THE LINEUP
The Scratch are a four-piece band that sound like no one else you’ve ever heard before, featuring Conor Dockery (guitar, backing vocals), Cathal McKenna (bass/backing vocals), Daniel Lang (cajón, percussion, lead vocals), and Jordan O'Leary (guitar, lead vocals). Like all the great progressive musicians, they turn music on its head and pour their hearts and souls into their art to forge something original and new. Musicians making the time-honoured leap from acoustic to electric are well-docu
Steve Cooney is best known for his development of an influential style of guitar accompaniment to traditional Irish dance music which he developed in West Kerry, and for which he won the National Entertainment Award with Séamus Begley in 1997.
Tony Linnane is a fiddle player from in Co. Clare. In the world of traditional Irish music, Tony Linnane is renowned as a fiddle player of outstanding ability. His distinctive playing has superb fluency and flow in its style and is characterised by impeccable technique and a wealth of feeling and sensitivity. He is recognised as one of the finest exponents of the instrument in Ireland today.
Ríoghnach Connolly and Stuart McCallum are the creative heart of The Breath. And for them, it’s all about the song. Connolly writes the only way she knows how; a stream of poetic consciousness giving rise to honest, personal, heartfelt songs as likely to touch on childhood summers and first love as cultural dislocation, post-colonial injustices and grief.
Independent Irish singer and guitarist Síomha (pronounced She-vah) dances the line between folk, jazz and neo-soul effortlessly taking audiences on an unexpected and unforgettable journey with her soulful melodies. Her debut album ‘Infinite Space’, described by The Irish Times as “a seriously accomplished and self-confident debut”, is a collection of songs in both Irish and English.
Conor Connolly (Accordion & Vocals), Sorcha Costello (Fiddle) and Pádraig Ó’Dubhghaill (Guitar) are young traditional Irish musicians from the West of Ireland. Conor and Sorcha are both recent recipients of the TG4 Gradam Ceoil Young Musician of the Year award and pride themselves in being exponents of the ‘old’ traditional style of Irish music. Pádraig is one of today’s most sought-after accompanists in Irish music.
A world-renowned performer and tutor, Siobhán has been an inspiration and mentor to many musicians, locally, nationally and internationally, through her extensive teaching career. She is an outstanding ambassador for the traditional arts in Clare and has been an integral part of the vibrant session scene for several decades. In recent years, she has also been one of the driving forces behind the resurgence of the Ennis Trad Festival.
Molly’s power lies in her ability to convey deep and nuanced feelings through her voice and words. Her critically acclaimed debut album ‘The House Of David’ was released in November 2022. It held the 'Album Of The Week' spot on RTE Radio 1 and was nominated in the 'Best Debut Album' category at The Hotpress Awards, 2023.
Niamh Bury is one of the most exciting new voices on the Irish folk scene. In the past year, the Dublin-born songwriter has released several singles to wide acclaim, recorded her work with the RTE Concert Orchestra and performed on the prestigious Other Voices IMRO Other Room set. Niamh has shared the stage and collaborated with acts like Ye Vagabonds, Martin Hayes, Dermot Kennedy, Daorí Farrel, Niamh Regan and Cinder Well. Nominated for Best Emerging Artist at this year's RTE Folk Awards.
Master flute, whistle, and uilleann piper, McGoldrick, founder member of the bands Flook, Lunasa and Capercaillie, is acclaimed throughout the world as one of the most exciting live players you are ever likely to see. A Former Winner of The BBC Musician of The Year award, McGoldrick recently toured with Mark Knopfler and appears regularly on the BBC’s acclaimed ‘Transatlantic Sessions. Dezi (Fiddles on Fire) Donnelly has played the fiddle since the age of 7.
Introducing Joe Jack Attack, a powerhouse ensemble fueled by the rich musical heritage of its members: Cathal Ó Curráin and Megan Nic Fhionnghaile were raised amidst the wealth of tunes and songs of their family, the Joe Jack's of Gaoth Dobhair, Donegal. Their upbringing steeped in tradition shaped them into exceptional fiddle players and singers, captivating audiences with their fiery performances.
Jim Murray is one of Ireland’s leading guitar players. Over the last two decades Jim has toured and recorded both nationally and internationally with many of Ireland’s renowned artists. Jim has combined a wide range of music and influences to create a unique and exciting modern sound in guitar accompaniment.
James is widely regarded as one of Ireland’s most talented fiddle player. A Clare man originally from Kilnamona, James moved to Doolin nearly 30 years ago and has been sharing his music in our village ever since. His beautiful and generous fiddle playing was captured on the excellent album “Happy To Meet”, which he recorded back in 2002 together with the late PJ Crotty on flute and his wife Carol on piano.
Celebrating over 40 years as a live performer, Eddi Reader has effortlessly developed into one of popular music’s most thrilling and affecting performers. Though first brought into the limelight as front woman for Fairground Attraction, who’s #1 single, Perfect topped the British charts, it is Eddi’s subsequent albums that have signaled her ability to assimilate different musical styles and make them her own.
Dancer Edwina Guckian hails from outside the village of Drumsna in Co. Leitrim. Coming from a family steeped in the tradition of music and dance, her style is greatly influenced by the style of local music she grew up with across Leitrim and Roscommon.
Hailing from Athy, Co.Kildare, Jack Lukeman is one of Irelands top artists. His energetic live shows compare to early Springsteen meets Tom Jones in terms of the blood, sweat and tears of performance. Coupled with his broody earthy sexiness (Voted most sexy man under-25 in In Dublin for two years running) it is no surprise that his shows sell-out weeks in advance. His voice as one critic remarked "is a mixture of all the great male singing voices of the 20th century".
Cathal Ó Curráin and Megan Nic Fhionnghaile were raised amidst the wealth of tunes and songs of their family, the Joe Jack's of Gaoth Dobhair, Donegal. Their upbringing steeped in tradition shaped them into exceptional fiddle players and singers, captivating audiences with their fiery performances. Joining them is Marty Barry, a multifaceted musician hailing from Banbridge, County Down, whose musical roots trace back generations.
2024 will see the release after 10 years since their debut album new work to celebrate the band's 10 years, between several side projects the writing and recording of this new music has been eagerly anticipated with requests to headline summer festivals here and in Europe the band are now set to release new music on the world. ALDOC is a rag-tag band of international musicians hell-bent on bending the rules of traditional music as much as humanly possible.
Mancunians, Mike McGoldrick and Dezi Donnelly could fairly be described as two of the world’s greatest Irish traditional musicians.