CELEBRATING COMPOSERSDON STIFFE & MARCUS HERNON / MICHAEL & DONAL McCAGUE & BRIAN McGRATH / KATE PURCELL, CHARLIE LENNON & JOHNNY ÓG CONNOLLY / ANNA FALKENAU / NOELIE McDONNELL / LIZ & YVONNE KANE / BREDA & CLAIRE KEVILLE & LIAM LEWIS / JOHN BURNS (SCOTLAND) / THE KINLOCHARD CEILIDH BAND (SCOTLAND) / TIM LYONS / WE BANJO 3 / TOMMY McCARTHY & LOUISE COSTELLOE / MÁIRTÍN O’CONNOR, CATHAL HAYDEN, JIMMY HIGGINS & SHAMIE O’DOWD / SOLAS / THE IRISH THUNDER PIPE BAND (USA) / THE RAMBLING BOYS OF PLEASURE & A SPECIAL GALA TRIBUTE TO TONY SMALL

www.galwaysessions.com

If it were ever in doubt that Irish traditional and folk music is a living, breathing and contemporary art form this year’s festival should prove it beyond doubt. The traditional music repertoire extends back to the 17th and 18th centuries, but continues to be renewed and

reinvigorated to the present day.Galway is so fortunate to be home to an incredible array of creative and imaginative composers

and songwriters. Many of these composers are well established and revered within the tradition. The music of luminaries such as Paddy Fahy and Charlie Lennon is informed and inspired by the tradition of their localities yet in each case distinctly individual and unique. Others like Máirtín O’Connor are breaking new ground. Máirtín’s music is as innovative and sophisticated as it is captivating and is strongly influenced by his world travels. We also welcome new offerings from young musicians, Michael McCague, Anna Falkenau and Tommy McCarthy.

How fortunate we are indeed to have in our midst one of the greatest songwriters in the traditional idiom of this era, Tim Lyons, the sublime balladeer Don Stiffe, not to mention the seemingly endless production-line of contemporary folk song writers emanating from Tuam!

We pay special tribute to the wonderful legacy of song left to us by one of Galway’s most charismatic singers, Tony Small. I believe his songs to be the ultimate expression of Galway’s heritage and culture.

As always we extend a warm welcome to the musicians, dancers and entertainers from our cultural partner Stirling, Scotland and an especially warm welcome to Irish Thunder pipes and drums and their travelling party from Philadelphia.

I wish to thank Galway City Council for it’s continued support and likewise the great traditional music houses of the city. I hope and trust visitors and locals alike will enjoy this year’s festival.

Mick Crehan

INTRODUCTION

ANNA FALKENAU CD RELEASEThe Crane Bar / Sunday 15th June / 6pm / Admission FREE

CD release gig of Féileacán na Saoirse – a new CD by fiddle player Anna Falkenau

“Soulful, fluent, inventive – the superlative fiddling of ANNA FALKENAU flows sweetly and with spellbinding expressiveness. On this superb CD she weaves a finely crafted musical tapestry from an intensely personal selection of airs and dance tunes from the Irish and American old-time traditions. Her delicate fiddling takes us to the core of some of the most deeply felt music in the Irish tradition and to infectious dance tunes, as well as to freshly composed music from herself and other fine tune makers of today...On this CD Anna is supported masterfully by some of the most skilled accompanists in the contemporary Irish tradition” (Jackie Small)

Join Anna to celebrate the release of Féileacán na Saoirse in The Crane Bar on Sunday 15th at 6pm. Admission is free and you can pick up a copy there and then. Find out more by visiting www.annafalkenau.com

DON STIFFE & MARCUS HERNONThe King’s Head / Monday 16th June / 3pm / Admission FREEAptly named the ‘Bard of Bohermore’ by legendary accordion player Joe Burke, DON STIFFE is one of the most respected songwriters in Ireland today. He is equally admired for his singing prowess which is up there with the best. Don has released two albums, Start of a Dream (2006) and Life Journey (2011) featuring some of Don’s beautifully crafted ballads. Songs recorded by other artists include ‘Home in Time For Christmas’; Cherish the Ladies, ‘Grosse Isle’; Sean Keane and Kate Purcell and ‘Somebody Special’ by Matt Keane which was awarded song of the year from Live Ireland Awards.

MARCUS HERNON is from Roisín na Mainiach in Carna, the heart of the Connemara Gaeltacht. Having won seven All - Ireland titles he is one of the most respected flute players in Ireland today. In 2000 Marcus produced a book and CD featuring an entire collection dedicated to the wild birds of Ireland composed in almost every music genre in the tradition.

DAN TRAYERS & PADRAIG STEVENSMonroe’s Tavern / Monday 16th June / 9pm / Admission FREEDAN TRAYERS is a singer songwriter from Tuam Co. Galway. Dan has played alongside the Saw Doctors, Sharon Shannon, The Hot House Flowers and Damien Dempsey to name but a few. No stranger to the music scene around Galway city and county Dan after the release of his first solo single ‘Buenos Noches’ was confirmed as Irish Artist of the Month for August 2013 on Galway Bay FM.

PADRAIG STEVENS a master songwriter from Grange, Co. Sligo and long time Tuam resident was manager of Blaze X in the 80’s before joining the Saw Doctors playing drums and co-writing many of the bands famous hits. He has released two albums Sound

! and Puddles and Rainbows. Popular

songs from these albums include ‘The Streets of Galway’, ‘The Tuam Beat’ and ‘Up Mayo’.

MICHAEL McCAGUEThe Crane Bar / Monday 16th June / 9pm / Admission FREETonight’s gig sees the launch of The Waylaid Man, the long awaited album of original compositions in the traditional idiom offered up by MICHAEL McCAGUE. This highly individual and personal project sees the culmination of over a years composing, studio work and collaboration with some of the most inspiring and highly regarded musicians currently on the circuit.

The compositions cover the broad spectrum of reels, jigs, slides, barn dances, polkas and an Eastern European styled set. Solos and duets are delicately balanced with Michael being the ever present accompanist and arranger. Brian McGrath (banjo) and Michael’s brother Donal McCague (fiddle), TG4 Young Musician of the Year 2013, are the featured artists tonight.

KATE PURCELL Sings the Songs of Johnny PattersonThe King’s Head / Tuesday 17th June / 3pm / Admission FREEKATE PURCELL, a native of Co. Clare and a contemporary folk artist, tours extensively around Ireland at venues ranging from arts centres to major concert halls and has opened and played with most of the major acts on the Irish touring circuit. Kate features regularly on TV and radio programmes in both Ireland and the UK with many of her own compositions being chart topping hits. Her album Shadows of You (2004) was short-listed for BBC2 Folk Awards.

Her interpretation of the songs of JOHNNY PATTERSON (1840-1889) have proved to be highly popular. Johnny Patterson born in Kilbarron, Feakle, Co. Clare was a singer, songwriter and circus performer who worked and performed throughout the US, UK and Ireland. Johnny composed songs that remain great favourites to this day on both sides of the Atlantic including ‘The Garden Where the Praties Grow’, ‘Goodbye Johnny Dear’ and ‘The Stone Outside Dan Murphy’s Door’.

THE RAMBLING BOYS OF PLEASUREMonroe’s Live / Tuesday 17th June / 8pm / Admission €15/€12.50THE RAMBLING BOYS OF PLEASURE are a collection of Irish musicians who love to explore their music and look for new directions in which to take it. Their aim is to explore the influence of Celtic music in different cultures around the globe, and to see if they can take that merging of cultures somewhere new. Having been brought up on songs that have travelled the globe and returned, they are fascinated by the journey these songs have taken, and the influences they picked up on the way. The Rambling Boys of Pleasure Are: Bernard O’Neill, Gino Lupari, Alan Burke, David Munnelly and Sean Regan. Tickets available from: www.monroes.ie

SET DANCINGMonroe’s Tavern / Tuesday 17th June / 9pm / Admission FREEA great chance to belt out a few sets to the lively music of JOHN BYRNE agus a chairde

JOHNNY Óg CONNOLLY & CHARLIE LENNONThe Crane Bar / Tuesday 17th June / 9pm / Admission €10JOHNNY ÓG CONNOLLY from one of Connemara’s great musical families is a master on both melodeon and accordion. He has performed and recorded with many great musicians including Brian McGrath and Charlie Lennon. His 2011 CD Aisling Yoshua was Best Traditional Album of the Year in the the Irish Times Poll and featured an array of his beautifully crafted compositions including dance tunes, airs and waltzes. Johnny could justifiable claim to be the waltz king of Ireland.

CHARLIE LENNON is one of the most prolific living Irish tune composers and he has also written some ambitious large scale works for orchestra. He was named TG4 Composer of the Year in 2006 and has published two volumes of his compositions entitled Musical Memories. Where ever Irish music is played the world over rarely is a session complete without one or two of Charlie’s tunes. Favourites include ‘Kilty Town’, ‘Ril an Spidéal’ and ‘The Twelve Pins’. Tickets available from: 091 587419 / www.thecranebar.com

TOMMY McCARTHY & LOUISE COSTELLOEThe King’s Head / Wednesday 15th June / 3pm / Admission FREEOwners of one of the world’s most famous Irish music houses, the Burren Bar in Somerville, Boston, TOMMY McCARTHY and his wife LOUISE COSTELLOE released their debut album Grace Bay earlier this year. The album featured several original compositions by Tommy, one of the newest composers on the block, including a plaintive and reflective piece which is the title track, a truly West Clare style jig, ‘A Trip to Miltown’ and two playful waltzes inspired by nights on Innisboffin.

WE BANJO 3Róisín Dubh / Wednesday 15th June / 9pm / Admission FREEOne of the most exciting if not explosive acts to emerge in recent years are WE BANJO 3. Band members are two sets of brothers Enda and Fergal Scahill and David and Martin Howley all Galwegians and all young vibrant and masterful musicians. Last year they swept the boards awards wise, including Irish Times Traditional Album of the Year, New Group of the Year and Concert of the Year winners on Live Ireland.com. Their heady mix of Americana and Trad is sure to guarantee continued success. Join them as they launch their new CD Gather the Good.

NOELIE McDONNELLThe Crane Bar / Wednesday 15th June / 9pm / Admission €10NOELIE MCDONNELL is a singer songwriter from Tuam Co. Galway. His debut self titled album (2005) was a considered hit and it’s opening song ‘Stars’ was picked as Ian Dempsey’s Song of the Week on Today FM. In 2008 he released his second album Beyond Hard Places. ‘Nearly Four’, a song written for Noelie’s nephew got to number 4 in the Irish Download Charts and number 15 in the Irish Singles Charts. Noelie has played alongside numerous artists including John Martyn, The Saw Doctors, Eddie Reader and Mundy. He currently plays with The Whileaways and the Cabin Collective featuring former members of the Saw Doctors and the Waterboys.Tickets available from: 091 587419 / www.thecranebar.com

Tue 17Mon 16Sun 15Venue

Galway Sessions 2014 Day by Day Guide

= Cover Charge

The Crane Bar

Róisín Dubh

Monroe’s Live

Monroe’s Tavern

The Quays

Tigh Neachtain

The Kings Head

Tigh Chóilí

Taaffe’s

Town Hall Theatre

Open Air Events

ANNA FALKENAUCD Launch

(*6pm)

MICHAEL McCAGUECD Launch

DAN TRAYERS& PADRAIG STEVENS

SÚLT

DON STIFFE & MARCUS HERNON

KATE PURCELL

SÚLT

SET DANCING

OPEN TRAD SESSION

JOHNNY ÓG CONNOLLY& CHARLIE LENNON

THE RAMBLING BOYS OF PLEASURE

We Banjo 3CD Launch

Time

9.00pm(Except *)

9.00pm

8.00pm

9.00pm(Except *)

9.00pm(Except *)

9.00pm

3.00pm

8.00pm

BRIAN McGRATH & AIDAN FLANAGAN

JOHN O’HALLORAN & LIZ HANRAHAN

ANDERS TRABJERG & NIALL McQUAID

LIZ HANRAHAN & KEVIN WHELAN

ANDERS TRABJERG & FRIENDS

SHANE FAHY & FRIENDS

MIKE CASEY, JOHN O’HALLORAN & LIZ HANRAHAN

MARTIN O’CONNOR & JAMES SHERIDAN

6.00pm(Except *)

9.00pm

9.30pm

5.30pm(Except *)

Sat 21Fri 20

Galway Sessions 2014 Day by Day GuideSun 22

Subject to change

KATE PURCELL TOMMY McCARTHY & LOUISE COSTELLOE

LIZ & YVONNE KANE JOHN BURNS & FRIENDS

SÚLT PETER BYRNE & THE GLASS ONION BAND

SET DANCING

OPEN TRAD SESSION MIKEY & THE SCALLYWAGS

POST PARADE PARTY(*2pm)

JOHN O’HALLORAN & EAMON O’DWYER

PADDY KERR & JOHN O’HALLORAN

JOHNNY ÓG CONNOLLY& CHARLIE LENNON

THE RAMBLING BOYS OF PLEASURE

SOLAS THE MÁIRTÍN O’CONNOR BAND

NOELIE McDONNELL

We Banjo 3CD Launch

BREDA & CLAIRE KEVILLE& LIAM LEWIS

KINLOCHARD CEILIDH BAND (*9.30pm)

SINGING IN THE CRANE (*6pm)

SEAN RYAN, GREG COTTER & MICK CREHAN

(*1pm)

Thur 19Wed 18

www.galwaysessions.com

JOHNNY ‘RINGO’ McDONAGH, RONAN FLAHERTY & CONOR McCAGUE

RINGO McDONAGH & FRIENDS

JOHN O’HALLORAN, GERRY WHELAN & NICK POWER

(*2.00pm)

LIZ HANRAHAN & KEVIN WHELAN

THE GREAT DANES CONOR McCARTY & FRIENDS

CONOR McCARTY & FRIENDS

RINGO McDONAGH, MICK CONNEELY

& BRIAN McGRATH

GERRY WHELAN & MICK CARR

GERRY WHELAN & MICHAEL CHANG

THE GREAT DANES

MIKE CASEY & FRIENDS

PIPING RECITALSmall Crane

8pm

FESTIVAL PARADESee Map for Route

1pm

SHOP STREET CÉILÍ BAND

MARTIN O’CONNOR& JAMES SHERIDAN

TONY SMALLA Musical Tribute

MARY SHANNON & FRIENDS

JOHN O’HALLORAN & LIZ HANRAHAN

ROBIN & FRIENDS(Ballads)

CRAZY CROW

PAUL BRADLEY & DECLAN COREY

DECLAN COREY & GER CLANCY

THE FAHY FAMILY

PADDY FAHY, born 1916, is considered to be the greatest living composer of Irish traditional music. Paddy, an exceptional fiddler, is from Kilconnell in East Galway. His music has a distinctive yearning and magical quality or “draíocht” which is the essential if not definitive expression of the East Galway style of traditional music. His music is much admired and has been recorded by many of the traditions finest

fiddlers including Martin Hayes, John Carty and Kevin Burke. In recent years a number of CDs prominently featured Paddy’s music including recordings by Liz and Yvonne Kane and Breda and Claire Keville. Paddy was named TG4 Composer of the Year in 2001. Today’s concerts pay a very special and deserved tribute to Paddy and his music.

LIZ & YVONNE KANE The King’s Head / Thursday 19th June / 3pm / Admission FREEFrom north Connemara LIZ and YVONNE KANE are much respected musicians and teachers. They first came to national prominence when they toured with accordion player Sharon Shannon as members of her band The Woodchoppers. Since then the sisters have pursued a successful career as a fiddle duet. Paddy Fahy’s music always features strongly in their concert programmes.

BREDA & CLAIRE KEVILLE & LIAM LEWISThe Crane Bar / Thursday 19th June / 9pm / Admission FREEBREDA and CLAIRE KEVILLE are from Headford in Co. Galway. Liam Lewis is also originally from Galway but now lives in Co. Clare. The recordings The Hop Down by Breda and The Garden of Daisies by Claire are both magnificent tributes to Paddy Fahy and both CDs feature LIAM LEWIS as a special guest. The trio’s soulful and sensitive playing renders Paddy’s music at it’s very best.

SOLASMonroe’s Live / Thursday 19th June / 8pm / Admission €15/12.50Solas, Irish America’s most influential band, recently completed their most ambitious project to date, the recording Shamrock City. Through a deeply thoughtful, imaginative and carefully crafted collection of songs and tunes they tell the story of the Irish who went to work in the copper mines in Butte, Montanna in the early 1900’s. It is a fascinating if sometimes tragic story. The gig provides a chance to give a great welcome home to singer Norianna Kennedy on her Galway debut with Solas.Tickets available from: www.monroes.ie

JOHN BURNS & FRIENDSThe King’s Head / Friday 20th Jun / 3pm / Admission FREEJOHN BURNS from Stirlingshire in Scotland was 1999/2000 All Scotland Accordion Champion and the Scottish Musette Champion in 2002. An extremely accomplished player and composer, John has toured extensively in Europe and the U.S. with the Kinlochard Ceilidh Band. He also has his own band, The Burns Brothers, in which he plays with his brother George also a champion accordion player.

THE MÁIRTÍN O’CONNOR BANDMonroe’s Live / Friday 20th June / 8pm / Admission €17.50/15MÁIRTÍN O’CONNOR is one of the most respected and best loved musicians ever to emerge from Ireland. One of the main musical forces behind the now legendary Riverdance phenomenon, through his work with De Dannan, Midnight Well and Skylark and also as a solo artist he has quite simply gone where no Irish accordion player had gone before. Many fine musicians have played in Máirtín’s bands. For the past nine years the group has included multi-all Ireland winner Cathal Hayden and former Dervish member Séamie O’Dowd and percussionist Jim Higgins. In 2009 the band released the much anticipated album Crossroads. Máirtín’s previous albums Road West and Rain of Light are considered ground-breaking and captivating. A prolific writer of new material, Máirtín’s tunes can be heard on the recordings of many artists and at sessions throughout the world.Tickets available from: www.monroes.ie

PIPING RECITAL Small Crane. Friday 20th June / 8pm / Admission FREEJust a quick wee piping recital with highland dancing featuring Irish, Scots and American pipers to warm you up for a rare ould night of hearty Scots entertainment in the Crane.

KINLOCHARD CEILIDH BAND The Crane Bar / Friday 20th June / 9.30pm / Admission FREEWelcome and regular visitors to the Galway Sessions from our cultural partner Stirling the KINLOCHARD CEILIDH BAND will entertain and delight with a truly traditional night of Scottish music, dance, story and song.

CONCERT FESTIVAL PARADEStreets of Galway / Saturday 21st June / 1pmThe Galway Sessions extends the warmest of welcomes to IRISH THUNDER PIPES & DRUMS from Philadelphia, PA. The 45 piece band will lead a colourful and exciting parade which will include pipers from Scotland and Ireland, highland dancers and festival favourites BIG RORY & his dog OCHIE, probably the funniest street entertainers in the world.

The parade will commence at the top of SHOP Street, proceed thro’ the LATIN QUARTER into GALWAY’S WEST END. Come along and enjoy the colour and excitement.

POST PARADE PARTYMonroe’s Tavern / Saturday 21st June / 2pm / Admission FREECome join our friends from the U.S. and Scotland for an after parade party-entertainment by the KINLOCHARD CEILIDH BAND as well as piping and dancing, a reel highland fling.

SINGING IN THE CRANE Special Guest TIM LYONSThe Crane Bar / Saturday 21st June / 6pm / Admission FREESINGING IN THE CRANE is a bi-monthly singers club run by singers Dave Larkin and Lorraine Fitzpatrick and has grown from strength to strength over the past year or so.

Special guest at this evening’s session is the master of the comic song, TIM LYONS. Corkman Tim now lives in Kiltullagh, Athenry and is regarded as one of the finest traditional singers in Ireland today. Since the 70’s Tim has been writing hilarious and challenging songs and ballads on topical issues of the day. All singers and listeners welcome! Bigi Linn

Tim Lyons singing The Góilín, circa 1988. Photograph by Derek Spiers

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1 The Crane Bar 2 Róisín Dubh 3 Monroe’s

4 The Quays 5 Tigh Neachtain 6 The Kings Head

7 Tigh Chóilí 8 Taaffe’s Bar 9 Town Hall Theatre

Programme & Poster Design by www.designassociates.ie

TICKETSTickets are available on the door or in advance from participating venues.

Parade Route

TONY SMALLA MUSICAL TRIBUTE

The Galway Sessions presents

Tickets available from the box office at the Town Hall Theatre at Courthouse Square, Galway or Phone 091 569777 between 10am-7.30pm Mon-Sat, or online at www.tht.ie – Visa, Access, MasterCard and Laser are accepted. *Telephone and personal bookings are subject to Refurbishment Charge of 50 cent per ticket. Online bookings are subject to €1.50 booking and Refurbishment Charge per ticket.

A heartfelt homage to Galway’s dearly loved singer / songwriter

Featuring a distinguished array of Tony’s closest musical collaborators

Phot

o: Jü

rgen

Dom

es

Sunday 22nd June / Town Hall Theatre / 8pm / Admission €20*