Uber-piper Paddy Keenan played in de Barra’s in Clonakilty Thursday week ago accompanied on stage by guitarist Tommy O’Sullivan.  The pair have an album, The Long Grazing Acre, from which they took quite of a bit of material for the live show.  I had seen the two of them play in de Barra’s a few years ago so the drive down from Cork was always going to be well worth it.  The effortless multiple triplets which Paddy Keenan achieves and his fantastic tight fingering wows any crowd and this night was no different.  He is regarded as one of the better pipers in the world which is very evident on all his many albums.  If you don’t know much about the uilleann pipes, his albums would be a very good place to start.

As you may have noticed, the lighting was very difficult as usual down ther with a massive red lamp shining straight into Paddy’s face so that made things a bit tougher.

Related Posts on www.donal.ie

• February 7, 2009 -- Grand Pocket Orchestra at The Pavilion (0)
• February 9, 2009 -- Mick Flannery at Cork Opera House 2008 (0)
• September 16, 2009 -- Super Furry Animals at Indiependence (0)

Friday week ago An Post released a set of stamps comprising of four of the most prolific and well-known Irish traditional music bands: Planxty, De Dannan, The Bothy Band, and the Tulla Céilí Band.  Oh, and there’s me skulking on the first day cover playing the uilleann pipes.  Local Cork artist Finbarr O’Connor was commissioned to paint the four stamps and contacted me through the Cork Pipers Club website during the summer.  I was shocked to see how recognisable the image was when I got a larger version from Finbarr and the first day cover has pride of place on the mantle piece now. You can buy this set of stamps on the first day cover online at IrishStamps.

The stamp was not my initial foray into the modelling arena.  Last year my image was plastered on the back of a bus le haghaidh Gael-Taca.  I never actually saw the bus myself but below is the image used on the back of the bus.  Comments about face like the back of a bus etc are welcome.

I’m seriously considering a career change with this breakthrough into modelling so if you need to spruce up that family photo, or that graduation photo why not get in contact?  Answers below too .

Related Posts on www.donal.ie

• May 17, 2008 -- Tobar an Cheoil at the Triskel (4)
• March 2, 2009 -- Paddy Keenan at De Barra’s (0)
• July 13, 2011 -- Camera Found in Fota Gardens (1)

On Thursday night last Tobar an Cheoil came to the Triskel in Cork in the guise of three fantastic traditional musicians: Brian McNamara on uilleann pipes, Gráinne Hambly on harp and concertina and Éamon Ó Donnchadha on flute and vocals. As well as the delectable playing from all three, they interspersed the music with good humoured chat and detailed information on the history of the tunes they play. I also play the uilleann pipes but I know very little about the history of the music I play so I thoroughly enjoyed this aspect of the night.

I haven’t been to the Triskel for quite some time now and I had forgotten what a wonderful room they have for music. I’ll be back there next Friday when Aaron Dillon launches his debut album. On Thursday night however, the bass beat from The Long Island across the lane from The Triskel could be heard at times, especially when solos were being performed. I hope this doesn’t interrupt the gig next week.

Tobair an Cheoil are touring the country at the moment as part of the Music Network series of gigs, they even have a Music Network van which Brian seemed to be very proud of and we spotted afterwards parked nearby. Here are the remaining gigs so if they play near you and you want to see top class traditional music being played, get on down to this.

• Saturday 17 May Thurles (Source Arts Centre, 8:00 p.m.)
• Sunday 18 May Portlaoise (Dunamaise Arts Centre, 8:00 p.m.)
• Tuesday 20 May Waterford (Christ Church Cathedral, 8:00 p.m.)
• Wednesday 21 May Carrick-on-Shannon (The Dock Arts Centre, 8:30 p.m.)
• Thursday 22 May Castlebar (Linenhall Arts Centre, 8:00 p.m.)
• Friday 23 May Clifden (Church of Ireland, 8:00 p.m.)
• Saturday 24 May Virginia (Ramor Theatre, 8:30 p.m.)

See a few more photos in the full set over on Flickr.

Related Posts on www.donal.ie

• May 24, 2008 -- Aaron Dillon Album Launch at the Triskel (2)
• September 3, 2009 -- Frank and Walters at Indiependence (0)
• August 10, 2009 -- Wallis Bird at Indiependence (5)

Chonaic mé John Spillane don chéad uair seachtain go leith ó shin ag The Roundy mar chuid den oiche Gaeilge eagraithe ag na daoine ag People’s Republic of Cork.  Sheinn sé i ndiaidh an ghrúpa traidisiúnta Na Ceapairí Grá.  Gan amhras, tá aithne agam ar na hamhráin atá aige ach thaitin an taispeántas seo go mór liom.  Tá Ghaeilge breá ag John, rud a léirítear in an-chuid dá hamhráin atá scríofa as Gaeilge.  Tá mé ag éisteacht leis an albam “The Wells of the World” faoi láthair,  a eisítear ós cionn deich mbliana ó shin, agus tá an stíl bog cneasta fós le feiceáil in a chuid cheol na laethanta seo.  B’é Orca Orca Killer Whale an amhrán ab fhearr ar an oíche.  Insíonn sé seo scéal na horcaithe a tháinig suas abhainn na Lí cúpla blian ó shin.  Chan sé amhráin iontach eile chomh maith, There Was a Man, atá eisithe aige le déanaí.  Is féidir éisteacht leis seo faoi láthair ar an MySpace ag John Spillane.

Tá pictiúr nó dhó eile agam san set iomlán ar Flickr.   Dála an scéil, má fheiceann tú aon botúin anseo le mo chuid Gaeilge, bheinn buíoch má sheolann tú ríomh-phost chugam ag photos [ag] donal.ie.

Related Posts on www.donal.ie

• April 8, 2008 -- Na Ceapairí Grá at The Roundy (1)
• December 28, 2009 -- Fred at Cork Opera House (2)
• November 11, 2009 -- Julie Feeney at The Pavilion (0)

D’fhreastal mé ar an oíche Gaeilge sa Roundy eagraithe ag na daoine ó Peoples Republic of Cork oíche Céadaoin an seachtain seo chaite. Club Dhaon-Phoblacht is ainm ar an oíche cheoil agus caint agus de réir na tuairiscí go léir, bhí an chéad oíche ar fheabhas chomh maith. Thosnaigh Na Ceapairí Grá an oíche seo le ceol traidisiúnta bríomhar. Nach bhfuil an t-ainm acu go hiontach!? N’fheadair cad as a tháinig sé sin! Bhí mé ag caint le mo dhuine a sheinn an gíotar (dhearmadas an t-ainm mar is ghnáth dom!) agus dúirt sé liom nach sheinneann sé leis an ngrúpa seo de ghnáth ach ni féidir a shéanadh gur chur sé go mór leis an ngrúpa.

Tá pictiúr nó dhó eile sa set iomlán ar Flickr. Beidh pictiúirí de John Spillane a sheinn chomh maith á sheoladh anseo agam i rith na seachtaine.

Related Posts on www.donal.ie

• April 13, 2008 -- John Spillane at The Roundy (1)
• December 28, 2009 -- Fred at Cork Opera House (2)
• November 11, 2009 -- Julie Feeney at The Pavilion (0)

The time has almost come for my trip to Lesotho at the end of April where I will be helping to renovate a school and build a playground with 15 others from Ireland.  The next fundraiser for this takes place on Wednesday 14th coming with Ger Wolfe, the Fuchsia Band and more (including me on the uilleann pipes).

From www.ISPCCinAfrica.com:

On Wednesday the 14th March, we are holding a traditional music concert upstairs in the Spailpin Fanach in association with the Cork Pipers’ Club. All money raised on the night will be donated to the ISPCC and it promises to be a great night of music and song. Doors will be open from 8:30pm with music starting from 9pm. Tickets can be bought on the door and cost €10.

Performers on the night include The Fuchsia Band, back from their travels and who always put on an energetic and entertaining show; Cork singer Ger Wolfe singing some of his distinctively Cork ballads; Dan O’Callaghan, a piper from Cork who has travelled around the world playing music; Tommie Cunniffe on accordion, who is currently recording his debut album; and, last but not least, John Mitchell on flute accompanying Donal O Caoimh on the uilleann pipes.

We look forward to seeing you there!

I hope that I might see a few bloggers there who might also post the above poster on their own blogs if you wouldn’t mind?

Thanks to Pure Cork Boy for the poster design.

On another note, I’m getting my injections tomorrow for this trip.  I don’t like needles.

Related Posts on www.donal.ie

• July 13, 2011 -- Camera Found in Fota Gardens (1)
• December 28, 2009 -- Fred at Cork Opera House (2)
• November 11, 2009 -- Julie Feeney at The Pavilion (0)

As a precursor to the main TG4 Gradam Ceoil event in the Opera House, The Fuchsia Band played a free gig in the Half Moon Theatre at lunchtime last Saturday.  The aptly-named Lón Trad event kicked off with Oisin McDiarmada, Brian Fitzgerald plus a guitarist, whose name escapes me.  Unfortunately I only got in for the last few sets of their tunes but Oisin McDiarmada is well known for his involvement with the group Téada.

The Fuchsia Band have been busy touring the US for the summer and their polished live act has all the signs of this.  Apart from an exploding sparkling water incident early on the show ran smoothly with a varied show of music, song and chat from front man Máirtin de Cógáin. 

For those of you in Cork, you may have seen the weekly two page spread in the Evening Echo about their tour in the States, so they’re certainly getting plenty of exposure!  Check out their website for more details on gigs.  

Mick Heffernan played his new Hammy Hamilton flute for one set of tunes.  I would have liked to have heard more of him on the flute rather than the guitar to add more variety to the sound.  He, like the other musicians, was very accomplished and more of the flute would add another dimension to the band.  

All in all, a great gig and if you’re looking for craic, you need look no further.  If you’re looking for crack on the other hand, email me at …  (Only kidding, seriously, stop mailing me Juan)

The full set of pictures from the gig can be found here.

Some more pictures:

Related Posts on www.donal.ie

• November 21, 2007 -- Sean Kelleher at The Roundy (0)
• November 20, 2007 -- Aaron Dillon at The Roundy (4)
• November 19, 2007 -- Director at Mitchelstown Music Festival (1)

As part of the Cork Folk Festival, the Cork Pipers Club are playing in the Spailpin Fanach today at 4pm.   More info at the Cork Piper Club site but I’ll be playing at this event too.  I was pleasantly surprised to see my name up on the poster above (enlarged below).  If you’re in town today, come along as there will be some great pipers playing and it only costs €5 in.

Related Posts on www.donal.ie

• November 21, 2007 -- Sean Kelleher at The Roundy (0)
• November 20, 2007 -- Aaron Dillon at The Roundy (4)
• November 19, 2007 -- Director at Mitchelstown Music Festival (1)

Ger Wolfe played last night in An Spailpin as part of the Cork Folk Festival.  This was my first time hearing him live but I’ve had Heaven Paints Her Holy Mantly Blue in the cd player for the last month or so and Ger played some of these wonderful songs last night.  His enchaning lilting and unassuming style which is so apparent on the album comes through all the more when he’s on stage with just a guitar.  To be honest, when I listen to songs, I don’t listen to the lyrics too much but Ger had a few words about each song last night and boy does this lad cycle a lot! 

The gig was organised by Caitriona from Campus Radio in UCC who is raising funds in advance of her charity trek across the Namibian desert which begins on September 15th.  Best of luck with that Caitriona. 

We sat down the back as is evident from the picture above!  We got in a little late but we still got to hear a couple of tunes from Helen Gubbins & Claire Fitzpatrick on the fiddle and accordion.  It was a sign of things to come as their relaxed style set the tone for the night. 

See the full line-up for the folk festival here.

Related Posts on www.donal.ie

• November 21, 2007 -- Sean Kelleher at The Roundy (0)
• November 20, 2007 -- Aaron Dillon at The Roundy (4)
• November 19, 2007 -- Director at Mitchelstown Music Festival (1)

The design is loosely based on this oswd.org design.  I got rid of the graphics, changed colours, modified the size of the content, added a widget on the 3rd colum for Flickr, and changed the layout and position of the menu.  The menu is a funny creature as I changed it to use the fixed position attribute in CSS which is fine for Firefox and apparently some later versions of IE.  If you’re looking at it in IE and the menu scrolls, well it’s not supposed to, but I’ll live with it. 

The drawing in the bottom left corner comes courtesy of Anthony Ruby.  I set the background colour to pick up some of the colours in this.  I’m not good with colours so that’s one area that may need some tweaking. 

The old version of the site will be up for another while.  This was based on tables and had little colour.    It also lacked content behind some of the links. 

On another note, I just found a great site with a massive collection of Irish tunes – TuneDB.  Also, see ABC2Win for creating staff music notation. 

Related Posts on www.donal.ie

• July 13, 2011 -- Camera Found in Fota Gardens (1)
• December 28, 2009 -- Fred at Cork Opera House (2)
• November 11, 2009 -- Julie Feeney at The Pavilion (0)