After wowing fans since reforming, Frankie Gavin and De Dannan are coming to Campbell’s Tavern, Cloughanover, for what promises to be a super show on Tuesday December 28. For many years traditional super group De Dannan were the forerunners in the Irish traditional music world, but after 33 years, 14 albums, and a number of changes in the line up, the group disbanded in 2003. In 2009 original founding member and world famous fiddle player Frankie Gavin unleashed a new De Dannan which features local man Eric Cunningham on percussion, flutes, and whistles. Tickets for the show cost €18 and doors are at 9.30pm in one of the most storied venues in the west.
The Campbell family landed in Cloughanover in 1984 but since the first maps were made back in the 1840s there have been dances at the crossroads, a sheebeen (they got a licence since ), a bakery, a wool store, a shop, and many nights of pitch and toss and music in the dancehall days. Nowadays Campbell’s Tavern is a local pub in an area teeming with musical and artistic talent. Upstairs is the music school run by Gert, Fiachra and Jamie and downstairs is the pub and music venue. For many years now the Bombanova drummers have practised each Tuesday night and are always open to newcomers. Solstice Arts group meet frequently to invite new members and cultivate new ideas and the monthly Cavern Camera Club is going from strength to strength. Local Kiwi Danny Dowling is bringing the finest stand up comics to Cloughanover on a regular basis and intends running comedy workshops in the area in the future.
Recently the tavern has featured on TG4s Geantraí Christmas and St Patrick’s Day specials which were anchored by The Saw Doctors, Sharon Shannon, and Shane McGowan, and was voted best local in Connacht by the listeners to the Alison Curtis Show on Today Fm. Since 2003 the Galway Arts Festival have included Campbell’s as one of their listed venues and more recently both the Galway jazz and comedy festivals have ventured out to Cloughanover. For more information visit www.campbellstavern.net
