partaking in a new monthly music series which has just been announced. Paying hommage to some of the region’s most celebrated characters, Handed Down! is a new talk, music and song series which begins next month with a Scartaglin special entitled, ‘Scartaglin – Musicians, Fleadh Cheoil and Stories’
More information on this and other upcoming events in our events calendar.
In the month of August, the Rolling Wave will be celebrating the music of Sliabh Luachra and remembering two great fiddle-players from this most musical area on the Cork-Kerry border – Paddy Cronin and Denis Murphy.
On the first two Sundays in August (2200) – 3rd and 10th – the programme will feature a tribute concert for Paddy Cronin which took place in the Community Hall in Miltown Malbay in July 2006. Many Sliabh Luachra singers and musicians made the journey up the coast to Co Clare and the result was a tremendous afternoon’s music. Some of those present were Jacky Daly, Paudie O’Connor, Máire and Aoife O’Keeffe, Connie O’Connell, Jimmy Doyle, Christy Cronin, Jimmy O’Brien and many more.
Then on 17th and 24th August the Rolling Wave will remember a second Kerry fiddle-player Denis Murphy who died in April 1974. These will be different programmes marking this 40th anniversary – a two part documentary entitled “Memories of Denis Murphy” in which friends, family and fellow musicians remember Denis and tell the story of his life and music.
The Rolling Wave presented and produced by Peter Browne is on RTÉ Radio One Sundays at 2200 (and again on RTÉ Lyric FM on Mondays at 1900)
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Bruach na Carriage Rambling House
The weekly Seisiun continues at Bruach Na Carraige Rockchapel each Tuesday night at 9pm, and on Saturday night the 12th of July there will be a special rambling house Session with local performers being joined by performers from Wicklow, Kildare, Carlow, and Wexford. All musicians, singers, and listeners welcome. A mighty night assured
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A July evening in sunny Scartaglin
On a behalf of the Arts Offices of Cork and Kerry County Council’s I would like to sincerely thank Bridie, Tom and all members of the Sliabh Luachra Rambling House committee for hosting the event in Scartaglin yesterday evening. It was great to see some familiar faces and lots of new faces too. Thanks to all local representatives who came along especially, Cllr. John Joe Culloty, Mayor of Killarney Municipal District and Cllr. Timmy Collins, Deputy Mayor of the County of Cork.
Of course, it worth reminding you all that we were there to launch two new initiatives on the Sliabh Luachra Music Trail; The Sliabh Luachra Young Musician Award and the Sliabh Luachra Music Trail master class series.
For more information on the Sliabh Luachra Young Musicians Award, please see here
For more information on the Sliabh Luachra Music Trail master class series, please see here
Thanks!
In keeping with the key objectivesd of the Sliabh Luachra Music Trail, an education programme is being developed which will give budding Sliabh Luachra Musicians an opportunity to work experienced music tutors who specialise in the Sliabh Luachra style and repertoire. The first of these one day masterclasses will take place in The Sliabh Luachra Heritage Centre, Scartaglin on September 6th. If you are interested in booking a spaces please contact Bridie Garvey at the heritage centre on 0863390789 or bridiegarvey@gmail.com. The master class is free and places are sure to fill up quickly so book early to avoid dissapointment.
For those on the Cork side of the border, a master class will take place in early 2015 and information will be posted here in due course.