TOMORROW, THE Drivetime diarists, Fergus Finlay, Olivia O’Leary, and Joseph O’Connor, will read for the Cúirt International Festival of Literature.
The event takes place at the Druid Lane Theatre at 7.30pm and admission is free. It is a good idea to get there very early, for as well as musings on Irish politics and society, the event will also feature music from two of the most imaginative contemporary Irish trad musicians - Claire and Breda Keville - who will be playing at the event
Claire and Breda will be playing at a reception in the lobby of the Druid Theatre as a sort of prelude to the Drivetime Diarists Live and no doubt Claire will be playing music from her recently released solo album The Daisy Field (CK Records ).
“I am looking forward to playing at the Cúirt festival, this being its 25th year,” Claire tells me. “It is wonderful when different art forms come together, in this case music and literature, and creatively enhance each other in a uniquely Irish way. I think that traditional music reflects the distinctive voice that we have as a nation in our writing.”
The Daisy Field contains “a certain repertoire of tunes that is not necessarily the usual run of the mill”, according to Claire.
“Not that there is anything wrong with the great old standards but there is no point is bringing out something just for the sake of it,” she said and the music of east Galway was a strong influence with music by composers such as Paddy Fahey, Tommy Coen, and Paddy Kelly, featured.
However the album was also a positive way to deal with the passing of both her mother and father.
“I had lost both my parents and I suppose this was my way of doing something and dedicating it to them,” she says, “especially as both of them had really loved traditional music.”
Claire made the album with her old friends Liam Lewis (“a mighty Galway fiddler, now living in Clare” ), her sister Breda, Geraldine Cotter, and Terence O’Reilly. “Making this CD was a very positive and enjoyable experience for me,” she said, “and I felt fortunate being surrounded by great people and friends!”
