IrishMusicInfo
The Sunday Tribune Weekly Traditional Music Column by Fintan Vallely
990314
The week that's in it brings out the best and the worst in Irish music. Abroad it is a fever of shamrockery and shillelaghism, roaring and shouting in Irish bars from O'Malley's Irish Feelings bar chain in Finland, to Kitty O'Shea's in Sydney. At home it has become a season, something to be wised happiness for. Dublin's St. Patrick's Festival expects 35,000 dancers at a 'monster' cŽil’ with the Kilfenora CŽil’ Band and Brook's Academy dance tutors and callers at Stephen's Green at 2.30. But the ungrotesque can join in on TnaG at 9pm for S’b’n. There the hosts are Sligo band Dervish, the whole show a take of their upcoming video. Based in Spiddal, Co. Galway, the show now marks the tenth year of producer Gael Media's no-nonsense, independent programming in the Irish language and music. Nua Gach Bia (Cookery with chef ƒamonn î Cath‡in) rubs shoulders with Now you're Talking language series, Celtic Rock at the Quays and the masochistic mammy-vetting Cleamhnas. But the sit-mag series S’b’n is hinged around a few characters in a bar, and can introduce anything from belly dancing to sets, Daniel O'Donnell to Con Greaney, Noel Hill to Indian tablas. Half of each show is music in short sharp bursts, director M‡ire N’ Chonl‡in (niece of whistle-player Feistê) keeps the thrust 'Traditional'. Dervish members include singer and bodhr‡n player Cathy Jordan, Liam Kelly (flute, whistle), Shane Mitchell (accordion), Brian McDonough (mandola), Michael Holmes (bouzouki), and SŽamus O'Dowd and Tom Morrow (fiddles). Sean n—s singer M‡irt’n Tom She‡n’n is part of their Paddy's night Connacht line up, along with Rath Cairn dancer M‡irt’n Mac Donnacha and flute player SŽamus Tansey. Athea, Co. Limerick Munster stray, singer Con Greaney joins them as well. Not a scrap of shamrock could be found for the show, look out for the fresh cress. There are great moments in a burbling, lifting duet with Tansey and Kelly, Jordan is in superb voice and the minutely-finished, fully-functional bar set is marvellously relaxed as are the expertly casual cabaret-style audience. Sligo music is getting a strong boost from Dervish in recent years, something that has been appreciated by Sligo co. Council. In their recently-released Arts Development Programme for the dying moments of the century they feature the legacy of US exile fiddler Michael Coleman. Already supporting the South Sligo Summer School at Tubbercurry, they now project the newly-built Coleman Heritage Centre at Gurteen as a music education centre based in Traditional music and local style, but covering all forms and educational levels of music. The appointment of a director is imminent. Unique in Ireland, this is on a par with similar centres in Finland, Bulgaria and Italy. Tr‡th na gCos, UL's major dance event is coming up between March 22 and 24th next (061-202565).
©Fintan Vallely, IrishMusicInfo.com
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