Our Saturday night main concert features three master musicians – Tommy Fitzharris, Dónal McCague and Colm O’Caoimh – with one of Ireland’s finest traditional singers, Nell Ni Chroinin. In support is one of the talented prize-winners at the 2023 Meitheal Summer School.
The concert is in Kilfenora Community Hall on Main Street (Eircode V95 KX62), and starts at 8.00 pm. Tickets may be purchased on-line here (show your print-out at the door), in the Burren Visitor Centre in Kilfenora (pay cash), or in Custy’s Music Shop in Ennis, Co Clare.
Multi-instrumentalist Tommy Fitzharris hails from Stradbally, Co Laois, and is is a senior All-Ireland champion in both flute (2009) and concertina (2012). He has been a tutor at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at the University of Limerick since 2009. Tommy has toured Europe, the United States and Asia extensively with the band Ciorras. He released the critically acclaimed fiddle & flute duet album with Donal McCague entitled ‘The Bank of Turf’ in 2018, described by Frankie Gavin as “one of my all-time favourites; one I can leave on repeat for hours!”
Dónal McCague from Co. Monaghan was awarded TG4 Young Musician of the Year in 2013. He has won awards at both the Fiddler of Dooney, Sligo and the Fiddler of Oriel, Monaghan. He has performed on many Irish TV programs such as Béaloideas Beo, Geantraí, Imeall & Gradam Ceoil and RTÉ’s Fleadh Programme. In 2011 he released his début solo CD entitled Bits’n’Pieces. Apart from the 2018 CD with Tommy Fitzharris, he also featured on Michael McCague’s “The Waylaid Man”, and recorded on & arranged Seán McElwain’s “Our Dear Dark Mountain with the Sky Over It” album of Monaghan music – awarded the Collaboration Award at Gradam Ceoil TG4, 2016.
Nell Ni Chroinin hails from Ballingeary in Co Cork, and began singing at the age of 11 under a local singing scheme (Aisling Gheal), which preserves local songs by teaching them to the younger generation. She was the youngest ever recipient of TG4’s Gradam Ceoil Traditional Singer of the Year award (2012) and the received the prestigious Corn Uí Riada award in 2014. She is currently the lead singer in the well-renowned traditional band, Danú.
Guitarist Colm O’Caoimh is a leading light in the Kilkenny music scene, and a founding member of Caladh Nua with whom he released the albums “Happy Days” and “Next Stop”. He is popular demand both as a live performer and a studio session player, and among his many collaborations is a trio with Winnie Horan and Mick McAuley of the band Solas, releasing the CDs “Sailing Back To You” and “Highs and Bellows”. An accomplished pianist and bassist, he has helped to re-define the guitar accompaniment of Irish Music, combining influences of Jazz and swing with his unique driving, earthy rhythm.
Our concert opener is Hannah Lyons, one of the prize winners at the 2023 Meitheal Summer School, a hotbed of young Irish musical talent. She was a double winner at the All-Ireland Fleadh in Mullingar (2022), coming first in the 15-18 Harp and second in the slow airs. Hailing from Balla in Mayo, she also plays fiddle, and piano.
