Thursday, 7 May 2015

Once Upon A Place has come to Clare

The Laureate na nÓg’s Once Upon A Place project got off to a flying start in County Clare on May 6th. The launch event took place at the Michael Cusack Centre, Carron, where children from the local National Schools, Carron and New Quay, were treated to a feast of stories delivered in two very different styles by local storyteller Paddy Hynes and well-known author Alan Nolan.

Paddy regaled his audience which incidentally included two of his grandchildren with captivating stories and poems of his schooldays. Alan Nolan peppered his very funny and interactive tales with his trademark illustrations, ensuring the undivided attention of all children ranging in age from 4 to 12!

Author Erika McGann also stopped by to enjoy the entertainment after her storytelling session in Boston National School earlier in the day. Alan and Erika along with Sarah Webb, Nuala Hayes, Sadie Cramer and Clare’s own Matt Griffin are visiting schools in the North Clare area over 2 days as part of this exciting initiative brought to us by Laureate na nÓg and supported by Clare County Library and Clare County Arts Service.

Tuesday, 5 May 2015

Children's Books Ireland Book of the Year Awards - the 2015 Shortlist

The shortlist for the The CBI Book of the Year Awards (formerly the Bisto Awards) was announced in March and the winners will be announced in June. Now in their 25th year, these awards are made annually by Children’s Books Ireland and are the leading annual children’s book awards in Ireland. The awards are open to authors and illustrators born or resident in Ireland and to books written in Irish or English.

Each year CBI assembles a panel of judges who have considerable expertise and interest in books for children, with young book club members or Junior Juries from around the country deciding the Children’s Choice Award.

Shortlist 2015:

Ten Books have been shortlisted for the 2015 CBI Book of the Year Awards:

When Mr Dog Bites by Brian Conaghan
Apple and Rain by Sarah Crossan
Shh! We Have a Plan by Chris Haughton
Once Upon an Alphabet by Oliver Jeffers
The Apple Tart of Hope by Sarah Moore Fitzgerald
Daideo by Áine Ní Ghlinn
Only Ever Yours by Louise O’Neill
Haiku Más é do thoil é! by Gabriel Rosenstock illustrated by Brian Fitzgerald
Primperfect by Deirdre Sullivan
Beyond the Stars compiled by Sarah Webb

All titles are available from branches of Clare County Library.

Writing in an Arts & Books feature in The Irish Times, Sat, May 2nd children’s books commentator, Robert Dunbar thought it a pity that this year’s selection included just 10 titles and not 12: "The decision about how many titles appear is taken by the judges and can vary from year to year. If this year the total had been 12, as distinct from 10, room might have been found for two books that must be counted among the year’s best, Kim Hood’s Finding A Voice (O’Brien Press) and Susan Maxwell’s Good Red Herring (Little Island)". Clare author Kim Hood, whose Finding a Voice was nominated for the inaugural Young Adult Book Prize, was one of Clare County Library’s guest authors during Teen Week in March 2015.

Riches of Clare free lunchtime concert series returns to the Clare Museum on May 18th

This Clare Arts Office initiative is hosting fifty six traditional musicians in fourteen concerts, throughout the second half of May, June and July in Ennis. The concert series features traditional musicians from or based in County Clare with an occasional visitor. The usual residency in the Clare Museum, Ennis, begins during the Fleadh Nua festival and continues each Wednesday afternoon during June and July. There will also be a special concert this year in Teach Ceoil, Kilrush, to coincide with the Clare Fleadh, and in Feakle Communtiy Hall as part of the Feakle Festival.

‘As in previous years, we are expecting standing room only in the museum for the concerts taking place during the Fleadh’ says Mike Butler, who co-ordinates the series on behalf of the Arts Office.

Musicians performing in this year’s series will include Tim Collins, Josephine Marsh and Edel Fox. According to Siobhán Mulcahy, County Arts Officer, “As always, local musicians have been enthusiastic and obliging with their participation in each and every concert. The series really belongs to the musicians and the audiences”. Admission to all concerts in the series is free of charge, as the concerts are supported by the Arts Office of Clare County Council and the Arts Council.

More information on the series is available on http://www.richesofclare.com and this year the coordinators are continuing to provide a free text reminder service. To sign up for these reminders, which will inform you of the musicians playing in that day’s concert, simply text RICHES to 087-4199293. Updates can also be received online or through the Riches of Clare Facebook page, where some sound and video clips of previous concerts can be viewed.

2015 series:

May 18th Anne Marie McCormack, Niamh O’Dea, Martin Dermody, James Duddy
May 19th James Devitt, Christy Barry, Conor McCarthy, Johnny Faulkner
May 20th Finola Ryan, Liam Ryan, Neil O’Loghlen, Eoin O’Neill
May 21st David Sanders, Elaine Hogan, Martin Glynn, Alan Wallace
May 22nd Dave Harper, Conor Keane, Johnny Ringo McDonagh, Kevin Finnucane
May 27th Tim Collins, Eamonn Cotter, Eimear Howley, Pat Marsh

June 3rd Josephine Marsh, Mick Kinsella, Tommy Carew, Declan Corey
June 10th John Kelly, Sheila Garry, Brian Mooney, Aoibheann Murphy
June 17th Edel Fox, Neill Byrne, Tommy Fitzharris, Colm O’Caoimh
June 24th Kieran Kissane, Kieran Hehir, Seanie McGrath, John Moloney
July 1st Nuala Hehir, Yvonne Griffin, Shane Green, Deirdre Scanlan
July 15th Marcus Moloney, Murt Ryan, Carmel O’Dea, Cyril O’Donoghue
July 22nd Pat Lynch, John Lynch, Marie Quigney, Siobhan O’Donoghue
July 29th Francis Cunningham, Eimear Coughlan, Anne Rynne, Marian Curtin

County Fleadh, Kilrush – Teach Ceoil
Sunday June 14th Sean Vaughan, James Cullinan, Felim Collins, Paul O’Driscoll

Feakle Festival – Community Hall
Monday August 10th Eileen O’Brien, Geraldine Cotter, Andrew McNamara, Mary McNamara

Friday, 1 May 2015

Tiarnán and Breandán Ó'Conaill at Kilfenora Music Festival 2015

"Tiarnán O'Conaill, All-Ireland 12-15 mandolin champion, opening Lumiere concert in Kilfenora with Breandán (also an All-Ireland winner) on bodhrán. Two jigs - "Bóthar na Faille" by Fiontán Ó'Meachair and "The Mystery Inch" from Damien O'Kane. Accompanied by brother Breandán. Tiarnán got this chance to play support to Lumiere at the Kilfenora Music Festival thanks to Garry Shannon and Meitheal Trad Summer School." Posted on Youtube on the 30th of April 2015 by Magh nEalta.

My Heart's Tonight in Ireland (in the Sweet County Clare), Andy Irvine and Friends, Royal Albert Hall, London

"Ceiliúradh (Celebration), a special evening of music, spoken word and dance, featuring artists from Ireland and the United Kingdom, took place in the Royal Albert Hall on Thursday 10 April, 2014 to mark the historic occasion of the first State Visit by the President of Ireland to the United Kingdom. The concert takes its inspiration from the Irish session where each artist contributes towards the creation of a unique and intimate evening. The line-up of artists to perform in the presence of the President Higgins included Imelda May, The Gloaming, Paul Brady, Lisa Hannigan, Glen Hansard, Andy Irvine, Donal Lunny, Peter Coughlan (curly red hair with glasses, front man of the Hungry Grass.), The West Ocean Quartet, Joseph O’Connor and Fiona Shaw, etc. The house band included acclaimed musicians Liam Bradley, John Carty, Anthony Drennan, Graham Henderson, Mike McGoldrick, Paul Moore, Caitlín Nic Gabhann, Máirtín O’Connor and Brendan Power. Put together by the inimitable Dónal Lunny."

My heart's tonight in Ireland in the sweet County Clare, (Andy Irvine)

My heart tonight is far away across the rolling sea In the sweet Milltown Malbay it is there I'd love to be So long ago and far away but nothing can compare My heart's tonight in Ireland in the sweet County Clare

In the town of Scariff the sun was shining in the sky When Willie Clancy played his pipes and the tears welled in my eyes Many years have passed and gone since the times we had there But my heart's tonight in Ireland in the sweet County Clare

My heart tonight is far away across the rolling sea In the sweet Milltown Malbay it is there I'd love to be So long ago and far away but nothing can compare My heart's tonight in Ireland in the sweet County Clare

That August in Kilrush when the rain was lashing down And our hotel was that haybarn on the outskirts of town We were all sick and feverish and Dolan had the flu But Johnny produced some whiskey and the sun came smiling through

My heart tonight is far away across the rolling sea In the sweet Milltown Malbay it is there I'd love to be So long ago and far away but nothing can compare My heart's tonight in Ireland in the sweet County Clare

Those nights in Six Mile Bridge when the music flowed And it came to closing time the lights were turned down low And the sergeant from Kilkishin he would buy us all one more And we never left that pub before the clock was striking four

Lahinch and Enistymon, Lisceanar and Kilkee But best of all was Milltown when the music flowed so free Willie Clancy in the County Clare I'm ever in your debt For the sights and sounds of yesterday are shining memories yet

My heart tonight is far away across the rolling sea In the sweet Milltown Malbay and it is there I'd love to be So long ago and far away but nothing can compare My heart's tonight in Ireland in the sweet County Clare In the days of Sweeney in the sweet County Clare.

Posted on Youtube on the 7th of February 2015 by TG Amhrán.

The Yanks playing some hornpipes at Corofin Traditional Festival 2015

"The Yanks (Isaac Alderson, Dylan Foley, Dan Gurney, and Sean Earnest) performing hornpipes at the 14th Annual Corofin Traditional Festival 2015." Posted on Youtube on the 7th of March 2015 by Niamhaines.

Claire and Sinéad Egan with Jack Talty

County Clare's Jack Talty on piano with sisters Claire (fiddle) and Sinead Egan of London. Posted on Youtube on the 17th of December 2014 by Raelach Records.

Castlebawn on Lough Derg, County Clare

"An aerial tour of Castlebawn filmed by www.clarevirtually.ie. This Tower House sits on its own tiny island on Lough Derg and was beautifully restored by the Cody family. Castlebawn is only accessible by boat and appointment. The drone really gives you a perspective that is impossible to get in any other way. Castlebawn enjoys spectactular views of the ancient Oak wood in Raheen as well as Holy Island and other parts of County Clare and County Tipperary. With a haunting soundtrack by Kate Purcell, this truly is a beautiful video of one of Ireland's hidden gems." Posted on Youtube on the 25th of April 2015 by clare virtually.

Mit den Freunden aus Vach am Lough Derg – Ein Tagebuch

Anglers from Vach in Germany enjoying the delights of Lough Derg. Posted on Youtube on the 9th of August 2014 by Dietrich Bohnhorst.

Ennistymon Courthouse Gallery

A short film on Ennistymon Courthouse Gallery by Kieran Roche. Posted on Youtube on the 23rd of April 2015 by Kieran Roche.