Folk column with Greg McAteer

I guess the biggest news in folk and acoustic music circles this fortnight is the announcement that Dervish are to represent Ireland in the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest in Helsinki.
Less gratifying has been the knee-jerk pigeonholing of Dervish by the country’s mainstream media. Considering that RTE chose to accompany the announcement with a folksy snippet from a Dervish instrumental track this is perhaps understandable. Still, given the feral intensity of their rendition of Dylan’s ‘Boots Of Spanish Leather’ or the rip-snorting headlong tilt of something like ‘Red Haired Mary’, it’s disappointing that so much of the coverage of RTE’s decision has been petty and parochial.
This, remember is a band that has played to audiences all over the world and shared stages with Neil Young and R.E.M. But can the average daytime DJ be arsed doing any research on them? No! Instead they take the piss out of the fact that Shane Mitchell plays the accordion standing up. Edifying... hardly! Knowing the band as well as I do, I have no doubt that at the end of all this they will once again have pushed the envelope, not just for themselves, but for acoustic music generally.
If there is a band out there who can square the circle between musical integrity and commercialism then Dervish will be the ones getting my douze points. Let’s just hope the songs are there to support them.
One programme on which Dervish are likely to get a fair crack of the whip is When The Wind Blows, Martin Donohue’s new weekly showcase on Shannonside/Northern Sound which currently goes out live weekly, each Tuesday night, after the nine o’clock news.
If he can get enough listeners the programme will also be put online, allowing a worldwide audience to access the treasure trove of folk, trad and other acoustic goodies that Cavan’s favourite son tends to lace into the show.
Before all that mayhem, there is the small matter of Christmas. As I’m guessing most of us here aren’t the office party type we’ll be aiming to have our fun at a few gigs. Maybe it’s a bit early to get into the Christmas spirit (who am I kidding – I got marooned in the middle of Belfast almost a fortnight back when I inadvertently drove into their ceremony to switch on the Christmas lights) but Charlie McGettigan is a master of creating that warm glow and he is playing at the Iontas Theatre, Castleblayney on Saturday December 9.
The Seamus Ennis Centre in Naul is running a night of Christmas Carol Singing and mulled wine in the Centre, on the evening of Saturday December 16, to get everyone in the mood for Christmas.
It’s going to be an informal evening with an open fire, mulled wine and hopefully lots of singing. The event is free but the centre will be taking donations for the St. Vincent de Paul charity on the night.
The last Tall Poppy Club of the year takes place on December 13 in Dundalk’s Spirit Store and features Una Healy who’ll be making the long trek up from Tipperary, Dane McMahon, better known as the bass of the Flaws and S.J. McArdle all of whom will be performing the most intimate of unplugged sets under the watchful gaze of M.C., Stewart Agnew. There’ll be a few Christmas songs played on the night.
Whelan’s contribution to the post-Christmas goodwill is the Out On A Limb Christmas Party featuring Giveamanakick, Ten Past Seven, Rest and Windings which takes place at the Wexford Street venue on December 27.
I suppose it’s fair to say that Vicar Street has more than it’s fair share of the big Christmas bashes this year: Damien Dempsey ramps things up an December 11 and 13; The Dubliners hit the stage on December 17 (that’s if anyone can get Podge and Rodge off it); December 22 sees the venue host the mother of all Christmas gigs as Kila take the place over for their yearly yuletide frolic.
One of the most eagerly awaited gigs over the Christmas season is going to be The Frames New Year’s Eve gig in Vicar Street. It comes as the crowning glory of what has been a magnificent year for the band and the atmosphere promises to be amazing.
Of course, as if anyone could forget, Christy Moore and Declan Sinnott play an astonishing 10 dates at Vicar Street, stretched out over the period between December 20 and January 13.
The Cobblestone’s December calendar doesn’t really take a nod towards Christmas at all but instead maintains the usual focused approach with Na Píobairí Uilleann presenting John Blake, John Carty, Maitiu O’Cassaide on Tuesday December 5; Thom Moore (Midnight well, Pumpkinhead), and friends appearing on Wednesday December 6; Mary Green & Noel Shine will be at the Cobblestone on Friday December 8 as part of the launch tour for her new album; Kieran Halpin plays a two hander with Anth Kaley on Saturday December 9 and on Sunday December 10 Steve Jones is joined by Kilkenny band Reverie.
Nominations for this years Meteors are interesting, especially in the Best Irish Female category where the nominees are Moya Brennan, Cara Dillon, Eleanor McEvoy, Luan Parle and Ann Scott, all of whom fit comfortably into the folk genre (well, we might have to push the boundaries a little for Luan Parle, but it would be churlish not to).
And with Fionn Regan and Damien Dempsey both nominated in Best Irish Male, it could be a good year for acoustic music.
Details of the 2007 Temple Bar Trad, Irish Music & Culture Festival have been announced by festival organisers TASCQ [Traders in the Area Supporting the Cultural Quarter].
The four day festival will take place from Thursday 25 January to Sunday 28 January 2007. The festival’s principal sponsor for 2007 is Bushmills with further support from Dublin City Council and Dublin Tourism.
Featuring performances from household names such as Lúnasa and Dervish, the festival will also give audiences a rare opportunity to hear masters of the tradition perform including Peter Horan, Ronan Browne, Martin Quinn, Angelina Carberry, Cathal McConnell and Kevin Glackin. The 2007 Temple Bar Trad Festival will also present a series of concerts showcasing new up-and-coming talent with performances from young musicians such as Michelle O’Brien, Seán McKeon, Liam O’Connor, Caoimhe Hogarty, Mikey Smith and Conor McEvoy.
Other festival events will include a lively pub session trail throughout many of the local pubs and bars in Temple Bar, workshops in flute, fiddle, banjo and accordion, Irish culture workshops, a photographic exhibition and a series of family events which will run in The Ark Children’s Cultural Centre.