The West Awake tour promises to rouse the weariest souls as four of Irish trad’s finest contemporary musicians delve into the rhythms and melodies of their native counties. The group Cora and Breda Smyth (fiddle, whistles ), Pauline Scanlon (vocals ) and Donogh Hennessy (guitar ), can be heard can be heard at Ballina Arts Centre, Ballina on Wednesday September 17 at 8pm. Tickets are €12 /€10 and are available on Tel. 096 73593. Music Network tours provide a wonderful opportunity to see some of the world’s foremost music ensembles at affordable prices in venues around Ireland and are presented in association with The Irish Times and RTÉ Lyric fm.
Hailing from Straide, Co. Mayo, sisters Cora and Breda Smyth have never been afraid to blend old and new, as witnessed in their self-titled debut album and Cora’s marvellously eclectic, Are We There Yet? Both have toured the world with Michael Flatley’s shows Lord of the Dance and Feet of Flames, but it was back in Galway City that the sisters met Donogh Hennessy and Pauline Scanlon, both from Dingle, Co. Kerry. For all four this tour marks a return to their musical roots. Donogh Hennessy, one of the founder members of Irish super group Lúnasa, is a much sought after guitarist on the contemporary trad scene, having played with the likes of John Spillane, Gerry O’ Connor, Sharon Shannon and Geraldine MacGowan. Meteor Ireland Music Award nominee Pauline Scanlon’s highly acclaimed debut album, Red Colour Sun, also displayed a healthy disregard for musical boundaries, but it’s her voice that lingers in the mind – described by The Irish Times as, “a superb mix of china cup fragility and steely resilience.” The Irish Examiner said of the Smyth sisters: “Traditional music played with breathtaking precision.” Information / booking: Ballina Arts Centre, Barrett Street, Ballina (096 ) 73593 or [email protected].
