Paddy cool

Given the global gloom besetting us in these war-obsessed days, the forthcoming St. Patrick’s Day offers us a welcome opportunity to put George, Tony, Bertie and Saddam on the back-burner for a whole weekend so that we can get down to doing what we do best, enjoying ourselves.

With the day itself falling on a Monday, the national festival this year provides the perfect opportunity for a long weekend away from it all, a chance to soak up the music, the mood and the craic and celebrate all that’s best about being Irish.

There will be no shortage of festive events and happenings all over the country, with virtually every village and townland organising some celebratory event or other. Of course few such events will take place without a sizeable input of music, singing and dancing.

Below we take a look at just two locations where the musical menu will be top class – one rural and one urban – the magnificent new Glor venue in Ennis, County Clare, and The Mezz located in Eustace Street in Dublin’s throbbing Temple Bar zone.

But even for those who prefer to stay at home to chill out or visit friends or family, St. Patrick’s Day offers a timely opportunity to slip that favourite Irish album on the CD.

And as our recent Readers’ Poll proved, there has hardly been a better time to feed quality Irish CDs into your CD player.

RMG-Chart is now Ireland’s most high-profile distribution company, with a roster that not only features the cream of the Irish musical crop but can also find space for guests of the calibre of Josh Ritter, Rodrigo y Gabriella and David Gray. Come St. Patrick’s Day you can surrender to the musical treats on offer from artists like Sinéad O’Connor, Jerry Fish and his Mudbug Club, the late but not forgotten Mic Christopher, and that perennial favourite Sean Keane.

A glor-ious time

As befitting the occasion the Glor Irish Music Centre in Ennis has organised a jam-packed weekend to entertain children and adults alike. With generous sponsorship from Ennis Town Council and Clare County Council, Glor’s first St. Patrick’s Weekend Festival offers a menu of music and events that should raise a cheer from even the most curmudgeonly soul. According to Aislinn O hEocha, there’s no shortage of events to pick from each evening, whether you’re a die hard music fan who simply can’t get enough of the stuff, or a socialite who just likes to be seen at the gigs that matter.

For example, recent listeners to John Creedon’s Radio 1 programme will want to check out Lasairfhiona Ni Chonaola who will leave her native Aran to perform at Glor on Friday March 14th. Lasairfhiona will be joined by her brother Macdara as well as such stalwarts as Mary Custy, Johnny McDonagh and Kathleen McMahon. The Aran woman’s singing style is deeply rooted in the sean-nós tradition of her western island home, yet this young singer is also influenced by the best in contemporary music. Her Glor studio concert will be a rare treat indeed.

The irresistible Café Orchestra will once again bring Glor to a musical climax on the Friday with their swinging combinations of South American tango and mellow jazz-influenced European style. This “late and live” gig is sure to be popular, so early booking is advised and will earn you discounted admission.

The spectacular flautist and uilleann piper Mike McGoldrick and his band will take to the Glor stage on Saturday March 15. Mike, hailed as a rare talent and “a star in the making”, will travel from his native Manchester especially for the occasion during what is the busiest weekend in any Irish musician’s diary. Mike brings a team of fine musicians with him, including Che Beresford, Neil Yates and Manus Lunny.

Keeping the kids amused during a long St. Patrick’s Weekend can be quite a challenge. But this time round you’ll find alternative entertainment for the whole family in the comfort of the new Glor venue. Younger patrons can have their face painted or listen to stories told by acclaimed children’s authors Cora Harrison and Kate Thompson. Padraic Hopkins will be giving sean nos dancing classes to children over seven years of age on Saturday and Sunday morning and afternoon. Two classic films for children, The Wizard of Oz and James And The Giant Peach, will be shown at 4 pm on Saturday and Sunday respectively.

Special weekend tickets are available from the Glor Box Office. A group of four children or more receive a 20% discount to the films and sean nós dance classes. Storytelling and face painting are free. Adults receive a discount by booking all four evening performances at a collective price of E40. Further details from 065 6843103 or www.glor.ie

For further information please contact Aislinn O hEocha at (065) 6845370.

Michael’s right there

Michael McGoldrick’s musical pedigree is such that anyone who has not yet heard him should be prepared to have their spirits uplifted. Genuine enthusiasm positively explodes from his playing and has brought him awards that include BBC Radio Two Instrumentalist of the Year in 2000 and the 1995 winner of the BBC Radio Two Young Tradition Award.

Michael (pictured) has been playing flutes and whistles virtually since birth. He was taught to play the tin whistle by his father, who hailed originally from County Galway. At the age of 11 he won the All-Britain Fleadh Cheoil on the very same tin whistle. At the age of 16 he joined Manchester-based Celtic-rockers Toss The Feathers and his career has flourished ever since.

He’s certainly been a very busy man. In the last few years he has toured the USA with the RTE Concert Orchestra, and taken his passport to Brazil, Australia, Canada, the USA, France, Spain and the UK with the Scottish supergroup Capercaillie. With the band Lunasa, he has traveled the length of England and Ireland extensively. He has covered much ground as a soloist too and has managed to cram in all the essential fleadhs, including London, New York and Chicago as well as the bigger folk festivals such as Cambridge and Sidmouth.

Michael was also a founding member of top folk act Flook. His first solo album was produced by Manus Lunny of Capercaillie and charted at No.1 for five weeks in the Irish Folk and Roots charts.

The follow up Fused was released in 2000 to consolidate his premier position. In Hot Press we described it in glowing terms as “probably one of the most refreshing collections to see the light of day since Moving Hearts laid their cardiac muscles to rest. Fused is a thing of beauty.”

Michael has also found time to record the superb new album At First Light with Belfast piper John McSherry and has contributed to the new Capercaillie CD, as well as the new recording from English rose Kate Rusby. He has also done his fair share of TV work, primarily in Scotland working on a number of music and language programmes, and even appeared in Coronation Street where he led the only ever session at the Rovers Return!

A-mezzing

The Mezz in Dublin’s Eustace Street is, according to Graham Christie, the capital’s only jazz, soul and blues night club operating seven nights a week, 9 pm to midnight and later at weekends. In fact a week’s residency in The Mezz will take any serious music fan on a virtual rollercoaster ride through the classier end of the music spectrum.

Monday nights sees The Singing Club and Liam Malone with Clare Bonass, while Tuesday nights offers a heady cocktail of Jazz, Soul, Funk and Blues alternately featuring Trinity Jazz Band, The Company and the quaintly-named Nigel Murphy’s Hip Operation. There’s more jazz on Fridays with Ireland’s internationally-acclaimed guitarist Louis Stewart, not to mention the International Blues Band, The Legendary Hoods and guests galore.

The Mezz funks it up every Saturday with the jazz-funk of Justin Carroll Organics, Tom Harte and Ciaran Wilde on the menu. But Sunday is a real music marathon. From lunchtime until 4 pm you can chill out to the laid back sounds of Frank Quinlan’s Band, then get on down with ace bluesman Ben Prevo before grooving to Peter Moore, The Wandering Harrys and whoever else might turn up to turn you on.

It’s encouraging to see someone like Christie looking beyond the obvious to help provide Irish music fans with such a healthy musical diet, not just on St. Patrick’s Weekend, but throughout the year too.