Tumbling Bones in Mayo

Fri, Jun 07, 2013

From Maine on the coast of northeast USA, Tumbling Bones play a mix of down-home, old-fashioned American traditional and folk music that belies the youth of its three band members. But their folk is no museum piece; it is living, breathing music infused with a little of the contemporary rock ‘n’ roll the fellas were reared on and reworked into their original arrangements and compositions. Tumbling Bones have a passion for the heritage of American music and a penchant for honest, no frills-attached acoustic music.

Out & About in Mayo

Fri, Jun 07, 2013

Westport Festival of Chamber Music launched
The first Westport Festival of Chamber Music will be held from Friday, September 6 to Sunday, September 8 in Westport House and Holy Trinity Church. The brochure for the festival will be launched at Westport House at 1.30pm on Tuesday next, June 11 with a short performance by over 80 very young violinists from the adjacent Gaelscoil. The festival will include concerts by some of Ireland’s top internationally performing musicians, Catherine Leonard (violin) and Hugh Tinney (piano), The RTE Vanbrugh Quartet and guitarist Redmond O’Toole.

The first Westport Festival of Chamber Music will be held from Friday, September 6 to Sunday, September 8 in Westport House and Holy Trinity Church. The brochure for the festival will be launched at Westport House at 1.30pm on Tuesday next, June 11 with a short performance by over 80 very young violinists from the adjacent Gaelscoil. The festival will include concerts by some of Ireland’s top internationally performing musicians, Catherine Leonard (violin) and Hugh Tinney (piano), The RTE Vanbrugh Quartet and guitarist Redmond O’Toole.

Plans already in motion for next year’s Mayo International Choral Festival

Fri, May 31, 2013

As the sun was rising over Lough Lannagh, Castlebar on Sunday morning, some 150 people gathered at the lakeside to take part in the final event of the second Mayo International Choral Festival. The dawn chorus marked the close of the four day event at which some 1,100 singers and guests took part in concerts, competitions, street performances, and tours of Mayo. The festival programme was launched two weeks earlier, by the UK’s Reading Male Voice Choir.

With 44 choirs taking part, concerts were held in Ballina, Ballinrobe, Ballintubber, Castlebar, Killala, Newport, Swinford, and Westport. The Gala Choral Concert at the Royal Theatre was a fantastic event with the majority of prize-winning choirs performing, and, when the curtain went up for the last two songs, the audience were treated to a choir of more than 500 members, conducted by David Brophy, conductor of the RTE Concert Orchestra.

Gerry Carney at the Linenhall

Fri, May 31, 2013

Regarded as one of Ireland’s finest songwriters, Gerry Carney performs at the Linenhall Arts Centre in Castlebar on Thursday June 6 at 8pm. Gerry Carney came to the fore with his now worldwide hit, “Paddy”, a song dedicated to the forgotten Irish: the people who left Ireland for work, and sent the money home to support the families they left behind. “Paddy” is now officially Ireland’s favourite song (as stated in a Sunday Independent poll), and is seen as a song that will go down as having played a major part in re-awakening interest in the plight of these people.

Green Flag awards for 52 Mayo schools

Fri, May 31, 2013

Schools from across Mayo attended a ceremony at Breaffy House Hotel, Castlebar on Tuesday May 28. Five schools were awarded their first Green Flag while 47 schools renewed their Green Flag. Schools from counties Leitrim and Sligo also received flags at ceremonies on the day.

Clew Bay Pipe Band concert

Fri, May 31, 2013

The Clew Bay Pipe Band will showcase its spectacular summer show at Hotel Westport on Friday June 14.

Out & About

Fri, May 31, 2013

Castlebar Gospel Choir to perform for two nights
Perennial favourites, Castlebar Gospel Choir will be making a spirited return to the Linenhall Arts Centre, Castlebar, for two stirring and lively performances on Wednesday June 12 and Thursday June 13 at 8pm.

Out and About in Mayo

Fri, May 24, 2013

Garavan at the Clew Bay Hotel Gallery
Rusting Roofs is a solo exhibition of painting, drawing and sculpture by artist Pauline Garavan which is currently showing at the Clew Bay Hotel, Westport. The exhibition has been extended for a further week until May 30. The work is an in-depth study of west of Ireland rusted galvanised corrugated roofs. Through a close-up examination the work explores their hidden and sometimes irregular beauty. It is based on a detailed photographic study of rusting roofs over a number of years.

Castlebar looks to host Mayo’s biggest outdoor ceili

Fri, May 24, 2013

After the success of last year’s street festival in the town, as part of The Gathering, Castlebar hopes to hold Mayo’s biggest ceili on Bank Holiday Sunday, June 2 from 7pm. At the junctions of Tucker Street, New Antrim Street, and Linenhall Street the festivities will take place with the road closed and music running from 7pm to 11.30pm. The organisers are looking to have Mayo’s biggest ceili and create a real carnival atmosphere around the town. There will be four traditional musical groups playing over the night including a seven-piece ceili band, also taking to the stage will be John and Niall Kilkenny, Tom O’Toole, and a collection of young Irish musicians called Youth Trad West. There will be a specially constructed dance floor laid in front of the stage, and a selection of dancers including world champions will lead the dancing. For more information or if you would like to volunteer on the night e-mail [email protected]

Mayo sings this weekend

Fri, May 24, 2013

Over 1,000 singers will take part in the second Mayo International Choral Festival which started last night Thursday, May 23 and runs to Sunday May 26. Expect to hear singing from many genres, including jazz, pop, folk, barbershop, sacred, and some yet to be defined. Mayo will be the mecca for all music lovers. The second festival will take the form of over 40 male and female international, national and local Mayo choirs participating on a competitive and non-competitive basis.

The event will include a number of evening and daily countywide performances, as well as competitions and workshops.

AC/DC tribute night

Fri, May 24, 2013

Quays Music Hall, Galway presents Hells Bells AC/DC Tribute on Friday May 31. Tickets are €10.

Westport Folk and Bluegrass festival launched

Fri, May 24, 2013

The Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival was launched in McGing's Bar, Westport, on Friday night last, May 17. The festival, now in its seventh year, will run over three days on the weekend of June 14 to 16. This year it will feature some 15 local, national, and international acts, including local band The Rocky Top String Band; Cork-based folk singer John Spillane; The Bluegrass Boogiemen from Holland; and 'The Queen of Banjo', Roni Stoneman from Nashville, who will be supported by fellow US act, Tumbling Bones.

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