2024 Lectures
Our 2024 Lectures covered a wide range of areas of interest, from Stephen Doherty’s ‘Trad Tech Talk’ on Monday through to Donie Nolan’s presentation on ‘The Music & Song of West Limerick’ on Friday afternoon.
In between, we had Talks on Fiddle & Flute Duets of East Mayo and South Sligo, presented by John McEvoy & John Wynne; the Significance of Bodhrán & Bones in Traditional Irish Music with Junior Davey and a joint presentation by Des Hurley & Chris O’Malley on The Leeds Irish Music Community.
St. Brigid’s Hall, Tubbercurry ~ Monday, 15th July 2024 ~ Stephen Doherty presents ‘Trad Tech Talk’ - An informative talk on the technical process & use of microphones for both recording and live instruments with traditional instruments
St Brigid’s Hall, Tubbercurry ~ Tuesday, 16th July 2024 ~ John McEvoy (fiddle) & John Wynne (flute) ~ ‘Harmonious Traditions: Exploring fiddle and flute duets in South Sligo & East Mayo’
St Brigid’s Hall, Tubbercurry ~ Wednesday, 17th July 2024 ~ Junior Davey, accompanied by Jason McGuinness (fiddle) & Amber McDonald (bones) during Junior’s presentation on ‘The Significance of Bodhrán & Bones in Traditional Irish Music’
St Brigid’s Hall, Tubbercurry ~ Thursday, 18th July, 2024 ~ Michael, Deirdre (flutes) & Des (fiddle) Hurley, accompanied by Chris O’Malley on keyboard during Des & Chris’ Lecture on ‘The Leeds Irish Music Community’
St Brigid’s Hall, Tubbercurry ~ Friday, 19th July 2024 ~ during Donie Nolan’s presentation on ‘The Music and Song of West Limerick’
Interactive Talk: ‘‘Music and Songs of West Limerick, presented by Donie Nolan
Interactive Talk: ‘‘Music and Songs of West Limerick’’ presented by Donie Nolan.
Interactive Talk: ‘‘The Leeds Irish Music Community’’ presented by Des Hurley & Chris O’Malley
Admission €7 (Registered Students Free)
Presented by Des Hurley & Chris O'Malley
The Irish Community in Leeds has particularly strong musical, historical and family connections with the bordering North Mayo communities around Bonniconlon, Attymas, Foxford, Lahardane and Crossmolina.
Joined by members of and musicians from the Leeds-Irish community now living in North Mayo and South Sligo- including Des's older bother Michael- for an afternoon of traditional Irish music, fond memories and reminiscence.
Untold Stories.The Irish Community in Leeds
Interactive Talk: ‘‘The Significance of Bodhrán & Bones in Traditional Irish Music’’ presented by Junior Davey
Admission €7 (Registered Students Free)
Junior Davey
The name Junior Davey is synonymous with bodhrán and bones playing in traditional Irish music circles and Junior’s longstanding dedication to his art is deeply rooted in a sense of place and a great understanding of the musical legacy he is steeped in and has been surrounded by all his life. A native of Clooneigh, Gurteen, Junior’s dad Andy was a fiddle player with his own distinctive style but very much reflecting the style of the area of Gurteen and South Sligo.
This Wednesday afternoon presentation will put the spotlight on the percussive interpretation of the music and tunes and will be a fitting interlude during this year’s summer school, sitting perfectly between the much anticipated Tribute Concert on Monday night honouring Junior Davey’s legacy over many years as tutor and the Thursday evening recital, featuring Junior and his Bodhrán class – always a highlight of the week.
Interactive Talk: ‘‘Harmonious Traditions: Exploring fiddle and flute Duets in South Sligo and East Mayo’’ presented by John Wynne & John McEvoy
Admission €7 (Registered Students Free)
Make it stand out
The distinctive sound of a fiddle and flute duet is particularly associated with this area and in their presentation, John McEvoy & John Wynne, both deeply rooted in the tradition of fiddle and flute duet playing, will share their love and knowledge of this particular duet combination. When one thinks of fiddle and flute duets from the area, the names Peter Horan & Fred Finn and Jimmy Murphy & James Murray immediately come to mind as well as the fiddle and flute duet combination of Tommy Healy & Johnny Duffy. This is just to name a few.
In more recent times, the fiddle and flute duet playing of Philip Duffy & Liam Kelly, Oisín Mac Diarmada & Damien Stenson and Cian & Caoimhe Kearins for example, all in their own way reflect influences from the South Sligo/East Mayo style of those duet players gone before them.
This link will bring you to the PDF of the booklet published by Topic Records to accompany the album ‘Memories of Sligo’, a recording of Tommy Healy and Johnny Duffy, with Reg Hall on piano accompaniment, recorded in London in the mid 1970’s. Tommy was from the village of Montiagh, a small cluster of houses in Curry parish near the Mayo border. He and Johnny were second cousins, Johnny’s grandmother and Tommy’s grandfather being brother and sister. The two cousins both emigrated to London in the mid 1940’s. Well worth a read to whet your appetite:
https://www.topicrecords.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/TSDL335.pdf
Interactive Talk: ‘‘Trad Tech Talk’’ presented by Stephen Doherty
“Trad Tech Talk’’ ~ Informative talk on the technical process & use of microphones for both recording and live performance with traditional instruments, presented by Stephen Doherty