Co. Clare May 2006

I dropped down to Ennis for a look at the Fleadh Nua last weekend. We
bumped into Joe Skelton and he and Graham and a brilliant harpist called
Elaine Hogan from Ennis, had a beautiful tea time session in Falls. As
it happened, I found myself being the designated driver out west on
Saturday night, so full of wonderful music, we headed out against the
setting sun - to the beautiful Spanish Point. Graham and myself had a
lovely wee session with Tara Connaghan - and we were joined by the very
lovely Josephine Marsh.

Tara gave me a list of the lunchtime sessions in Clare so I am repeating
them here.

Wed. 7th June: Mike Butler (button accordion), Anne Marie McCormack
(fiddle) & Maurice Coyle (guitar), 1 � 2pm, Riches of Clare Museum,
Ennis

Wed. 14th June: Tola Custy (fiddle), Alan Kelly (piano accordion), John
Kelly (flute) & Michael Rooney (harp), 1 � 2pm, Riches of Clare Museum,
Ennis

Wed. 21st June: Joan Hanrahan (fiddle), Gearoid OhAllmhurain
(concertina), Seamus Hynes (flute) & Geraldine Cotter (piano), 1 � 2pm,
Riches of Clare Museum, Ennis

Wed. 28th June: Denis Liddy (fiddle), Brid O�Gorman (flute), Dermot
Lernihan (button accordion) & Martin Dermody (guitar), 1 � 2pm, Riches
of Clare Museum, Ennis

Wed. 5th July: David O�Brien (flute), Maebh Boyd (fiddle), Jack Tatly
(concertina) & Stephen Carroll (accordion), 1 � 2pm, Riches of Clare
Museum, Ennis

Wed. 12th July: Kevin Crawford (flute), James Cullinane (fiddle) & Mick
Conneely (bouzouki / fiddle), 1 � 2pm, Riches of Clare Museum, Ennis

Wed. 19th July: Karol Lynch (banjo), Michael �Blackie� O�Connell
(pipes), Cyril O Donoghue (bouzouki) & Richie Lyons (bodhr�n), 1 � 2pm,
Sean Lemass Library, Shannon

Fri. 21st July: Claire Keville (concertina), Pat O'Connor (fiddle) and
Terence O'Reilly (guitar), 1 � 2pm, Sweeney Memorial Public Library,
Kilkee

Wed. 26th July: Carmel O�Dea (fiddle), Teresa O�Dea (concertina), Noely
Ryan (guitar) & Derek Hickey (button accordion), 1 � 2pm, Peppers,
Feakle

Fri. 28th July: Andrew MacNamara (button accordion), Michael Landers
(guitar) & Mark Donnellan (fiddle), 1 � 2pm, Tulla Stables Artist
Studios, Tulla

For further information contact: The Clare Arts Office on
shannonarts@clarelibrary.ie or 065-6846267 or Finola Ryan on 087
4199293.

It's good to see the Arts Council millions going to some good use. I
hope to get to one or two of these concerts.

Sunday afternoon I was again the designated driver out to the opening on
the Greg Norman designed Golf Club where there was music, kids
entertainers, Oysters and Guinness, dinner, wine, Macnas theatre group
and general good fun. I went missing for a whole hour just enjoying the
area and sampling the oysters - just to see if they really were an
aphrodisiac!!! Can't remember now if they were or not because we headed
straight to Steele's pub for a mighty session - we were joined by the
birthday boy Mick Coyne http://www.uilleannpipestutor.com/ who was in
tremendous form. Lots of tunes, songs and stories into the wee hours -
truly a good fleadh session.

Luckily I had no drink over the weekend - so I was fine for getting up
on Monday morning and high-tailing it back to Dublin as quickly as
possible.

Next weekend brings us the launch of Old Simplicity in the Cobblestones
pub - looking forward to that. But tonight - it's the Howth singers
club!
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Niamhparsons@eircom.net

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