Fab Tutors at Trad & Folk Weekend Workshops

We have some big names coming to lead the music workshops at this year's Wexford Trad & Folk Weekend. All the workshops take place on the morning of Sat, Feb 29. Places are limited and are likely to go pretty quickly. Reserve your place at the at the Trad & Folk page (see link at top of page). Anyone who prefers not to use Paypal as part of the online registration, please reserve your place by contacting Niall (087 839 1420‬).

Eilís Lavelle

Eilís Lavelle a harpist from Monaghan began learning music at a young age and was fortunate the Armagh Pipers Club offered the opportunity of learning the harp. At present, Eilís is undertaking a PhD in music, focusing on eighteenth-century collector Edward Bunting’s collection of music in Queen’s University, Belfast. In recent years she has gained extensive experience as a performer and teacher of the harp having performed throughout USA, Canada, Europe and further afield. She has gained much experience collaborating and performing with musicians from a wide range of genres. Broadcasts include performances on Tg4’s ‘Sé mo Laoch and Geantraí, RTÉ Television, BBC Television and Radio, RTÉ Lyric Fm and Radio na Gaeltachta. 

Peter Browne

The Dublin based box player has performed throughout Europe, the USA and Asia. He has recorded and played with the likes of Stocktons Wing, Slide, Dessie Kelliher, Aoife Scott, At first Light and Providence. He has also been involved with the RTE Concert Orchestra as well as jumping the genre fence into jazz and other ethnic and improvised forms of music.

Tom Doorley

Equally welcome in classical and traditional music circles, Tom is widely regarded amongst musicians as a master flautist. He is known for his wild and unpredictable melodic and harmonic variations. A former member of Danú he is most happy when he is teaching both classical and traditional flute to the next generation. Tom is someone who takes the history and the playing of the music seriously while still managing to be one of the most easy-going guys in the business. 

Niamh Parsons

Possessing one of the most distinctive voices in Irish music, Niamh has drawn comparisons to such venerated singers as Dolores Keane, June Tabor and Sandy Denny. The great Scottish balladeer Archie Fisher said of Niamh, 'a songstress like her comes along once or twice in a generation. “I don’t remember a time in my life when I was not singing,” says Niamh. “I love songs.”

Rónán Ó Snodaigh

Musician, composer, songwriter and poet, Rónán is singer and bodhrán player with the awesome trad/fusion group Kíla. He has been described in Hot Press as ‘the living embodiment of Turlough O’Carolan and Bob Marley’.  

Zoë Conway

Zoë Conway effortlessly combines a background steeped in Ireland’s rich aural music tradition with a strong founding in classical music. She has worked with Rodrigo y Gabriella, Damien Rice, Lisa Hannigan, Nick Cave and the late Lou Reed. She is also a member of Zodomo, a trio of traditional music heavyweights that also includes Máirtín O Connor and Donal Lunny, Zoë tours regularly with her husband, the guitarist John Mc Intyre. 

John McIntyre

The popular and quiet-spoken Louth man grew up in the Cooley Mountains. His early grá for music came from being immersed in the language, songs and traditional dance music of south west Donegal - his father's homeplace. Notwithstanding a classical guitar and piano education he ended up touring internationally with indie band, The Revs. That was then. Now, with Zoë, is one half one what has ben labelled “simply one of the best folk duos on the planet” 

Pádraig McGovern

Uilleann Piper Pádraig McGovern hails from Ballymagovern on the Cavan-Leitrim border. He has performed with numerous artists such as Lúnasa, Dervish, Téada and Gatehouse. Recordings including a duet album with Peter Carberry entitled ‘Forgotten Gems’ and more recently an acclaimed album with the band Garadice. He has worked as a researcher/performer on many projects including ‘The Leitrim Equation 4’ project and the ‘The Pipes, The Pipes’. 

At 4pm on the same day folklorists Aileen Lambert and Michael Fortune present Traditional Song and Folklore in Ireland at Wexford Library. It combines live performances with an audio-visual presentation focusing on some of the song and folklore projects the pair have worked on over the years. Given the weekend that's in it, expect a special guest or two to stop by. Duration: 1 hour.