Tyneside Irish Festival

FULL PROGRAMME
h
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30
Tyneside Irish
Festival
Tyneside Irish Cultural Society presents
13th to 23rd October
Beoga
Seán Keane
Niamh Ni Charra
Jack O’Rourke
Wildcats of Kilkenny
Jimmy Crowley
Tickets 0191 261 0385
www.tynesideirish.com
twitter @Tyneside_Irish
Tony Corcoran Writes:
Little did I think that when we started the festival in 1987 that I
would still be involved today. In thirty years we have had many difficult times but thanks to our supporters, our funders and the Tyneside
Irish Centre we have continued to bring high quality Irish culture
and entertainment to Newcastle.
Through the year the Tyneside Irish Cultural Society invests over
£40.000 in the city for the benefit of all, not just the Irish. At the
moment we are going from strength to strength and if we have the
right irons in the right fire we may see a significant increase in our
community programmes soon.
Meanwhile thanks to all our loyal friends and welcome to one of our
best ever festival programmes.
Tony Corcoran, Director Tyneside Irish Cultural Society
All events held at Tyneside Irish Centre
unless otherwise stated
41-43 Gallowgate, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4SG
Full programme and tickets available at
www.tynesideirish.com 0191 2610384
Thursday 13th October 7.30pm
FESTIVAL OPENING NIGHT
Free but please get a ticket
Fáilte Isteach!
A World of Irish Welcomes! To start
our 30th Festival we have invited
representatives of the many cultures
and nationalities that make up
modern Tyneside.
These will include our celtic cousins,
the Scots, the Welsh and Bretons as
well as our Northumbrian friends.
Just to prove you can become an Irish
musician whatever your background,
our special guest is All-Ireland
champion singer and fiddler,
Muhammad Al-Husseini.
From Ireland we welcome old friends, harper Fiana Ni
Chonnaill from Tipperary and storyteller Pat ‘The Hat’ Speight
from Cork. Also harper Lizzie Asfolter from Brittany. There will
be dancers and singers galore, Chinese, Hindi and, of course,
Irish. Don’t forget there’s also a music session downstairs if
you want to join in yourself.
tyneside irish
cultural society
Friday 14th October 7.30pm £15
SEAN KEANE and Band
From Co. Galway, Seán was
described as the ‘greatest musical
find of the 90‘s‘ by
‘The London Independent‘.
Growing up in a family of
singers and musicians, including
his sister Dolores, helped Seán to
learn the sean-nós style of
singing and by the time he
reached his teens, he had
collected thirteen All-Ireland
medals in Fleadh Ceoil
competitions. By that stage Seán
was also an accomplished whistle
and flute player as well and had taken up the uilleann pipes
and bodhran.
When he joined his first group, ‘Shegui‘, he had already served
a long apprenticeship. After travelling throughout Europe with
the band, he left to join ‘Reel Union‘. Later, he was part of
‘Arcady‘, with such well known names as Johnny ‘Ringo‘
McDonagh, Sharon Shannon and Frances Black.
After a short flirtation with the theatre Seán embarked on his
solo career in 1993. ‘All Heart , No Roses‘ received rave
reviews and was chosen as ‘Debut Folk Album of the Year‘ by
Q Magazine. In the years following, success continued with
Meteor Award nominations, ‘Best Male Folk Performer‘ from
Irish Music Magazine (three times). All of his solo albums are
platinum sellers and remain in constant demand. Six solo
albums later, Seán Keane continues to delight audiences with
his live performances and recorded work.
Catch him on YouTube performing his live version of ‘The
Scattering’ from Cork Opera House. On this tour Seán’s band
includes Pat Coyne and Fergus
Feely on guitar, mandolin and
vocals. The show will include
all his ‘hits’ including “Home
Away from Home”, “Isle of Hope”
and “Galway to Graceland” as
well as his version of Sting’s
“Fields of Gold”.
*The Gallowgate Lounge will
be open after the show for a
wee impromptu session!
Saturday 15th October 2pm-4.30pm Free
INTERNATIONAL PIPERS DAY
Tyneside Irish Centre Library Third Floor
Recital, talks and demonstrations of the Irish
Uillean pipes, and a chance to try them out for
yourself. It’s free and you don’t need a ticket.
Just come along to listen, play or have a go.
Saturday 15th October 8pm £10
NIAMH ni CHARRA
& KEVIN CORBETT
A multiple award winner on both fiddle and concertina, Niamh
from Co. Kerry toured as a soloist with Riverdance and in 2014
won ‘Female Musician of the Year’ in the Live Ireland Music
Awards. She is joined here by the highly acclaimed Kevin
Corbett on guitar.
Strongly influenced by local Sliabh Luachra musicians Niamh
started playing music at the early age of four, under the
tutelage of renowned musician Nicky McAuliffe. She toured
from 1998 to 2006 as a soloist with Riverdance, before returning
to Ireland.
Her latest album “Cuz”, received great critical acclaim
including “Instrumental Album of the Year” in the Chicago
Irish American News’ TIR awards for 2014. Her music features
on the programme “Ireland in Song” currently airing on Aer
Lingus transatlantic flights.
Along with touring extensively as a solo artist and with her
own band, Niamh has also performed and recorded with The
Chieftains, and with Carlos Núñez, she released an album “The
Basque Irish Connection”. She still performs occasionally with
Riverdance, most recently for a tour of China, where she took
on the additional role of Musical Director.
Saturday 15th October 8.30pm
Free in the Bar
LIAM TURNER
The ever popular entertainer from
Swatragh, Co. Derry knows how to get
the crowds singing and dancing for a
rockin’ good night with music from
Nathan Carter, Van Morrison and other
Irish standards.
Sunday 16th October 12pm - 2pm £10
FIDDLE & GUITAR WORKSHOPS
with Niamh Ni Charra and Kevin Corbett
Fiddle and guitar workshops
with the superb Niamh Ni
Charra and Kevin Corbett
for improving musicians.
Places are limited.
This is not a concert.
Sunday 16th October 12.30pm - 3pm Free
(See website for details)
FAMILY FUN DAY and CEILI DANCE
It’s the return of our ever popular
Family Fun Day. Includes Face
Painting and a Magician. An afternoon
guaranteed to wear the kids out!
Sunday 16th October 8pm £5
DERMOT HEGARTY
Only Dana ever sold more singles than Dermot Hegarty in
Ireland. His 1970 hit “Twenty One Years” with his band The
Plainsmen still holds that distinction.
From showband star to cabaret and recording artiste, Dermot,
from County Longford, has done it all. And he is still on the
top of his game having just returned from performing on the
top American cruise circuit.
Monday 17th October 7.30pm £8 concs £6
At the Alphabetti Theatre, in the Basement of 16 New Bridge
Street West, opp. City Library, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8AW
Irish Theatre presents
GEORGE BERNARD SHAW INVITES YOU
A one man show performed by Paddy O’Keeffe as George
Bernard Shaw.
Playwright, orator,
novelist, critic, essayist,
iconoclast, politician,
energetic self-publicist,
controvertialist, GBS,
as he styled himself,
divides opinion today
as he did in his lifetime.
In this award-winning show the man himself invites you to
celebrate his 90th birthday on the 26th July 1946. However, his
celebrations are rudely interrupted by Paddy O’Keeffe, an
obsessive Shavian who is determined to discover the real
Bernard Shaw. Age Recommendation: 12+
(Tip to find the way in – look for the blue gates by the NCP car
park entrance)
tyneside irish
cultural society
TYNESIDE
IRISH CENTRE
AD ULT ED UCAT ION
CLASSES & A CT IVIT IES
• Irish Language
• Art (Drawing and Painting)
• Irish History
• Set Dancing • Ancestry
• Adult Music Group
Look on our website or call the office
BOOK & FILM CLUB
An informal group meeting about
once a month in the Centre.
Contact Carmel McGrath
via the office
or look on our website.
ROSS
(Raised on Songs and Stories)
This is an Irish Community Project
2016-17 LECTURE
PROGRAMME
The last series of lectures the
“Road to the Rising” had excellent
support. Following up, this year’s series
will highlight the lives of some of those
who shaped or failed to shape Ireland’s
destiny in the 20th century.
Subjects already confirmed include
Patrick Pearse, Liam Mellows and
Hannah Sheehy-Skeffington.
There will be artists, writers and others
added to the list which will be
on our website in October
All lectures will be on
Thursdays from 7.30pm
Tuesday 18th October 7.30-8.45pm
The
Galway Girl
A Drama by Fergus Campbell
Set in Galway during the 1916 Rising
Directed by
Neil Armstrong
PAY
WHAT
YOU CAN
Following on from the
successful 1916 Rising
lectures Fergus will
discuss the issues
dealt with in the play
Tuesday 18th October 8.30pm £12/£10 concs
At the Stand Comedy Club (0191 300 9700)
31 High Bridge, NE1 1EW Doors Open 7pm.
with Mary Bourke , support from
Micky Bartlett and Totally Wired.
Hosted by Martin Mor.
Mary Bourke was born in Dublin during
a cross fire hurricane. She lives in leafy
Buckinghamshire with her comedian
husband and her large collection of Betty
Page memorabilia. Before she became a
comic, she was a burlesque dancer and choreographer in San
Francisco. She has published numerous romantic novels under
the pseudonymn Tara Sundrive.
• 5pm-9pm Special pre-show 3 course Irish Menu: Leek &
Potato Soup with Soda Bread, Bacon & Colcannon, followed by
Barmbrack Loaf with Bailey’s Custard!
Main Course £10 • 3 courses £16
IRISH STAND UP COMEDY
Wednesday 19th October 8pm £5
JIMMY CROWLEY
“Jimmy is a living legend in Irish Folk music.
He comes from Cork, in the south of Ireland, a
city whose musical richness mirrors the city’s
diversity – a great trad music and song heritage
as well as a legacy from music-hall vaudeville and high art musical
traditions. Crowley draws on all of these traditions in fashioning his
own unique performance style and repertoire and has collected
extensively in the south of Ireland both as a ballad singer and as part
of his academic degree. He is a consummate stage performer as well as
a song writer, adding colour to his songs by weaving stories about
Cork characters, maritime exploits and daily life into his act. His
singing style is truly unique – nobody hearing Jimmy could possibly
mistake him for anyone else.” Mick Moloney “The test of any
singer is whether or not you listen to him – I have Jimmy Crowley’s
‘Jimi Mo Mhile Stor’ in the car at all times.” Liam Clancy “Jimmy
and I have been on the one road for many’s the long mile and my
journey is always shortened when I meet him.” Christy Moore
“Since I have known Jimmy Crowley, which is quite a while, the
qualities which I have admired most in him are his consistency, his
integrity, and his ability to adapt and be receptive to all kinds of
music, his uniqueness. And for me, he embodies the spirit and voice
of Cork and he’s a great singer.” Ronnie Drew “Jimmy Crowley is a
musical icon in Irish tradition. He sings out from his own ground to
a world of listeners. And the lift and lilt of his voice is the listener’s
joy.” Micheál Ó Súlleabháin, Irish World Centre, University of
Limerick “He remains a unique interpreter of songs both traditional
and contemporary with a special gift for communicating with his
audience.” Mary Black “For me, he embodies all that
is good and true about the music in which we are
involved.” Martin Carthy
*This is also the British launch of Jimmy’s excellent
book “Songs from the Beautiful City: The Cork
Urban Ballads”, and he will sign copies on the night.
Thursday 20th October 7.30pm £15
BEOGA Support from Ards Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann.
It’s a warm
welcome back to
the Irish Centre
for one of the
most popular
bands to play
here. Beoga (gaelic
for ‘lively’) are based in County Antrim in the north of Ireland;
the bedrock of their sound lies firmly within the Irish tradition.
They also incorporate other genres, from bluesy riffs to Astor
Piazzola-style jazz; the result is traditional, with a huge sense of
fun and adventure. The Wall Street Journal described them as
“the most exciting new traditional band to emerge from Ireland this
century.” Their unique sound features the twin duelling
accordians of Damian McKee and Sean Og Graham, pianist
Liam Bradley and four times All Ireland Bodhran champion
Eamon Murray. The line up is completed with the addition of
Niamh Dunne, one of Ireland’s premier young talents, on
vocals and fiddle. Beoga have been described by the Irish Times
as “individually talented and collectively inspired.” Beoga’s music
seduces a diverse array of music lovers, and the release of the
2009 album ‘The Incident’ saw the group continue to blaze a
pioneering trail, receiving a GRAMMY nomination for Best
Contemporary World Music Album. The band’s profile rose to
a new level with a front page feature in the St. Patrick’s Day
edition of the Wall Street Journal. Recently they have
headlined many festivals in Europe and the USA including the
Fleadh Cheoil 2016 in Ennis, Co. Clare. Support is provided by
Ards Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann from Co. Down.
Friday 21st October 8pm £7
JACK O’ROURKE
Jack O’Rourke’s work has featured on BBC4's
‘The great Irish songbook’ and his song
‘Silence’ was described by presenter Cerys
Matthews as ‘truly beautiful’. The song was
used by Amnesty International for the Yes
campaign in the successful equal marriage
referendum and performed on RTE’s Late Late Show. In January
2016 he released the stunning “I’ll Forget You in The Morning”
which was swiftly playlisted by local and national radio
stations. His follow up single ‘Dreamcatcher’ showcased a
different side of O’Rourke, combining funky Stax soul rhythms
with Jack’s hypnotic timbre. Soon after its release, Jack took the
coveted 1st place in the lyrics category of the International Song
Writing Competition, judged by Bill Withers and Tom Waits
among others. This year’s highlights included selling out his
debut Dublin performance at Whelans, performing ‘Galileo’
with Declan O’Rourke at Live At St. Lukes and performing on
the Frank and Walters new album alongside Cillian Murphy.
Jack also played live at Dublin’s recent Bloom Festival. His
debut album ‘Dream Catcher’ was released in September,
featuring edgy baroque pop, plaintive ballads and startingly
honest reflections on the world around him.
*An After Show music session featuring Ards Comhaltas
Ceoltóirí Éireann will take place in the Gallowgate to round off
the night!
Saturday 22nd October Free in the Bar
Ards Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann
A musical community group formed 40 years ago to promote
Irish music to the people of North Down and further afield.
Fresh from backing Van Morrison last month.
Saturday 22nd October 8pm £10
WILDCATS OF KILKENNY
The Wildcats are celebrating 25 years of jumping up and down
this year. The Wildcats of Kilkenny were formed in 1991 – a
response to fiddler Mike McGrother being called a ‘*******
Geordie” by long time hero and style guru Shane MacGowan.
Meeting for the first time on a cold November day, the lads
went on to perform to a packed village hall in Eaglescliffe,
Teesside. Within months their reputation spread and over the
years their irreverent, manic and highly charged
performances have been enjoyed by thousands
over the world. Their latest triumph was
playing in New York on the St. Patrick’s Day
Parade in 2016. From Billingham to Beijing,
Dormanstown to Donegal and Eaglescliffe to
Edinburgh, The Wildcats have brought a
stomping, smiling
crowd to their feet. 500
weddings, 2 funerals
and 8 practices in, the
boys are now in their
25th year with a glint in their eye, a
spring in their step and a fanbase like none other. Made in
Teesside. For the world.
Sunday 23rd October 8pm £5
FESTIVAL
FINALE CEILI
Our Festival Finale Ceili with the
long time friend of, and visitor to, the
Festival, celebrated All Ireland
Champion accordionist Seamus
O’Sullivan and friends.
Truly a Great Way to end the Festival!
FRINGE FESTIVAL
Friday 14th After Show Gallowgate 10.30-12pm
Saturday 15th Liam Turner Bar 8.30-10.45
Monday 17th Gaelic Conversation
Gallowgate from 7.30pm
Friday 21st Ards Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann
Gallowgate 10.30-12pm
Saturday 22nd
Ards Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann Bar 8.30-10.30
VENUES
Tyneside Irish Centre, Gallowgate, Newcastle upon
Tyne NE1 4SG Tel 0191 261 0384
Alphabetti Theatre, in the Basement of 16 New Bridge
Street West, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8AW
Stand Comedy Club, 31 High Bridge, Newcastle upon
Tyne NE1 1EW Tel: 0191 300 9700
TIMETABLE OF EVENTS
All events at the Tyneside Irish Centre unless stated
Thurs 13th International Opening Night
Friday 14th Seán Keane
Friday 14th Aftershow Session
Sat 15th International Pipers Day
Sat 15th Niamh Ni Charra and Kevin Corbett
Sat 16th Liam Turner
Sun 16th Family fun day
Sun 16th Fiddle and guitar workshops
Sun 16th Dermot Hegarty
Mon 17th Gaelic Conversation
Mon 17th GB Shaw Invites You Alphabetti Theatre
Tues 18th Irish Stand-Up Comedy Stand Comedy Club
Tues 18th The Galway Girl
Wed 19th Jimmy Crowley
Thurs 20th Beoga
Fri 21st Jack O’Rourke
Fri 21st Ards Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann
Sat 22nd Wildcats of Kilkenny
Sat 22nd Ards Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann
Sun 23rd Ceili with Seamus O’Sullivan
tyneside irish
cultural society
Function Room Hire
FREE DEALS AVAILABLE
Concert Room capacity 220
Gallowgate Lounge capacity 110
Excellent catering service
Free DJ Facilities
Great Light and Atmosphere
In The Heart of The City!
Tyneside Irish Centre
Gallowgate
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 4SG
Tel: 0191 261 0384
www.tynesideirish.com