Choose Ireland » Traditional Music

Dun Uladh Cultural Heritage Centre

Brian — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 16:42:13 +0000

Located in the county town of Omagh, Dun Uladh Cultural Heritage Centre was created to preserve and further the traditional Irish culture in 1995. The name translates to ‘Fort of Ulster’, and the centre serves as the headquarters of Comhaltas Ceiltori, and organization that has shared this common objective since 1951.
In addition to other programs and exhibits, the centre offers live traditional music on Saturday nights, with refreshments available at a minimal price. Throughout the summer, there is a weekly Irish Cabaret performance. This centre for musical and literary learning also houses a museum and library.

Cornmill Heritage Centre

Brian — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 16:38:52 +0000

Located at the village of Coallisland, named for a time when the area prospered from extensive coal mining, this heritage and cultural centre is housed within a building that was once used as a corn mill. The mill was erected in 1907 and performed the daily functions of storage, milling and packaging the final product of processed corn until 1978, when it was closed and abandoned.
In 1990, it was renovated and now houses exhibits that give testament to the growth of the town of Coalisland, as well as its people and events.
Interpretative centres tell their story using audiovisual presentations, paintings and artifacts from the early Industrial Age. “The Coalisland Experience” chronicles the changes that took place as a result of industrialization using a variety of media. The top floor of the centre contains an audiovisual theatre where rare and interesting slides and videos are shown to visitors on a regular basis.
The Heritage Centre also hosts an annual summer Traditional Music Festival.

Portlaoise

Brian — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 09:48:07 +0000

The largest town and county seat of County Laois, Portlaoise was formerly called Fort of Maryborough, and founded in 1556 by Queen Mary. The town’s name was officially changed to Portlaoise, which in Gaelic means “Fort of Laois,” in 1922.
The name is derived from the town’s historical reputation as the fortress or protector of the surrounding area. Portlaoise is widely known as home to a huge maximum-security prison that housed several very high profile members of the IRA in the 1970’s and 1980’s.
The Laois Heritage Trail begins here, featuring 13 popular heritage sites that can be visited by driving the scenic rural roads that crisscross the county.
Portlaoise often serves as a centre for vacationers who have come to enjoy the peace and quiet of the Irish Midlands. The area offers much in the way of outdoor activity, including spectacular fishing, horseback riding, hiking trails and golf venues.
The main street is under extensive development, and has become a gathering place filled with pubs and restaurants. The Dunamaise Arts Centre is housed within an old jail, and features ongoing exhibits of the visual arts, as well as theatrical productions and concerts.
The defensive nature of historic Portlaoise can still be seen in the remains of old walls scattered around the area, as well as a surviving round tower.

Glens Centre

Brian — Fri, 08 Sep 2006 14:51:38 +0000

This performing arts centre in Manorhamilton is located in a former Methodist Church built in the 1820s. It houses facilities for theatre productions, recording studios, offices and rehearsal spaces. It offers classes and lessons in music, youth theatre, and arts and crafts.
Musical performers come here from all around Europe and the United States, and Glens Centre maintains a complete programme of musical, theatre and film performances, as well as readings by local authors, for residents and visitors.

Feakle Town

Brian — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 09:13:59 +0000

The name Feakle translates as “parish of the tooth”. The patron saint of Feakle was St. Mochonna. Local legend says that he lost a tooth, and then built a church at the site—hence the name. There is now a protestant church standing on the same property.
Feakle is nestled within a diverse landscape made up of lakes, moors, the Sliabh Aughty Mountains and their valleys. It is an extremely popular area with sportsmen. The area is known for its interest in hurling as well.
However, the main attraction in Feakle Town is its music. The Feakle International Traditional Music Festival is held here each year, offering five days of music, dance, workshops, lectures, and competitions. Officially begun in 1988, the festival represents the outgrowth of Feakle’s centuries-long tradition of music, which progressed from house dances through pub sessions to its current form. In 2005, festival attendance was completely sold out.

Killaloe

Brian — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 09:13:04 +0000

Located on Lough Derg, near the point where the River Shannon emerges, this small town is historic and quaint in nature. Killaloe was the place where Brian Boru (940-1014), the beloved last High King of Ireland, was born and raised. His palace was located nearby at Kincora. The local people celebrate the life of Brian Boru every year at Killaloe with a weekend festival of music and dance.
Also of historical importance, Killaloe was the scene of a heroic raid led by Patrick Sarsfield in 1690. Accompanied by 800 men, they foiled an attack on Limerick planned by William of Orange. The locals infiltrated the ranks of William’s army and destroyed the artillery.
Other Killaloe attractions include:
•The Killaloe Music Festival, held yearly in July, featuring Irish classical music. The festival takes place at St. Flannan’s Cathedral, which was built in 1225 and features a unique Romanesque entranceway and an Ogham stone with ancient Nordic inscriptions. The music festival features The Irish Chamber Orchestra along with international guest conductors and musicians.
•The stone bridge from the 17th century that leads across the river to Killaloe’s sister city, Ballina.
•The Brian Boru Heritage Centre, located in a former boathouse near the bridge. It provides information on the life and accomplishments of the last High King, along with details on a walking tour along Old Killaoe Canal.
•Killaoe is also a prime spot for fishing and boating.

Knappogue Castle

Brian — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 09:11:38 +0000

Knappogue Castle was built in 1467 by the Mc Namara family, a prestigious local clan who held onto ownership of the property until 1815 – aside from a brief period of a decade or so during Cromwellian times.
Local revolutionary forces used the Castle during the War of Independence in the 1920s. Its name means “hill of the kiss” and it is one of Ireland’s most beautifully restored and maintained 15th century castles.
The tower house is the only area identified as original construction. The castle has been restored and is beautifully furnished and decorated in medieval style, including exquisite wood paneling and decorative fireplaces.
These days, Knappogue Castle is the setting for Medieval Banquets from April to October. These events feature period entertainment in the form of singing, dancing and storytelling. On a typical evening, staff members appear in period costumes to greet guests, and move to Dalcassian Hall for a drink of mead, or honey wine, accompanied by the music of a harp or fiddle. They take part in a four-course meal of period food, with choral music and other entertainment. The castle and grounds are floodlit in the evening, creating a beautiful medieval atmosphere.
Knappogue Castle is one of several other Irish Castles that offer similar festivities. Others include Bunratty Castle, Dunguaire Castle, and Killarney Manor, which hosts a huge celebration banquet from March to November.

Ennis

Brian — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 09:03:33 +0000

Ennis is the most important town in County Clare, and medieval in its origins and appearance. Included in the PPS (Project for Public Spaces) list of ’60 of the World’s Greatest Places’, it was the 2005 recipient of Ireland’s Tidiest Town award. Ennis is a focal point for traditional Irish music – which can be heard everywhere – in pubs, shops, and at the many folk music festivals, called fleadhs, which take place here.
Ennis features many charming lanes filled with colorfully painted storefronts and pubs. The town was founded in the 13th century, when the O’Brien family owned the lands. It is historically a market town, bisected by the River Fergus. Major annual events include the Fleadh Nua Festival in late May and the National Dancing Championships.
Sites of interest in Ennis include:
Ennis Friary, which dates back to the 1240′s. The ruins of the friary are richly decorated with medieval carvings, as well as the tombs located on the site. The 15th century Mac Mahon tomb is currently being refurbished.
Nearby, on St. Francis Street, sits Queen’s Hotel, which was made famous in the novel Ulysses by James Joyce.
The Main Street in Ennis is named after Daniel O’Connell, also known as “The Liberator”, who was MP of County Clare in 1828. A monument to O’Connell, who lived from 1775-1847, is located on a raised limestone pediment in the centre of town. He was given his title in honor of tireless efforts on behalf of the movement for Catholic Emancipation.
The DeValera Monument is a bronze statue located in the town park in the West of Ennis, outside the courthouse. Eamonn DeValera (1882-1975), began his lengthy political career in 1917. He was politically dominant for decades as Prime Minister and leader of Fianna Fail, the party he also founded, from 1937 to 1959, and then left the party to serve as president until 1973.
This county capital still retains a medieval flair, which can be seen in its narrow arched tunnel passageways.

Galway’s Traditional Music Centres

Brian — Thu, 22 Jun 2006 13:41:46 +0000

A music festival in Galway is known as a fleadh. The festival that takes place every year at Kinvara Village, just south of Galway, is becoming more popular each season.
The nearby town of Ennis (County Clare) hosts Fleadh Nua, a popular song and dance festival complete with competitions and workshops. Ennis is also home to such prominent traditional musicians as the Custy’s, Siobhan and Tommy Peoples, and flute player Kevin Crawford.
Famous singers and musicians from Galway include Delores and Sean Keane, Mairtin O’Connor, the accordion player, Arcady, and De Dannan.
Galway pubs also present their share of fine traditional Irish music. The Cottage Bar at Lower Salthill attracts many young aspiring musicians. Sean Ryan, the tin whistle master, has been playing at Crane’s each Sunday for over 20 years.
Winkle’s Hotel was the setting for the album Sharon Shannon, one of the most popular traditional Irish recordings ever issued.

Galway City

Brian — Thu, 22 Jun 2006 13:14:07 +0000

In the thirteenth century, Anglo Norman settlers arrived at the mouth of the River Corrib and set up a merchant and shipping economy on the site of Galway City. The city became known as the “City of Tribes” because of 14 native families who inhabited the surrounding area. The family names included in this designation were Athy, Blake, Bodkin, Browne, D’Arcy, Dean, Font, French, Kinwan, Joyce, Lynch, Morris, Martin, and Skerret. Barred from participation in the prospering Galway business world, their chieftains staged regular raids on the town.
The Anglo Norman settlers, mainly wealthy merchants, built Town Castles, or fortified houses capable of withstanding these repeated attacks. Over the following centuries, Gaelic and Norman influences combined to produce a style of medieval architecture still visible today in the narrow lanes and winding staircases of the old town. The prosperity of the merchant economy of medieval times ended with the invasions of Cromwell in 1652 and King William in 1691.
The Galway city of today is one that never sleeps, alive with cultural heritage and celebration. With a population of about 65,000, it is considered one of the fastest growing cities in Europe. It is also the ancient capital of Connaught province, and the current capital of what is known as the Hidden Ireland. Galway stands in contrast to some of Ireland’s eastern cities, which many say have been “Europeanized” by recent development efforts.
Galway City has earned the distinction as the keeper of the traditional customs and culture of Ireland. Here Gaelic football and hurling far surpass soccer in popularity, and traditional music thrives. Folklore, music, and dance are kept alive in the many festivals held here, and at University College Galway, many students complete their studies entirely in the Irish language.
The city maintains a perfect balance between modern progress and the traditions of the past. It is a favorite residence and gathering spot for artists, writers and musicians, and citizens enjoy the performances of several internationally recognized theatre companies.
The center of the city lies at Eyre Square, where four roads meet. The road leading north goes to Lake Corrib and then turns west to the ancient village of Claddagh. The peaceful lakes and blue skies of the region around Oughterard are a paradise for trout fishermen in May.
The road west leads to the wild beauty of Connemara, where fishing was and to some extent remains the prevailing lifestyle. The Oyster Festival in Galway city is held each autumn to celebrate the world famous oysters from Galway Bay. Life here is a law unto itself. Poitin- a variety of moonshine with a taste echoing essences of heather and the bog – is still made, even though it is illegal.
The road south heads toward Clare and Limerick, and passes through verdant fields and wooded hunting country.
The road to the east heads to the River Shannon through the villages of Tuam and Loughrea, centres for Gaelic football and hurling. Along the way is Ballinasloe, where the annual horse fair remains among the largest in Europe. Thousands of horses are bought and sold, and travellers gather for boxing bouts to crown the annual “King of the Tinkers”.
The Horse Fair is historically popular across Europe, and the Czar of Russia sent emissaries to buy horses for the army 200 years ago.
The road east from Galway city also goes to Ballybrit, home of the Galway Races, held each year at the end of July. This week long festival of racing draws tens of thousands of visitors. It is filled with merry making, street fun, wagering and high stakes card games, all to celebrate the culmination of the summer tourist season in the area.
The harbour area of Galway city dates back to the 1200′s. The Spanish Arch and surrounding buildings still display the vestiges of the Spanish influence established through bonds formed by a flourishing wine trade.
Other small architectural oddities visible around the city include:
•Footscrapers – small protrusions seen outside hotels and city homes designed to scrape the muck of the city streets, common before pavement existed, from boots before entering.
•Jostle stones – positioned at corners to keep carriages from taking the turn too closely and destroying their wheels, only a few remain in Galway city.
•Mermaids – many carvings of this mythical creature appear around the city, considered symbolic of a variety of things, including bad luck.