Folk Centre column

Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann has announced a five-year development plan that will see €22.6 million being invested in the building of eight resource centres around the country (six in the Republic and two in the North), plus an additional €5.1 million on an expansion of its educational programme. Nice for them, eh? Billed as “the most radical and comprehensive initiative since the foundation of Comhaltas in 1951”, the plan was officially launched on August 28 at the Fleadh Cheoil in Clonmel by Dr Tomás Ó Canainn, who was this year awarded the supreme Fleadh accolade of Ard-Ollamh. Well known as an uilleann piper, singer, composer and leader of the group Na Filí, Dr Ó Canainn recently published a book on Seán Ó Riada.
Irish audiences will have a rare opportunity to see the US-based trad band Chulrua when they pop over for a brief tour this month. Taking their name (which translates as “red back”) from the name and distinguishing feature of Fionn MacCumhaill’s favourite wolfhound, the group consists of button accordionist and Offaly native Paddy O’Brien, French-born fiddler Patrick Ourceau and Tipperary man Pat Egan on guitar and vocals. They recently released a debut album on the Shanachie label, available through shops here. Their Irish tour kicks off at Aras Eanna on Inisheer on September 18, continuing on to Clifden, Westport, Oldcastle (Co. Meath), Wexford, Armagh, Dublin, Belfast, Limerick, Ballyvourney (Co. Cork), Crusheen (Co. Clare) and Ring (Co. Waterford). For details, check out the group’s website: .
I was distressed to learn only recently that Mary McPartlan was diagnosed with cancer following the release earlier this year of her superb debut album The Holland Handkerchief. Thankfully, she’s since made a full return to health, and has signed a management deal with Sligo’s Felip Carbonnell (who also works with the band Dervish) in addition to starting an MA at NUI Galway. She hopes to do some touring later in the season, and writes that she’s “looking forward to singing most of all in my life now.” Amen to that.
Speaking of Dervish – Liam Kelly, the band’s flute playing maestro, was commissioned by the Football Association of Ireland to write a new piece, entitled ‘A Mighty Tribe’, in honour of the re-branding of the FAI and the Irish team. Dervish gave the piece its first public performance at the launch of the new Irish team kit in Jury’s hotel, when it provided the soundtrack for a 50-minute presentation during which FAI CEO Fran Rooney emphasised that the tune was central to the new ‘brand identity’. In addition to the Dervish version, the tune has also been remixed by Mark Murphy and the track may yet be released.
Séamus Fay did a spot of recording with Altan and Galician piper Carlos Nuñez when the latter was in town for his appearance at the Beo festival in the National Concert Hall. Having been well impressed by the 72-year-old Cavan man’s debut CD, Cavan’s Lilter (released last November), Nuñez had asked Altan manager Tom Sherlock to get in touch. Sherlock duly rang promoter Martin Donohoe, who’d put together the 4-CD collection of Cavan musicians that led to Fay’s recording, and asked him to arrange a session. The meeting of musical minds took place in Westland Studios on Lombard Street, Dublin, and the result was an arrangement of the old tune ‘The Sailor’s Hornpipe’ with Altan starting off the tune, a quick segue into Fay’s lilting, and finally back to Altan swinging along with Nuñez for the finale. The finished track is set to appear on Nuñez’s new CD, scheduled for release in 2005. Donohoe is also working on a follow-up recording for Fay, due out in October.
The Clé Club is back at Liberty Hall for the autumn, but it’s now meeting on Wednesdays instead of Mondays, and the cover charge has increased to €4 to help offset costs – still extremely reasonable in view of the talent on offer!
Plans have been announced for the sixth annual Return To Camden Town Festival, set to take place in London from October 22 through 31. This year sees the launch of the first RTCT Magazine with articles, tunes, interviews with artists, biographies, pictures and full programme details, including timetables for workshops, sessions, talks, times, venues and cost for all events. The magazine can be obtained via the Festival website or by phoning the Festival Hotline on +44 7957 591842. Featured in this year’s lineup are Beginish, James Kelly & Francis Gaffney, Mary Bergin & Alec Finn, Paddy Keenan & Tommy O’Sullivan, Cran, The London Lasses & Pete Quinn, The Four Courts Céilí Band, Aidan Vaughan, Liam Farrell, Joe Whelan & Reg Hall, Niamh Parsons & Graham Dunne, Mick O’Connor and many more – for a complete listing, see the website mentioned above. Artists launching albums at the festival include Benêche and Helen Roche.