THE ROLLING Stones may have been around for nearly 50 years, but even their longevity pales in comparison to The Kilfenora Céilí Band, which is are 103 years on the go.
Since its formation in 1909, the group has provided a platform for traditional musicians, having evolved from playing village parties in the early 1900s to bigger dances in the 1930s, to radio broadcasts in the 1940s, commercial recordings in the 1950s, foreign tours in the 1960s and 1970s, and re-forming in the 1990s.
Since then the KCB has been going strong, winning three consecutive All Ireland titles from 1993 to 1995; seeing their 1997 album Set on Stone go platinum and 2002’s Live in Lisdoonvarna awarded Traditional Album of the Year. The band was inducted into the Irish Music Hall of Fame in 2009 and in the same year the band headlined the Acoustic Stage at Glastonbury.
The Kilfenora features fiddles, bass, cello, flutes, banjo, concertina and accordion, with what Folk Roots magazine called “one of the tightest rhythm sections in the world”.
April 2012 sees the launch of the current line-up’s fifth album, and the eight since the formation of the band in 1909, entitled Chapter 8.
As Earle Hitchner of The Wall Street Journal and The Irish Echo said: “Chapter 8 captures a powerhouse line-up at their peak and represents a new recording milestone not just for the Kilfenora but for all active traditional dance ensembles. It is that ultimate rarity among céilí band albums: a feat for the feet and a feast for the ears.”
The Kilfenora Céilí Band play the Town Hall Theatre on Sunday April 22 at 8pm. Special guest on the night will be Galway folk singer-songwriter Don Stiffe and dancer Michael Donnellan. Tickets are available from the Town Hall on 091 - 569777 and www.tht.ie
