Return to
18th
2016
Camden Town
www.returntocamden.org
Magazine
FREE
THE TULLA CÉILÍ
BAND – 70 YEARS
AND STILL GOING
STRONG
REG HALL –
A FEW TUNES OF
GOOD MUSIC
TRIBUTES:
MARION SAVAGE
JIMMY PHILBIN
BERT GRIFFIN
PLUS: FULL FESTIVAL
PROGRAMME
Venues include: Kings Place, Clayton Crown Hotel, London Irish Centre,
Green Note, Fiddler’s Elbow and more...
FESTIVAL OF TRADITIONAL IRISH MUSIC, SONG & DANCE
TUESDAY 25TH – MONDAY 31ST OCTOBER 2016
CONCERTS, SESSIONS, ALBUM LAUNCHES,
SET DANCING CÉILÍS, WORKSHOPS AND MORE
CONTENTS
CONTENTS
FESTIVAL VENUES
WELCOME
MAIN VENUES:
SESSION VENUES:
03DIRECTOR'S
WELCOME
04MAIN FESTIVAL
VENUES
FEATURES
CECIL SHARP HOUSE
THE AULD TRIANGLE
THE CROWN
THE CANONBURY
TAVERN
06
REG HALL – A
FEW TUNES OF
GOOD MUSIC
10
THE TULLA CÉILÍ
BAND – 70 YEARS
AND STILL GOING
STRONG
TRIBUTES
1 Malden Rd, London NW5 3HS
12 MARION SAVAGE
13
JIMMY PHILBIN
14 BERT GRIFFIN
LISTINGS
16
FESTIVAL
LISTINGS
20 FULL EVENT
PROGRAMME
22
FESTIVAL
LISTINGS
DIRECTOR: KAREN RYAN
EDITOR: LAURIE HARPER
DESIGN: ANTONIA BAILEY
PRINTED BY: STUDIO DESIGN AND
PRINT LTD [+44 (0)20 8361 2233]
Cover photo: Colman Connolly
at Crown Moran Hotel 2013 –
photo by James Berry
(www.jamesberryphotography.co.uk)
2 RtCT2016
For venue maps see pages 4 and 5.
2 Regent’s Park Road
London NW1 7AY
142-152 Cricklewood Broadway
London NW2 3ED
THE FIDDLER’S ELBOW
THE GREEN NOTE
106 Parkway, Camden
Town, London NW1 7AN
THE KING AND QUEEN
1 Foley Street, near Goodge
Street, London W1W 6DL
KINGS PLACE
90 York Way, King’s Cross
London N1 9AG
LONDON IRISH CENTRE
50-52 Camden Square
Camden, London NW1 9XB
LONDON IRISH CENTRE
KENNEDY HALL
Murray Mews (junction with
Murray Street), London NW1 9RJ
52 St Thomas’s Road
London N4 2QW
21 Canonbury Place
London N1 2NS
THE COBDEN
28-30 Camden High Street
London NW1 0JH
GUINEA GRILL
30 Bruton Place, Mayfair
London W1 6NL
THE HARRISON
28 Harrison Street (off Gray’s
Inn Road), London WC1H 8JF
HOLE IN THE WALL
5 Mepham St, Waterloo
London SE1 8SQ
HOWL AT THE MOON
178 Hoxton Street, London N1 5LH
THE LAMB TAVERN
54 Holloway Road, London N7 8JL
THE QUEENS
26 Broadway Parade
London N8 9DE
THE RAILWAY TAVERN
23 Crouch End Hill
London N8 8DH
SIR COLIN CAMPBELL
264-266 Kilburn High Rd
London NW6 2BY
TICKETS All Festival tickets can be purchased through links at:
www.returntocamden.org
SPECIAL OFFER COMBINATION TICKETS
Saturday, Sunday and Monday – concerts and céilís: £40
Saturday and Sunday – dance workshops and céilís: £30
Irish Music and Dance in London would like to thank its generous
donors who have supported this year's Festival. They are Peggy and
Niall Henry, Crispin and Maggie Wright, Muhammad Al Hussaini, Macai
Projects, Kevin Relf, O'Donovan Waste Disposal Ltd, Elma McElligott and
Comhaltas in Britain.
WELCOME TO THE 18TH RETURN
TO CAMDEN TOWN FESTIVAL
I
have a vivid memory of my lovely Godfather and
Uncle, Pat Connolly bringing me home a gift from a
trip into 'town' (Galway City) while a big gang of us
were on holiday in Connemara - no particular occasion –
he just wanted to give some top quality music to a tune
hungry teenager. I was so delighted and grateful - It was
the 40th Anniversary cassette tape of the legendary
Tulla Céilí Band. I could never have imagined that 30
years later, I might have had something to do with
bringing the band over to celebrate its 70th anniversary
in London – all of the Festival team are so honoured and
excited to have the Tulla ‘Return to Camden Town’ once
more (Sat and Sun).
The 18th Return to Camden Town Festival line-up is a
fabulous mix of musicians, singers and dancers across
the generations from many corners of Ireland and
equally many corners of London town. With seven
days of concerts, céilís, workshops, album launches and
sessions, it may be a cliché, but it couldn’t be truer, to
say that there really is something for everyone. While the
instrumental workshops given by masters of traditional
Irish music, will help to hone the skills of those already
learning to play our music, the sean nós dancing and
singing workshops will warmly welcome the uninitiated
and there are lots of free sessions and album launches
for people to sample high quality music from the genre
in a friendly atmosphere for the first time.
The formal concert programme features the best of the
best of traditional Irish musicians, singers and dancers
with evening concerts hosting a number of critically
acclaimed young bands currently on the circuit (Project
West (Wed), Mórga (Fri), Caladh Nua/ CrossHarbour
(Sat)), a number of long established and highly regarded
bands born of the London Irish Music scene (The
London Lasses (Wed), Le Chéile/ The Good Mixer Band
(Sun)) and a huge number of internationally renowned,
inspirational solo, duet and trio musicians - from the
opening night on Tuesday (Bryan Rooney/ Mick Mulvey
with Pete Quinn), through Friday night’s appearances
of Jimmy Crowley at the Musical Traditions Club plus
John Bowe and Mick O’Connor at Kings Place, followed
by Saturday and Sunday afternoons filled with concert
music from the Mulcahy Family/ Bríd Harper and Darren
Breslin (Sat) and Bobby and Lynda Gardiner/ Mary
MacNamara and Sorcha Costello/ Tom O’Connell and
Peter McAlinden (Sun), to the final afternoon concert on
Monday (Bobby and Lynda Gardiner/ Terence O’Flaherty
and Comhaltas in Britain). The Wednesday night concert
at the Clayton Crown Hotel in Cricklewood is somewhat
of a homecoming for great accordion/ melodeon player
Damien Mullane who was a regular fixture at RtCT
Festival events from his early teen years when he was
growing up in London, we look forward to welcoming
his new band ‘Project West’.
Free album launches are once again, much in evidence
on our programme, with a whole night at the Fiddler’s
Elbow dedicated to them on Thursday with new CDs
from Loïc Bléjean and Tad Sargent/ Thomas McCarthy/
Terence O’Flaherty/ Michael Sheehy and others at 5pm
at the London Irish Centre on Saturday and Sunday.
We are extremely grateful to all of our funders, sponsors,
partners and donors who have made this year’s Festival
possible: Culture Ireland, Emigrant Support Programme
John Griffin Foundation, P Flannery Plant Hire (Oval) Ltd,
Ardmore Group, Clancy Docwra, London Irish Centre,
Kings Place, Clayton Crown Hotel, The Irish World, The
Irish Post and more..
Many of you will know that we have found ourselves in
a difficult situation for being able to plan going forward
after this Festival – we are hugely grateful to a number
of you who responded so positively to our request
for help to financially secure the future of Return to
Camden Town Festival from 2017. We are delighted that
some new sponsors have come on board to help us in
our plight and some of you are still working with us to
bring further funding and sponsorship in to help with
the situation. As we appear to be going in the right
direction, we very much hope that we might be able to
announce dates for a 19th Festival in 2017 as the weeks
progress, but we still need your help to reach our target.
Please do let us know if there is anyone you think we
should approach for funding and sponsorship for our
work promoting traditional Irish music, song and dance
here in London.
I would like to give unending thanks to my brilliant
colleagues in IMDL for all their hard work, support and
advice year round: Margaret Reilly, Sue Banks, Laurie
Harper, Geoff Walker, Bernadette Babayigit and Richard
Savage, as well as all of our RtCT volunteers who play a
huge part in making this all happen. Have a great Festival!
www.returntocamden.org 3
VENUES
MAIN FESTIVAL VENUES
THE GREEN NOTE
106 Parkway
London NW1 7AN
Tel: 020 7485 9899
1
4
2
5
THE FIDDLER'S ELBOW
1 Malden Rd
London
NW5 3HS
3
1. LONDON IRISH CENTRE
50-52 Camden Square, London
NW1 9XB • Tel: 020 7916 7272
2. THE GOLDEN LION
88 Royal College Street, London
NW1 0TH • Tel: 020 7387 2035
3. THE COBDEN
28-30 Camden High Street, London
NW1 0JH • Tel: 020 7209 2472
CAMDEN ROAD STATION
(London Overground)
CAMDEN TOWN STATION
(Northern Line)
MORNINGTON CRESCENT STATION
(Northern Line)
KINGS PLACE
90 York Way
London N1 9AG
Tel: 020 7520 1490
4. CECIL SHARP HOUSE
2 Regent’s Park Road, London
NW1 7AY • Tel: 020 7485 2206
5. THE GREEN NOTE
106 Parkway, London
NW1 7AN • Tel: 020 7485 9899
Please see page 2 for complete list of Festival venues.
4 RtCT2016
www.returntocamden.org 5
FEATURE
REG HALL – A FEW
TUNES OF GOOD MUSIC
By Laurie Harper
T
his year saw the
publication of Reg Hall’s
long-awaited book, A Few
Tunes of Good Music, the product
of the more than sixty years during
which he has played, recorded and
documented Irish music in London.
Reg, described by Topic Records
Managing Director, Tony Engle,
as “a quietly important stalwart
and historian of traditional music”,
was born in North Kent in 1933.
Best known as a dance musician,
he plays the piano, melodeon
and fiddle. His long, personal
involvement with traditional
music-making began in 1955,
when he first visited a London Irish
pub, The Bedford, on Camden
Town’s Arlington Street.
Until that moment, his primary
interest had been in jazz. However,
two Irish friends took him to The
Bedford one evening to hear the
traditional music that was played
there every week and the course
of his musical life was changed. At
The Bedford, he met the musicians,
who included the great Michael
Gorman and Margaret Barry and
subsequently became friends with
and played on stage with them.
Since then, he has played Irish
and English dance music with
many of the finest traditional
musicians. He performed with
the Bampton Morris for some fifty
years and was with the Padstow
Blue Ribbon ‘Obby ‘Oss for forty
years. He formed The Rakes with
Michael Plunkett and Paul Gross
in 1956, playing for dances and
performed with Bob Davenport
in concert and on record. Earlier
this year, The Rakes played
their 60th anniversary céilí.
Despite the demands of a full
time job in social work and as a
probation officer, Reg has managed
6 RtCT2016
"His pioneering work
combines his abilities
as both historian and
musician and he brings
great understanding
and insight to his
writing and playing."
to participate in the performance
of the music and to document it in
remarkable detail. His pioneering
work combines his abilities as both
historian and musician and he
brings great understanding and
insight to his writing and playing.
He was awarded the Gold Badge
of the English Folk Dance and
Song Society in 1987, a doctorate
in history from Sussex University
in 1994 and the Gradam Cheoil
musician’s award from the
Gaelic television company TG4
in April 2009. The TG4 awards
are conferred on recipients
via a selection committee of
musicians, composers, writers,
presenters, journalists and
others involved in traditional
music. An award truly represents
recognition by one’s peers.
A Few Tunes of Good Music has its
origins in Reg’s doctoral thesis. On
his retirement from social work,
he decided to study for a history
degree. His originally proposal
was to document a series of 50
interviews with Irish musicians
he had known and played with
since the 1950s. His tutor at Sussex,
Alan Halkins, suggested that the
depth and breadth of the topic
would be more suited to a MA
and encouraged Reg to address
not just the music, but the social
history and conditions that had
caused the musicians and their
families to move to and settle in
London and other British cities.
As is often the case, the size
and complexity of the project
expanded. It grew to become
a comprehensive analysis of
the music and culture of the
various Irish and London-Irish
communities who have lived
in the capital over the last two
hundred years, for which Sussex
awarded him a Ph.D. in 1994.
With his original aim accomplished,
Reg wanted his work to be more
widely available and accessible,
so he set about expanding on
it, re-drafting it from its original
academic language and form and
adding hundreds of illustrations,
historic and contemporary.
The final result is a work that
runs to more than 1,020 pages,
comprising 11 parts and 37
chapters, that traces the journey
of music and dance from rural
Ireland at the commencement of
the 19th century, via the Gaelic
Revival and the work of the
Gaelic League and its gradual
urbanisation, initially through the
establishment of the LondonIrish and other predominantly
working class city communities
and culminating in the widespread
popularity it enjoys today.
Reg approached several publishers,
with a view to issuing the work
in book form. However, its sheer
size and complexity and the
consequent expense of producing
it, combined with the fact that, as
a relatively specialised publication,
it would be unlikely to sell in
sufficient numbers to recoup
the cost of doing so, proved a
stumbling block. As a result, it
languished for several years.
Enter Topic Records, the
longest established – it recently
celebrated its 75th anniversary
– traditional music label in the
www.returntocamden.org 7
FEATURE
Whilst the claim may have been an
overstatement, it was nonetheless
true that there was more Irish
music to be heard in London than
anywhere else in the world.
"Reg’s work compiling and annotating many
significant Topic recordings culminated in
the mighty series, The Voice of the People,
which runs to more than 30 CDs"
world and winner of BBC Radio’s
'Good Tradition' Award for the
preservation and promotion of
traditional and roots music.
Reg’s long association with
Topic began in 1963, when he
contributed the sleeve notes
to the recording, Irish Pipe &
Fiddle Tunes, which featured
Michael Gorman, Margaret Barry
and Willie Clancy. Two years
later, he collaborated with Bill
Leader on the classic recording
of Irish traditional musicians in
London, Paddy in The Smoke.
Reg’s work compiling and
annotating many significant Topic
recordings culminated in the
mighty series, The Voice of the People,
which runs to more than 30 CDs
and draws on some 120 albums of
English, Irish and Scottish traditional
music from the Topic catalogue.
This year saw the release of two
boxed CD sets from The Voice of
the People that feature traditional
Irish musicians in the capital. The
contents of both were compiled
and researched (and in some
cases recorded) by Reg.
8 RtCT2016
It was Mighty is a three CD set
featuring a total of more than 100
performances by, among many
others, Michael Gorman, Bobby
Casey, Martin Byrnes, Julia Clifford,
Jimmy Power, Seamus Ennis, Nan
Landers, Vincent Griffin, Sean
Maguire, Edmond Murphy, Roger
Sherlock and Tommy McCarthy.
Recorded in a variety of settings
– in musicians’ own homes, at
concerts and pub sessions – It
was Mighty features many of
the great traditional musicians
who lived, worked and made
music in London following the
end of the Second World War.
During the 1950s, Irish music
was almost entirely unknown to
mainstream society (and certainly
to the media). Its promotion was
solely by word of mouth among
the Irish community itself. It was
sometimes even claimed that there
was better Irish music to be heard
in London than in Ireland. This was
due in no small part to the fact
that many of the finest musicians,
none of who played professionally,
came to London to find work and
settled and made their homes here.
It was Great Altogether brings the
story up to date. Also a three CD
set, it includes 89 performances
from the 1970s until the present
day. Many of the musicians
featured on It was Mighty appear
again, together with more recent
performers, including Lucy Farr,
Billy Clifford, Amby Whyms, Danny
Meehan, Tommy Maguire, Bryan
Rooney, Joe Whelan, Sean O’Shea,
Brendan Mulkere, Tommy Keane,
Marcus Hernon, Martin McMahon,
Tom O’Connell, Mick O’Connor,
Karen Ryan and James Carty.
Two fabulous collections of
more than seven hours of great
music and more than worth
the price of admission.
To return to Reg’s book, this year,
Topic Records published A Few
Tunes of Good Music in its entirety on
its website. It is freely available to all
at: www.topicrecords.co.uk
This was a significant undertaking
for Topic, still a very small company
despite its high profile in the
traditional music world and they
merit our sincere thanks.
Above all, we owe Reg an
enormous debt of gratitude
for his gift to us of the
fruits of his life’s work.
I can strongly recommend A Few
Tunes of Good Music. As an added
incentive, if you play traditional
music in London, you may even
find yourself immortalised in
the final chapters, which contain
many illustrations of musicians
playing at sessions and concerts in
London during the last 30 years.
www.returntocamden.org 9
FEATURE
In the 1960s, the band added a
vocalist, Martin Vaughan from
Miltown Malbay, to its line-up
and its profile was further raised
by its recordings with him for
EMI, culminating in 1970 with The
Claddagh Ring. During the 60s,
Mattie Ryan, from Tulla, joined
as accordion player and was to
remain with the band until 1977.
THE TULLA CÉILÍ BAND –
70 YEARS AND STILL
GOING STRONG
W
e are delighted that
our céilís this year will
feature dancing to
arguably the greatest of the céilí
bands, the mighty Tulla Céilí Band.
Celebrating its 70th anniversary
this year, the Tulla has, remarkably,
been in continuous existence
since 1946, managing to survive
when others struggled and were
forced either to disband or take
a break from playing. During its
long history, the membership
of the band has included many
iconic and legendary musicians.
The Tulla’s origins lie in the
Ballinahinch Céilí Band, from East
Clare. In 1946, several musicians,
including Teresa Tubridy, Paddy
Canny, P.J Hayes, Bert McNulty
10 RtCT2016
By Chris Keane and Laurie Harper
and Mrs Cummins, met to discuss
forming a band. Legend has it that
the conversations took place in
Minogues Bar, in Tulla, Co. Clare.
The band’s inaugural performance
took place in March 1946 at a céilí
band competition in Limerick
City, where it competed as the
St Patrick’s Amateur Band Tulla.
Featuring fiddlers Paddy Canny
and P.J. Hayes, pianist Teresa
Tubridy, legendary accordion
player Joe Cooley, Aggy Whyte
and flute players Paddy and Jim
O’Donohue, the band placed first;
an auspicious start. Subsequently,
Sean Reid from Donegal joined
them and they went on to win
the Oireachtas Na Momhann
céilí band competition, in Cork.
In 1948, Joe Cooley left for
England and his place as
accordion player was taken by
the great Paddy O’ Brien, from
Tipperary, whilst the band also
acquired its first drummer, Jack
Keane, from Clarecastle.
The 1950s saw the beginnings
and burgeoning of céilí band
competitions and the Tulla began
its great rivalry with the Kilfenora
Céilí Band. It enjoyed tremendous
success, winning its first AllIreland title at the Fleadh Cheoil
in 1957, in Dungarvan, losing by
the slimmest of margins - half a
point - to the Kilfenora in 1958 and
winning again in 1960, in Boyle.
During the late 1950s, the band
toured Britain and Ireland and in
In 1964, RTÉ commenced its famous
‘Club Céilí’ broadcasts and the Tulla,
comprising Peader O’Loughlin, P.J
Hayes, J.C Talty, Paddy Canny, Sean
Reid, Mattie Ryan, George Byrt and
Martin Garrihy, featured regularly.
In the 1970s, the band celebrated
its 25th anniversary with the release
of its third album, Sweetheart in
the Spring. During that time, they
were joined on drums by Michael
Patsy Flanagan, who was to remain
with them for more than 25 years.
During the 1980s, the band
toured Ireland and Britain
regularly and made three visits
to the USA, in 1982, ‘84 and ’86,
releasing its 40th anniversary CD
for Claddagh Records in 1986.
The 1990s was a significant
decade for the Tulla. In 1995,
Clare won the All Ireland Hurling
Championship for the first time in
81 years and the Tulla Céilí Band,
fittingly, was chosen to play at
the victory party at the Berkeley
Court Hotel in Dublin and at the
celebration which was held for the
winning team at Shannon Airport
on its return from Croke Park.
1986 saw the band celebrating
its half century and Muintir an
Chláir, The Clare Association,
Dublin, conferred its Clare Person
of the Year award on P.J Hayes
in recognition of his leadership
of the Tulla over 50 years.
The release of the band’s 50th
anniversary CD took place on
the Late Late Show, with a live
broadcast from Peppers Pub, in
Feakle. The band followed this
with a visit to Aras An Uachtarain,
to be honoured by then President
of Ireland, Mary Robinson.
In 1997, the band toured the USA for
the seventh time, where P.J Hayes
was made a Freeman of the City of
"One cannot help but
wonder what those
musicians who met
in 1946 would have
thought had they known
what their conversation
about forming a band
was to lead to…"
New York by Mayor Rudy Giuliani.
In 1998, a 50 year history of the Tulla
Céilí Band was published, whilst P.J
accepted the Entertainers of the
Year award on behalf of the band at
the National Concert Hall in Dublin.
One cannot help but wonder
what those musicians who met
in 1946 would have thought
had they known what their
conversation about forming
a band was to lead to…
The 2000s ushered in a period
of profound change. In 2001, its
leader and great champion, P.J
Hayes, passed away at his home in
Maghera, Co Clare. For many bands,
this might have signified the end,
but the Tulla, thankfully, vowed to
ensure the tradition he had worked
so hard to create would endure.
P.J’s son, Martin (no slouch on
the fiddle himself…) stepped
into the breach and played with
the band as often as his own
performing schedule would
permit, whilst current band leader,
fiddler Mark Donnellan, took his
late father’s place and ensured
the music would continue.
2006 saw the launch of the 60th
anniversary CD in Feakle. In the
following year, the band undertook
a Caribbean cruise, whilst Martin
Hayes was named Traditional
Musician of the Year by TG4. At
the end of the decade, the band
performed at the Volvo Ocean
Yacht Race in Galway and at the
Electric Picnic Festival in Laois.
The Tulla Céilí Band paid its first
visit to Return to Camden Town in
2012. In 2013, it performed at the
Temple Bar Trad Fest, supported
Martin Hayes at Bantry House
Masters of Tradition in 2013 and
was invited for the second time to
Aras An Uachtarain, to be honoured
by President Michael D. Higgins.
Coming right up to date, 2016
saw the release of the band’s
70th anniversary CD in Feakle,
celebrated via a live broadcast
on RTÉ’s ‘Céilí House’ and a
performance at Dublin’s National
Concert Hall. In the summer of
2016, the Fleadh Cheoil na h’Éireann
returned to Ennis and the band
performed extensively throughout
the 10 days of the event.
The present members of the band
hail from Tulla, Maghera, Kilmurry,
Kilfenora, Labane, Gort, Galway and
Dublin. There is no doubt, however,
that the music remains true to the
spirit of the original band, founded
as a result of that conversation in
Minogue’s Bar all those years ago.
www.returntocamden.org 11
Photograph courtesy of P J Hayes
1958, made its first visit to the USA,
where P.J. Hayes, Jack Shaugnessy,
Dr. Bill Loughnane, Martin Mulhaire,
Michael Preston, Sean Reid,
Seamus Cooley and Jack Keane
gave a memorable performance at
Carnegie Hall on St. Patrick’s Day.
TRIBUTE
TRIBUTE
MARION SAVAGE
JIMMY PHILBIN
By Richard, Kate and Ross Savage
Marion’s husband, Richard, together
with daughter and son, Kate and
Ross, wrote this moving tribute
to her for Set Dancing News.
It is with the utmost sadness
that I wish to let all the readers
of Set Dancing News know
that my lovely wife Marion died
on 20 November following an
operation for a brain aneurysm.
Marion loved her set dancing. In
the early days at classes in Áras
na nGael in Kilburn, London, her
teacher then was Kevin McNamara
and she was taught to keep her feet
to the floor and not 'hop around.
Then we both danced for many
years under the expert eye of Geoff
Holland at the London Irish Centre.
At these classes Marion and I met
12 RtCT2015
In recent years as Marion got a little
slower on her feet she decided she
would give the West Kerry Polka Set
a miss, but she never lost her love
for the music and the dancing.
As Marion and I got a little better
at set dancing we began to travel
to workshops in the UK and
Ireland—Exeter, Achill, Dingle,
Tubbercurry, Ballyvourney. Marion
loved these long weekends
On reflection, Marion was part of
the Irish music scene since she was
a child as her father Eugene Gannon
co-owned two Irish dance halls in
London, the Blarney in Tottenham
Court Road and the Bamba Club
in Kilburn, and she often quoted
that well known phrase, "One more
couple please," as the mc on the
stage tried to get a set started.
"Our house in Dartmouth
Road, Kilburn, became
a well-known haunt for
music and set dancing"
dancing and meeting friends
such as Brian and Mary Saunders,
Timmy McCarthy and Rhona,
Padraig O Sé and Michelle, Geoff
Holland and Noreen, etc.
Our house in Dartmouth Road,
Kilburn, became a well-known
haunt for music and set dancing
with Marion making all the
difference as a welcoming and lively
host. This was especially true during
the years of the Return to Camden
Town Festival when the craic in
the house was mighty after the
concerts were over. Marion worked
for many years at the London Irish
Centre both as a volunteer and
then an employee, and it was
during this time that she began
helping at the Return to Camden
Town Festival under the direction
of Karen Ryan. Marion was one
of the founding members of the
organising committee and in those
early days (well over ten years ago
now) she handled arrangements
from travel, hotel bookings, and
tickets, to workshop rooms for the
musicians and set dancing teachers.
During our travels we met the
legendary Connie Ryan and Betty
McCoy at various workshops,
and following on from Connie's
funeral in Tipperary in 1997, Marion
told me she thought he had a
wonderful send-off, especially
when friends danced a set outside
the church before the coffin
was taken to the cemetery.
Well, we also gave Marion a fitting
send-off when Father O'Connor
allowed Marion's friends to dance
a figure of the West Kerry Set on
the altar at the end of the service.
During the service traditional music
was played by Marion's friends
Padraig O Sé, Mick O'Connor and
Karen Ryan. Marion was laid to
rest in Hendon Cemetery close to
her mother and father. A special
thanks to all those who attended
the funeral from far and wide,
visited, called, sent cards, flowers
and various kind texts and emails.
All who knew Marion well knew
her as a kind and fun-loving
person and we all have great
memories we can bring to mind.
May she rest in peace. God Bless.
T
he London Irish music
scene has always had its
share of the finest musical
characters and custodians – people
such as MacNabola, John Herlihy
the whistler, Paddy Hunt, Curly
Sullivan, to name but a few.
Sadly, London lost one of its
most highly respected musicians
this year, the late Jimmy Philbin.
Originally from Cornamona,
Co Galway and a native Irish
speaker, Jimmy was equally
passionate about the language,
Gaelic games and the music.
He came to London as a young
man in the late 1960s, when Irish
music in London was at its peak.
There were pockets of music all
over - east, west, north and south,
London had an abundance of
Irish music of great quality and
Jimmy embraced every bit of it.
His knowledge and love for
his music endeared him to all.
Although self-taught Jimmy
connected with his own music
more powerfully than many; his
taste, depth and choice of material
captivated anyone lucky enough
to have shared his company. Jimmy
could find beauty in a tune that
many had overlooked. He often
had to be coaxed to play, but at
the right moment, usually at the
very end of an evening when the
blinds had been pulled down and
most of the crowd had dispersed,
we lucky ones who remained
would be rewarded as Jimmy
played and discovered new depths
within himself and this was so
often the highlight of the night.
He was a huge and constant
supporter of the music and his
respect for it knew no bounds.
Young Australians
from all backgrounds
were discovering Irish
music for the first time
and Jimmy was the
go-to person for their
musical development.
He had a great ability to uncover
gems in the music of fellow
musicians and was always hugely
encouraging to everyone.
Jimmy was also much travelled. He
spent many years in Australia, where
he is also fondly remembered and
his contribution to Irish music and
culture there is immeasurable. He
played and promoted the music
tirelessly, playing at folk festivals
all over the country and on St
Patrick’s Day, 1984, he performed
in the Sydney Opera House.
Young Australians from all
backgrounds were discovering
Irish music for the first time and
Jimmy was the go-to person for
their musical development. He had
a vision to bring out young music
teachers from Ireland to Sydney for
a year to help and encourage the
burgeoning Australian players.
With the help of a few of his friends,
this initiative was put into place
and totally financed by themselves.
This was many years before the
creation of Culture Ireland, the
government body which now
promotes Irish arts worldwide and
is an indication of his foresight and
how far he was ahead of his time.
I was the first musician to take
advantage of this opportunity in
1983. The programme was a huge
success and continues to this day,
albeit now with funding in place.
Many Irish musicians in the
intervening thirty years or so
have benefitted from this unique
opportunity to spend a year
in Australia. The effects of the
success of the programme can
be clearly seen in the thriving
Irish music scene which now
exists not only in Sydney but
throughout Australia. Jimmy’s
legend truly lives on down under.
Throughout his life, his love of
music was insatiable and he was
even known to pay off a pub
band so that the tune could take
place. I remember well one night
in The Spotted Dog in Willesden,
Jimmy getting philosophical
and questioning the after-life –
“Heaven couldn't be any better
than this is Johnny, a cigarette in
one hand, a pint in the other and
Finbarr Dwyer playing the box.”
Let's hope it is, for one thing is
for sure - the Irish music world
is a richer place for having
had Jimmy as a part of it.
Photo © Christy McNamara: www.christymcnamara.com
I
n late 2015, we lost a great
friend. Marion Savage was
a central figure during the
founding of Return to Camden
Town Festival in 1999 and was our
main administrator throughout
our first decade. Her efficiency,
good humour and enthusiasm
were invaluable and it was a real
blow to the Festival Organising
Group when she decided her time
working for us had come to an end.
By John Carty
a fabulous group of people and
formed lasting friendships, which
was evident at the huge turnout
at her funeral in Sacred Heart
Church, Quex Road, Kilburn.
www.returntocamden.org 13
TRIBUTE
BERT GRIFFIN
By Conor Griffin (intro by Karen Ryan)
The Return To Camden
Town Festival was
always a special event
in Dad’s calendar, with
the Stags Head playing
host to a number of gigs
during the Festival.
indeed from all around the world,
to come to his pub and listen to
some of the finest music around.
I
t was about this time last year
that I was doing the regular
RtCT Festival leaflet drop to
bars, restaurants, music venues and
more in the Camden Town area. As
I walked along Chalk Farm Road,
I took a nostalgic glance down
Hawley Road at the building which
used to house the legendary pub,
The Stag’s Head. Aside from being
one of the main traditional Irish
music venues year round, the pub
hosted many epic late nights and
early mornings of music and fun
during the early years of Return
to Camden Town Festival – all
made possible by the unfailingly
wonderful hospitality of generous
landlord and proud Kerryman,
Bert Griffin. Before Bert moved
back to Kerry, I would always look
forward to popping in to him on
my afternoon leaflet runs for a
cuppa and a chat – always hugely
supportive of our work with the
Festival and always great company.
Only a matter of hours after taking
that nostalgic glance down the
road on last year’s leaflet run, I was
deeply saddened to learn of Bert’s
passing earlier that day. We are very
grateful to Bert’s son, Conor Griffin
for writing the following tribute to
14 RtCT2016
his Dad for the Festival magazine.
When Dad took over the Stags
Head in Camden Town in 1985,
his first night in the bar turned
into an all night trad session. This
set a precedent that would be
repeated many, many times during
his 19 years in Camden Town!
Thanks to his passion for the culture
of our shared music history, the
pub, over the years, played host
to such luminaries in the trad
music world as Altan, Nomos,
Four Men and a Dog, The Pogues,
Paddy Gallagher, Brian Kelly, Ron
Kavana, Miriam Van Den Bosch,
The London Lasses, The Slip Jigolos
and many, many more! Anyone
who was there and saw Beyond
The Pale (who, thanks to Dad, we
were lucky to have playing as our
Sunday night residents for over
15 years) in full flow will testify to
witnessing the roof being blown
off the place during their standard
finale, the Jenny Chickens set.
It was during this time, pre-Good
Friday agreement, that there was
still a certain hostility to the Irish
in London. But Dad cared nothing
for that, instead welcoming people
from all of the 32 counties, and
At Dad’s recent memorial night,
the legendary Billy Steven told me
that one of the greatest nights of
his life was back in the early 1970’s
in Dad’s pub at the time, the Black
Lion in Kilburn, when he got a
thumbs up from the great Luke
Kelly at 9am on a Monday morning
during a session (that had carried
on from the Sunday night) after
singing ‘The Town I Loved So Well’.
The Return To Camden Town
Festival was always a special event
in Dad’s calendar, with the Stags
Head playing host to a number
of gigs during the Festival. He
remarked to me many times of his
admiration for people such as Karen
Ryan and Brendan Mulkere, who
work tirelessly to keep the culture of
Trad sessions going, so that the next
generation of London Irish people
could learn about the importance
of our shared history of music.
When Dad passed away last
October, the Traditional Irish
music scene lost one of its
greatest advocates. The motto of
the Stags Head was ‘Ceol, Gaire
agus Craic’, which means Music,
Laughter and Fun. Three things
that summed him up to a tee.
RIP, Dad. Greatly missed,
but never forgotten.
RETURN TO CAMDEN TOWN
PROGRAMME LISTINGS
www.returntocamden.org 15
LISTINGS
TUESDAY 25TH OCTOBER
WEDNESDAY 26TH OCTOBER
Please note that all advertised times are door opening times. The performance at The Green Note will
start at 8.30pm. Performances at all other concert venues will start 30 minutes after doors open.
• PROJECT WEST
• THE LONDON LASSES AND CHRIS O’MALLEY
OPENING CONCERT
• BRYAN ROONEY
• MICK MULVEY
EVENING CONCERT
7.30pm • Clayton Crown Hotel • £15/£6 U18s
Gray, Bono and the Rolling Stones.
As a band, they have recorded
with many well-known artists,
including Ronnie Wood and their
fans include Sting, who books them
to perform at his private parties.
7.30pm • The Green Note • £10 in advance (booking strongly advised – a compact venue)
Tickets from: www.wegottickets.com/greennote/event/363893
Our opening concert this year has a distinct Leitrim flavour.
PROJECT WEST
BRYAN ROONEY
The great Leitrim fiddle player,
Bryan Rooney, was named
Musician of the Year in the 2012
TG4 Gradam Ceoil awards.
He has lived in London since the
late 1960s and is recognised as
one of the master fiddlers of his
generation. His now classic album,
The Godfather, was released in
1999 and was followed in 2002
by Leitrim to London. After a gap
of almost a decade, Bryan’s most
recent recording, At Complete
Ease, an album of duets with the
great John Carty, was released
in 2011. The album, which has
become a classic, features John’s
son, James and Bryan’s brother
Mickey, together with Alec Finn,
Brian McGrath and Arty McGlynn.
MICK MULVEY
Flute player Mick Mulvey was
raised in London, but his roots are
unmistakably in Connacht. His main
musical influences are from Leitrim,
where his father was born and
he has studied and absorbed the
playing of many great masters of
the flute, including Seamus Tansey,
Matt Molloy, John Daly, John
McKenna and his tutor, the late
Roger Sherlock. Mick is particularly
admired for his playing of reels and
for the rich tone he coaxes from
his instrument. He has released
two solo albums to date – Within
a Mile O' Jamestown and Bridging
the Gap and was a member of
the Moylurg Céilí Band, which
won the All Ireland title in 2013.
Bryan and Mick will be
accompanied tonight by Pete
Quinn on piano. From Liverpool,
Pete's performing experience
extends from John Cage at the
Barbican through jazz fusion at
Ronnie Scott’s to traditional Irish
music at the BBC Proms. Formerly
with The London Lasses, he has
recorded and played with some
of the greats of traditional Irish
music and has recently recorded
a debut album with his new
four piece band, Artisan Row.
SESSION
9pm • The Lamb
Tavern • Free
• Mick O’Connor, Goretti
Anglim, Mick Bailey
Project West comprises seven
sensational young performers
who are steeped in Irish traditional
music, song and dance. They have
performed for the Presidents of
Ireland, the USA and China, the
Queen of England, Prince Albert
of Monaco, Empress Michiko of
Japan and at Radio City Music
Hall, the Great Hall of the People
in China, the Kremlin State
Palace in Moscow, the US Capitol
Building, Fox Theatre in Detroit
and the Pantages Theatre in LA.
Their debut album was released this
summer. As individuals, they have
performed with Riverdance, David
Project West is:
Damien Mullane – Accordion,
Melodeon and Vocals
Colin Farrell – Fiddle,
Whistles and Vocals
Kieran Munnelly – Flute, Whistles,
Bodhrán, Snare and Vocals
Niamh Farrell – Lead
Vocals, Flute and Whistle
Stephen Markham – Keyboard,
Piano, Percussion and Vocals
Sean O’ Meara – Guitar and Vocals
Siobhán Manson – Dancer
by ARC Music in February 2014.
THE LONDON LASSES
AND CHRIS O’MALLEY
Over the past fifteen years The
London Lasses have taken their
music to some of the world’s most
prestigious festivals and concert
halls, including Cambridge Folk
Festival, the Concertgebouw
(Amsterdam), Glastonbury,
Dublin City Hall, Philadelphia Irish
Festival and the Royal Albert Hall,
where they performed the first
ever BBC Proms céilí as part of
the 2008 season and supported
The Chieftains on their 50th
Anniversary tour. They were
featured on the Ultimate Guide
to Irish Folk double CD, released
This internationally renowned band
delivers a wealth of traditional
material from all over Ireland,
including songs in Irish and English,
plus the full range of Irish dance
tunes, from ancient to newly
composed. The London Lasses
celebrated their tenth anniversary
in 2010 with the release of their
fourth album ‘By Night and By Day’.
In 2015, they released their fifth,
The One I Loved the Best, with Leeds
pianist and guitarist, Chris O’Malley.
“One of the best bands on the
scene today.” Irish Music Magazine
SESSION
8.30pm • The Railway Tavern • Free • Adam Mace, Tad Sargent, Loïc Bléjean
16 RtCT2016
www.returntocamden.org 17
LISTINGS
THURSDAY 27TH OCTOBER
ALBUM LAUNCH NIGHT
Please note that all advertised times are door opening times. Performances will start 30 minutes after doors open.
•LOÏC BLÉJEAN AND TAD SARGENT
•THOMAS MCCARTHY
•TERENCE O’FLAHERTY
•MICHAEL SHEEHY
7.30pm • Fiddlers Elbow • Free
This year, we are devoting an entire evening to our ever-popular album launches,
which feature releases from some of the finest Irish musicians and performers.
THOMAS
MCCARTHY
LOÏC BLÉJEAN AND
TAD SARGENT
Loïc Bléjean, from Brittany, plays
uilleann pipes and low whistle.
Deeply rooted in Irish traditional
music, he is a versatile performer
who has taken part in a great
variety of projects. He is currently
working with jazz musicians Gildas
and JB Boclé, in the exciting Keltic
Tales Quartet and touring and
recording with composer Hervé
Lesvenen’s orchestral ensemble,
Ars'Ys. He has collaborated with
Tad Sargent – bouzouki-guitar,
bodhrán and vocals - a member
of the exciting London band,
CrossHarbour, on his latest CD.
Thomas McCarthy,
from Birr in County
Offaly, is from
an Irish Traveller
family, famed as traditional singers
and musicians and custodians of
traditional Irish music. His unique
singing style, story-telling and
warm and engaging personality
combine to make his performances
a delight. His latest album, Herself
and Myself, is dedicated to the
memory of his late mother,
Mary, a fine traditional singer.
TERENCE
O’FLAHERTY
Terence O’Flaherty,
from Ennistymon,
Co. Clare, is from a
family of singers.
He learned his earliest songs from
local musicians and travelling
storytellers and singers. In the early
1970s, he emigrated to London
and joined the thriving Irish music
scene in the capital as part of the
popular band Crusheen, with Kevin
Shanahan, Chris Hayes and Joe
Searson. He has performed with
musicians from many different
backgrounds, including classical,
jazz and funk and has performed
widely in the UK, Europe and the
USA. His debut album, Crosscurrents,
has been very well reviewed.
MICHAEL
SHEEHY
Michael
Sheehy, from a
West Limerick
family, was
born in Manchester and now lives
in Suffolk. Michael plays in the
Sliabh Luachra style, which he
learned from his father, Mick. He
launches his debut CD tonight.
SESSIONS
7.30pm • The Queens • Free • Adam Mace, Liam O'Barr, Ben Gunnery
8.30pm • Canonbury Tavern • Free • Brian Kelly, Chris O'Malley
18 RtCT2016
www.returntocamden.org 19
LISTINGS
FULL EVENT PROGRAMME
ALL MUSIC AND SONG EVENTS FOR UNDER 18s: £6
All children free at dance events when accompanied by a paying adult
Festival tickets available from: www.returntocamden.org
SPECIAL OFFER TICKETS: £40 Sat/ Sun/ Mon Concerts and Céilís Ticket
£30 Sat/ Sun Dancing Workshops and Céilís Ticket
Please arrive at 10.30am for instrumental and singing workshops to allow time for registration
Advertised concert times are doors open time, onstage time is half an hour later.
Album launch on stage times are approximately the same as door open times.
KEY: London Irish Centre
• Mac: McNamara Hall • Pres: Presidential Suite • Hub: Bar/Chapel is upstairs • Ken: Kennedy Hall is on the
ground floor on the other side of the building from the main entrance – please access via Murray Mews
TUESDAY 25 OCTOBER 2016
7.30pm
Evening Concert
Bryan Rooney/ Mick Mulvey – both
accompanied by Pete Quinn
9pm
Session
Mick O’Connor, Goretti Anglim, Mick Bailey
WEDNESDAY 26 OCTOBER 2016
7.30pm
Evening Concert
Project West/ The London
Lasses and Chris O’Malley
8.30pm
Session
Adam Mace, Tad Sargent, Loïc Bléjean
THURSDAY 27 OCTOBER 2016
7.30pm
Album Launch Night Loïc Bléjean and Tad Sargent/ Thomas
McCarthy/ Terence O’Flaherty/ Michael Sheehy
7.30pm
Session
Adam Mace, Liam O'Barr, Ben Gunnery
8.30pm
Session
Brian Kelly, Chris O’Malley
FRIDAY 28 OCTOBER 2016
8pm
Evening Concert
Mórga/ John Bowe, Mick
O’Connor and Pete Quinn
8pm
Evening Concert
Jimmy Crowley/ The night will also feature
music from Sheena Vallely (flute), Maggie Casey
(whistle, fiddle) and Johnny B (mandola)
8.30pm
Session
Gary Connolly, James Carty
(flute), James Carty (fiddle)
12am
Festival Club
Session musicians welcome
SATURDAY 29 OCTOBER 2016
Steps for Sets
10am–
12pm
Dancing Workshop
11am-1pm Concertina
Workshop
11am-1pm Accordion
Workshop
11am-1pm Fiddle Workshop
The Lamb Tavern
Free
Clayton Crown Hotel
The Railway Tavern
£15 / £6
under 18s
Free
Fiddler’s Elbow
Free
The Queens
The Canonbury Tavern
Free
Free
Kings Place
The Auld Triangle
£15.50/£9.50£13.50 savers
£10, concs.
£8 (members
£8, concs £6)
Free
The Cobden
Free
Musical Traditions Club
– King and Queen
London Irish Centre (Mac) £8
Mary MacNamara
London Irish Centre
Mick Mulcahy
Bríd Harper
John Rynne
1pm
2-4pm
Henry Benagh, Mick Mulvey, Noel O'Grady
Jimmy Crowley
20 RtCT2016
£10 adv.
Mairéad Casey
11am-1pm Flute Workshop
Session
Singing Workshop
Green Note
£10/ £6
under 18s
London Irish Centre
£10/ £6
under 18s
London Irish Centre
£10/ £6
under 18s
London Irish Centre
£10/ £6
under 18s
London Irish Centre (Hub) Free
London Irish Centre
£10/ £6
under 18s
2pm
Afternoon Concert
4pm
4pm
Session
Session
5pm
5pm
Session
Singing Session
5pm
Album Launch
7.30pm
Evening Concert
8pm
Session
8pm
Evening Céilí
12am
Festival Club
SUNDAY 30 OCTOBER 2016
10am –
Sean Nós Dancing
12pm
Workshop
11am-1pm Banjo Workshop
Bríd Harper and Darren Breslin/ Mulcahy Family London Irish Centre (Pres) £10/ £6
under 18s
Maureen Hankins, Sinéad Munroe, Reg Hall
London Irish Centre (Hub) Free
Kevin O’Connor, Sharon Whelton,
The Cobden
Free
Elaine Finn Davies
Noreen Cullen, Adrian Burns, Brian Kelly
The Golden Lion
Free
Hosted by Pat Connolly and Jimmy Crowley
London Irish
Free
Centre (Chapel)
Marcus Hernon and Noel O’Grady/ Mary
London Irish Centre (Ken) Free
MacNamara and Sorcha Costello
Caladh Nua/ CrossHarbour/
London Irish Centre (Mac) £15/ £6
London Irish Pensioners Choir
under 18s
Marcus Philbin, Marcus Hernon, Noel Whelton London Irish Centre (Hub) Free
Tulla Céilí Band
Cecil Sharp House
£12
Session musicians welcome
The Cobden
Free
Mairéad Casey
John Carty
11am-1pm Harp Workshop
Michelle Mulcahy
11am-1pm Uilleann Pipes
Workshop
11am-1pm Whistle Workshop
Louise Mulcahy
1pm
1-4pm
Conor Whelton Teresa Connolly, Alan O'Leary
Tulla Céilí Band
Caomhín O Fearghail
London Irish Centre (Mac) £8/ £6
under 18s
London Irish Centre
£10/ £6
under 18s
London Irish Centre
£10/ £6
under 18s
London Irish Centre
£10/ £6
under 18s
London Irish Centre
£10/ £6
under 18s
London Irish Centre (Hub) Free
London Irish Centre (Mac) £12
2pm
Session
Matinée Set
Dancing Céilí
Afternoon Concert
3pm
4pm
5pm
5pm
5pm
Session
Session
Session
Session
Singing Session
Bobby and Lynda Gardiner/ Mary
MacNamara and Sorcha Costello/ Tom
O’Connell and Peter McAlinden
Liam O'Barr, Ben Gunnery
Colin Mulllin, Eoin Toher, Liam Nolan
Mick O'Connor, Eugene Teevan, Mick Bailey
Eimear McGeown, Nigel Stevens
Hosted by Pat Connolly and Terence O’Flaherty
5pm
7.30pm
7.30pm
7.30pm
Album Launch
Session
Session
Evening Concert
Mulcahy Family/ Bríd Harper
Paddi Benson, Jack Boyle, Enda McGonigle
Tracey Muir, Paul Draper, Liam O'Barr
Good Mixer Band/ Le Chéile
8pm
Session
Eimear McGeown, Bryony
The Harrison
Lemon, Nigel Stevens
Mick O'Connor, Eugene Teevan, Kieran Bradley Sir Colin Campbell
Session musicians welcome
The Cobden
8.30pm
Session
12am
Festival Club
MONDAY 31 OCTOBER 2016
2pm
Concert in
Association
with Irish Elderly
Advice Network
Bobby and Lynda Gardiner/ Terence
O’Flaherty/ Comhaltas in Britain
London Irish Centre (Pres) £10/ £6
under 18s
Guinea Grill
London Irish Centre (Hub)
The Crown
Howl at the Moon
London Irish
Centre (Chapel)
London Irish Centre (Ken)
London Irish Centre (Hub)
Hole in the Wall
London Irish Centre (Mac)
Free
Free
Free
Free
Free
Free
Free
Free
£12/ £6
under 18s
Free
Free
Free
London Irish Centre (Mac) £10/ £5 conc.
www.returntocamden.org 21
LISTINGS
FRIDAY 28TH OCTOBER
CONCERT AT MUSICAL TRADITIONS CLUB
Please note that Kings Place advertised times are onstage time, doors will open at 7.30pm this evening.
8pm • The King & Queen, 1 Foley St, W1W 6DL • £10/£8 concessions on the door,
Members – £8/£6 concessions
EVENING CONCERT Sponsored by:
•JIMMY CROWLEY
•MÓRGA
•JOHN BOWE, MICK O’CONNOR AND PETE QUINN
Information at: www.mustradclub.co.uk
A compact venue – advance purchase advised. For advance tickets visit: www.wegottickets.com/event/375306
8pm • Kings Place • £15/£9.50, £13.50 savers
Tickets from: www.kingsplace.co.uk
guitar. His second album, The
Contradiction, with Kevin Taylor
on piano, was released in 2004.
MICK O'CONNOR
John Bowe and Mick O’Connor
MÓRGA
Mórga – David Munnelly
(accordion), Danny Diamond
(fiddle), Jonas Fromseier (banjo/
bouzouki) and Domenic Keogh
(bodhrán) – was formed in 2008
by four friends and colleagues
who played together on the rich
Galway music scene, to “bring
together the wild energy of the
Irish-American dance bands of
the roaring 20s, the sound of
the Irish traditional music revival
of the 70s and the excitement
of the best pub sessions”.
They have toured extensively
throughout Ireland and Europe and
have appeared on Irish television
and radio. Their first album, Mórga
(Irish for majestic), was released in
2009. It was followed in early 2014
by For the Sake of Auld Decency, “a
raucous celebration of the band
members’ musical roots and
influences”. Mórga performances
always feature an engaging blend
of humour, passion and sheer
virtuosity. Not to be missed.
22 RtCT2016
JOHN BOWE
Accordion maestro John Bowe
was born in Birr, Co Offaly. Greatly
influenced by the legendary
Paddy O’Brien, from neighbouring
Tipperary, John was accordionist
in North London’s great Thatch
Céilí Band. He recorded his
first solo album, Ceoil Álainn,
in 1977, with Mary Conroy on
London’s own Mick O’Connor, All
Ireland winner on the tenor banjo
in 1971, has been playing since 1967
and is a veteran of the great days of
the London Irish music scene of the
1960s, 70s and 80s. In 2013, he was
honoured by Comhaltas Ceoltóirí
Éireann, which bestowed its Bardic
Award on him for his “exceptional
contribution to the promotion
of Ireland’s cultural traditions”.
JIMMY CROWLEY
Cork’s Jimmy Crowley has been
a central figure on the Irish music
scene since the release of his debut
album The Boys of Fairhill in 1977. His
band, Stokers Lodge, performs the
street ballads of Cork City, together
with songs from rural Cork and
Kerry, with an exciting orchestration
of uilleann pipes, concertina,
autoharp, harmonium, mandolin,
bouzouki and guitar. A singer,
songwriter and song collector,
multi-instrumentalist, academic
and novelist, he is widely admired.
Hailed by Mary Black as “a unique
interpreter of songs, both traditional
and contemporary, with a special
gift for communicating with his
audience” and by the late Ronnie
Drew as “a great singer”, Jimmy is
a living legend of Irish music. His
performances weave traditional
and his own songs, stories
about Cork characters, maritime
exploits and wry observances of
daily life together with a singing
style that is truly unique.
FESTIVAL CLUB
AT THE COBDEN
› 12am until late
• Session musicians welcome
• Free
For information about Pete Quinn,
please see Tuesday 25th October.
SESSION
8.30pm • The Auld Triangle • Free • Gary Connolly,
James Carty (flute), James Carty (fiddle)
ALL THE BEST TO THE
RETURN TO CAMDEN TOWN
FESTIVAL 2016
HARINGEY IRISH CULTURAL
AND COMMUNITY CENTRE
Pretoria Rd, Tottenham, N17 8DX
Tel: 020 8885 3490
Fax: 020 8801 4839
Email: [email protected]
www.returntocamden.org 23
LISTINGS
IMM
A5 ADVERT 2010
22/09/2014
12:27
Page 1
THE DEFINITIVE VOICE OF IRISH MUSIC WORLDWIDE
SATURDAY 29TH OCTOBER
WORKSHOPS, SESSIONS AND
AFTERNOON CONCERT
Please note that instrumental workshops are aimed at intermediate to advanced level players. Beginners may
purchase tickets to attend as observers. Please arrive 30 minutes before start time to allow for registration.
OUR WORKSHOP LEADERS
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Many of those who are leading and teaching our workshops are performing at this year’s Festival. Information about
them can be found under entries for their performances. Those who are not featured elsewhere in this magazine are:
MAIRÉAD CASEY
Mairéad is from Newtowncashel,
in South West Longford. Her father,
James, played the fiddle and the
family home was a meeting place
for musicians, dancers and singers.
Mairéad learned from Kitty Carberry
and Mick Mulkerrin and has won
many awards. She teaches set and
sean-nós dancing throughout,
Ireland, Europe and the USA.
JOHN RYNNE
John is a flute player from Ennis in
County Clare, now living in London.
A founder of the Ennis Trad Festival
he ran the hugely popular event for
the best part of two decades. His
past performances have included
the 'Riches of Clare' series, teaching
and playing in Japan and more. His
playing is featured on the Wooden
Flute Obsession 3 compilation album.
WORKSHOPS
STEPS FOR SETS DANCING WORKSHOP WITH MAIRÉAD CASEY
10.00am–12pm • London Irish Centre • £8/£6 under 18s
CONCERTINA WORKSHOP WITH MARY MACNAMARA
11am–1pm • London Irish Centre • £10/£6 under 18s
FIDDLE WORKSHOP WITH BRÍD HARPER
11am–1pm • London Irish Centre • £10/£6 under 18s
FLUTE WORKSHOP WITH JOHN RYNNE
11am–1pm • London Irish Centre • £10/£6 under 18s
ACCORDION WORKSHOP WITH MICK MULCAHY
11am–1pm • London Irish Centre • £10/£6 under 18s
SINGING WORKSHOP WITH JIMMY CROWLEY
2–4pm • London Irish Centre • £10/£6 under 18s
SESSIONS
County / Zip Code...................................Country:..................................................................
1pm • London Irish Centre • Free • Henry Benagh, Mick Mulvey, Noel O'Grady
Email Address:.........................................................................................................................
4pm • London Irish Centre • Free • Maureen Hankins, Sinéad Munroe, Reg Hall
Name:.....................................................................................................................................
4pm • The Cobden • Free • Kevin O’Connor, Sharon Whelton, Elaine Finn Davies
Signature........................................................... Date:............................................
Return this form to: Irish Music Magazine Subscription Offer, 26 Clare Street, Dublin 2, Ireland.
Tel: 00 353 1 6622266 Fax 01 662 4981
Email: [email protected] Web: www.irishmusicmagazine.com
5pm • London Irish Centre • Free • Singing session with Pat Connolly and
Jimmy Crowley
5pm • The Golden Lion • Free • Noreen Cullen, Adrian Burns, Brian Kelly
8pm • London Irish Centre • Free • Marcus Philbin, Marcus Hernon, Noel Whelton
24 RtCT2016
www.returntocamden.org 25
LISTINGS
AFTERNOON CONCERT
ALBUM LAUNCH
2.00pm • London Irish Centre • £10/£6 under 18s
5pm • London Irish Centre Kennedy Hall • Free
•BRÍD HARPER AND DARREN BRESLIN
•THE MULCAHY FAMILY
BRÍD HARPER AND
DARREN BRESLIN
From Castlefinn, Co. Donegal and
now living near Dungannon, Co.
Tyrone, Bríd Harper continues a
family tradition of fiddle playing.
She has won numerous All Ireland
titles and other prestigious awards,
including Oireachtas na Gaeilge and
Fiddler of Dooney. A MA graduate
of the Irish World Academy of
Music & Dance at the University
of Limerick, Brid has performed
with many great musicians,
including Dermot Byrne Steve
Cooney, Donogh Hennessy, Danny
O'Mahony, Arty McGlynn, Harry
Bradley, Tony O'Connell and Cyril
O'Donoghue. She is regarded as
one of the leading living exponents
of Irish fiddle playing and is highly
respected as a teacher throughout
Ireland, Europe and the USA.
Darren Breslin, from Lisnaskea
in Co. Fermanagh, began playing
the accordion at the age of 8,
inspired by his grandfather, fiddler
Brian Breslin. He was Senior All
Ireland Champion in 2008 and
is widely regarded as one of the
finest of the younger generation
of accordion players. In August
•MARCUS HERNON AND NOEL O’GRADY
•MARY MACNAMARA AND SORCHA COSTELLO
this year, the NYAH Festival in
Cavan honoured Darren with a
tribute concert, at which he was
presented with a ‘Jig of Life’ award
by the great flute player and RTÉ
Raidió na Gaeltachta Head of
Music, Neansaí Ní Choisdealbha.
Musical families are often the
backbone of Irish music. In earlier
times, when traditional music was
not always as widely regarded as it
is today, they played a vital role in
preserving and handing it down
the generations. One of the most
noteworthy is the Mulcahy Family
of Abbeyfeale, West Limerick,
making a welcome return to the
Festival (they last visited us in 2010).
Mick Mulcahy is one of the
legendary living Irish accordion
players. He won the All-Ireland
senior title in 1972 and released
his first solo album in 1976. In
1990, Gael-Linn released Mick
Mulcahy agus Cairde, which
Mick recorded with London
26 RtCT2016
banjoist Mick O'Connor, his
longtime playing partner.
In more recent years, he and his
daughters, Louise (flute, uilleann
pipes and whistle) and Michelle
(harp, concertina, piano and
fiddle) have performed together
as the Mulcahy Family. In addition
to playing in the family band,
MARCUS HERNON
Connemara flute player and maker
and composer, Marcus Hernon,
winner of seven All-Ireland titles,
Marcus, a world-class flute player,
lived and worked in London for
many years. He and Noel were
members of the band that played
at the famous sessions in the
Good Mixer in Camden Town
during the 1980s and both will be
appearing with the Good Mixer
County Clare concertina player
Mary MacNamara and her daughter,
fiddle player Sorcha Costello,
showcase their delightful album
of duets, The Lady’s Cup of Tea,
which also features the piano
playing of Mary's son, Pádraig (for
further information about Mary,
please see Sunday 30th October)
EVENING CONCERT
•CALADH NUA
•CROSSHARBOUR (brief support by London Irish Pensioners' Choir)
7.30pm • London Irish Centre • £15/£6 under 18S
Louise and Michelle are formidable
musicians in their own right. Michelle
was TG4 Young Traditional Musician
of the Year in 2006. She featured on
Riverdance composer Bill Whelan’s
album, The Connemara Suite, on
a piece for harp and orchestra
which he wrote for her. Her solo
harp album, Suaimhneas, has
received deserved critical acclaim.
MICK MULCAHY
Band at our Sunday night concert.
launches his latest CD, Kindle the
Fire. He will be accompanied by
Noel O’Grady on bouzouki.
Louise is regarded as one of the
finest pipes and flute players of her
generation. She was Live Ireland
female musician of the year 2015 and
is a noted teacher – she is a pipes
tutor at the Willie Clancy Festival in
Milltown Malbay and at Scoil Cheoil
Westport. Her solo flute album,
Tuning the Road, has been extremely
well received since its release in 2014.
CALADH NUA
Caladh Nua is a tightly-knit, vibrant
band of five versatile musicians
and singers playing a variety
of instruments – banjo, fiddle,
guitar, bodhran, tin whistle and
accordion. The band captures the
essential qualities of traditional Irish
music and balances them with an
innovative contemporary flair.
The band is Lisa Butler (vocal,
fiddle), Derek Morrissey (accordion),
Paddy Tutty (fiddle), Brian
Mooney (banjo) and Caoimhín
O Fearghaill (guitar). They have
played for the Irish President
at her residence in Ireland and
have performed across Ireland,
Europe and Canada. The band has
released 3 albums to date – Happy
Days, Next Stop and Honest to
Goodness. For further information,
see: www.caladhnua.com
CROSSHARBOUR
CrossHarbour is a dynamic
young band from London’s
thriving Irish music scene.
Fusing well-loved traditional
tunes and songs with original
compositions and innovative
arrangements, CrossHarbour
has gained a reputation for its
highly virtuosic, energetic and
polished performances.
The band features the remarkable
abilities of winner of no less than 19
All-Ireland titles, flute and whistle
virtuoso and composer Órlaith
McAuliffe, fiddler Sam Proctor,
whose 2008 debut solo album,
Natural Progression, was chosen
by the Irish Times as one of the
traditional albums of the year, multiinstrumentalist Philippe Barnes,
London session musician and
teacher Tad Sargent on bodhrán
and bouzouki and singer Rosie
Hodgson, who was a finalist in
the 2013 BBC Radio 2 Young Folk
Awards. For further information, see:
www.crossharbourmusic.com
www.returntocamden.org 27
LISTINGS
SATURDAY 29TH OCTOBER
GRAND CÉILÍ IN MEMORY OF
Sponsored by:
MARION SAVAGE
•THE TULLA CÉILÍ BAND
8pm • Cecil Sharp House • £12
(under 18s free at dance events, but must be accompanied by a paying adult)
THE TULLA CÉILÍ BAND
The latest incarnation of the
legendary Tulla Céilí Band features
Mark Donnellan (fiddle), Martin
Glynn (flute), Jennifer Lenihan
(flute), Brian Donnellan (concertina),
Charlie Harris (accordion), Michael
McKee (accordion), Benny O'Connor
(drums) and Jim Corry (piano).
For further information, please
see our article about the history
of the band on pages 10–11.
FESTIVAL CLUB AT THE COBDEN
› 12am until late • Session musicians welcome • Free
andybanjo ltd.
UK's largest specialist banjo dealerTel: 01795 590374 Email: [email protected]
Producing & selling good quality banjos at
competitive prices for beginners through to
experienced players
Website: www.andybanjo.com
The Banjo Works
Unit 18 Faversham Industrial Estate
Graveney Road, Faversham, Kent ME13 8UJ
Grand Finale at Irish Hooley in Islington,
Islington Assembly Hall, 28th June 2016
Photo courtesy: Geoff Holland
28 RtCT2016
www.returntocamden.org 29
LISTINGS
SUNDAY 30TH OCTOBER
WORKSHOPS, SESSIONS, AFTERNOON
CONCERT, MATINÉE SET DANCING
CÉILÍ AND ALBUM LAUNCHES
Please note that instrumental workshops are aimed at intermediate to advanced level players. Beginners may
purchase tickets to attend as observers. Please arrive 30 minutes before start time to allow for registration.
WORKSHOPS
SEAN NÓS DANCING WITH MAIRÉAD CASEY
10am–12pm • London Irish Centre • £8/£6 under 18s
WHISTLE WORKSHOP WITH CAOIMHÍN O FEARGHAIL
11am–1pm • London Irish Centre • £10/£6 under 18s
HARP WORKSHOP WITH MICHELLE MULCAHY
11am–1pm • London Irish Centre • £10/£6 under 18s
MATINÉE SET DANCING CÉILÍ IN
MEMORY OF MARION SAVAGE
•THE TULLA CÉILÍ BAND
Sponsored by:
1–4pm • London Irish Centre • £12
(under 18s free at dance events, but must be accompanied by a paying adult)
AFTERNOON CONCERT
•BOBBY AND LYNDA GARDINER
•MARY MACNAMARA AND SORCHA COSTELLO
•TOM O’CONNELL AND PETER MCALINDEN
2pm • London Irish Centre • £10/£6 under 18s
McGlynn and Andy McGann.
His solo album, Memories of
Clare, was one of the first by an
Irish button accordion player.
UILLEANN PIPES WORKSHOP WITH LOUISE MULCAHY
11am–1pm • London Irish Centre • £10/£6 under 18s
BANJO WORKSHOP WITH JOHN CARTY
11am–1pm • London Irish Centre • £10/£6 under 18s
SESSIONS
1pm • London Irish Centre • Free • Conor Whelton Teresa Connolly, Alan O'Leary
3pm • Guinea Grill • Free • Liam O'Barr, Ben Gunnery
4pm • London Irish Centre • Free • Colin Mulllin, Eoin Toher, Liam Nolan
5pm • London Irish Centre • Free • Singing session with Pat Connolly and
Terence O'Flaherty
5pm • Howl at the Moon • Free • Eimear McGeown, Nigel Stevens
5pm • The Crown • Free • Mick O'Connor, Eugene Teevan, Mick Bailey
7.30pm • London Irish Centre • Free • Paddi Benson, Jack Boyle, Enda McGonigle
7.30pm • Hole in the Wall • Free • Tracey Muir, Paul Draper, Liam O'Barr
8pm • The Harrison • Free • Eimear McGeown, Bryony Lemon, Nigel Stevens
8.30pm • Sir Collin Campbell • Free • Mick O'Connor, Eugene Teevan, Kieran Bradley
FESTIVAL CLUB AT THE COBDEN
› 12am until late • Session musicians welcome • Free
30 RtCT2016
and
BOBBY AND LYNDA
GARDINER
We are delighted to welcome two
members of another of Ireland’s
famous musical families, the
Gardiners of Tipperary. Bobby
Gardiner, from Aughdarra, Co.
Clare, began playing accordion at
the age of 8. By the age of 15, he
was sufficiently accomplished to
be invited to join the prestigious
Tulla Céilí Band. Three years later,
he joined Malachy Sweeney's Céilí
Band from Armagh and traveled
throughout Ireland with them.
He emigrated to the USA in 1960,
where he played and recorded with
many famous émigré musicians,
including Paddy Killoran, Joe
Cooley and Ed Reavey, Sean
Bobby has released a number of
classic albums, most notably, The
Master's Choice and The Clare Shout.
He teaches throughout Tipperary,
Waterford and Limerick and has
been a tutor at University College,
Cork, for 25 years. In 2015, Bobby
was honoured by Gaelic television
company TG4, which presented him
with its lifetime achievement award.
He and his wife Ann, a singer
and pianist from Tipperary,
settled in Ballyporeen, South
Tipperary. Their three daughters,
Kelley, Fiodhna and Lynda, are all
accomplished musicians. Bobby
appears today with Lynda, a
concertina player of note and
previous All Ireland title winner.
MARY MACNAMARA
AND SORCHA
COSTELLO
From Clondanagh, between Tulla
and Feakle, Co. Clare, concertina
player Mary MacNamara learned
from some of the masters of Irish
music in the region, including John
Naughton, Martin Rochford, Paddy
Joe Hayes, Francie Donnellan,
Joe Bane and Bill Malley.
She has performed throughout
Europe and the USA and is
one of the most sought after
teachers of Irish music.
Her daughter, Sorcha Costello, is
one of the finest of the younger
generation of fiddle players. This
year, they released a delightful
album of duets, The Lady’s Cup of
Tea, which also features the piano
playing of Mary's son, Pádraig.
www.returntocamden.org 31
LISTINGS
TOM O’CONNELL
Tom O’Connell, from Athea, West
Limerick, began playing the
accordion at the age of 12. He
learned his first tunes by listening
to his brother, who was learning
the melodeon, and practicing on
the instrument whilst his brother
was out of the house. His father,
a step dancer, heard him playing
one day and encouraged him to
continue and he learned from his
uncle, Moss, a melodeon player
from Kerry, from a local concertina
and fiddle player, Ellie Dalton
and from fiddle player, Patrick
Ahearne, who lived a 20 mile
bicycle ride away, on the other
side of the local mountain…
Tom first heard the accordion
through radio broadcasts in the
1950s and gramophone records,
in particular of the Tulla Céilí band,
featuring the accordion playing
of George Ross, from Wexford
and the great Paddy O’Brien,
who Tom acknowledges as the
major influence on his playing. He
attended his first Fleadh Cheoil
in 1962 and met Seamus Collins,
from Abbeyfeale, who he later
visited at home and learned from.
Tom emigrated to London to find
work in 1964 and quickly became
part of the thriving Irish music
scene in the city. He admired and
learned from a number of the
masters of the accordion who
lived in the capital, including
Martin MacMahon, Paddy Malynn,
John Bowe and Raymond
Roland. Tom won the Senior All
Ireland title on the accordion in
1981 and has been a stalwart
of traditional music sessions in
London for almost 50 years.
PETER MCALINDEN
Peter McAlinden was born in
London in the 1960s. His parents
were from Co. Down and Co. Cork
and he learned his music from
Kathleen Murray of Aclare, Co.
Sligo. Through Kathleen, he met
and played with many fine Irish
musicians, including Séamus Tansey,
Cathal McConnell, Bobby Casey,
Raymond Roland and Tommy
McCarthy. He won the Senior All
Ireland title on the tin whistle in
1979. He took a break from music
for many years to pursue a career in
teaching, but has happily returned
to it following his retirement from
full-time work. He released his solo
album, Happy to Meet, Sorry to Part,
at Return to Camden Town in 2010.
ALBUM LAUNCH
•THE MULCAHY FAMILY
•BRÍD HARPER
5pm • London Irish Centre Kennedy Hall • Free
THE MULCAHY FAMILY
The Mulcahy Family released their
first album, The Mulcahy Family,
in 2000, followed by Notes from
the Heart in 2005 and Reelin’ in
Tradition in 2009. They launch
their recently released fourth
32 RtCT2016
album, The Reel Note, together
with Michelle’s and Louise's solo
albums, Suaimhneas and Tuning
the Road, this afternoon (for fuller
information about the Mulcahys,
please see Saturday 29th October).
BRÍD HARPER
Donegal fiddle player, Bríd
Harper, launches her longawaited debut solo CD (for fuller
information about Brid, please
see Saturday 29th October).
www.returntocamden.org 33
LISTINGS
SUNDAY 30TH OCTOBER
EVENING CONCERT IN MEMORY
Sponsored by:
OF JIMMY PHILBIN
•THE GOOD MIXER BAND
•LE CHÉILE
7.30pm • London Irish Centre • £12/£6 under 18s
THE GOOD
MIXER BAND
Our evening concert features
musicians who played together
during the great days of the
London Irish music scene
in the 1970s and 1980s.
The Camden pub, The Good Mixer,
was for many years a focal point
for Irish music in North London.
Throughout the 1980s, many of
the great Irish musicians who
lived in the capital played there
at a classic Saturday night session.
They included piper Tommy
Keane, flute player Michael Hynes,
bouzouki player Noel O'Grady,
fiddler Henry Benagh, fiddle and
banjo maestro John Carty and
flute player Marcus Hernon.
By the end of the decade, many
musicians had decided to return
to Ireland and the session, as do
all good things, came to an end.
In 1989, Noel, Henry, Marcus and
John gathered at John’s home
traditional Irish music in London,
when musicians played to packed
houses and sparked the revival
which went on to spread back
home and around the globe.
LE CHÉILE
Le Chéile was formed in the
early 1970s by musicians who
played regularly in the famous
sessions at The White Hart, on
Fulham Broadway. The 1960s
and ‘70s were golden years for
Le Chéile was the cult Irish band
of 1970s London. Their classic
album, Lord Mayo, was reissued
on CD in 2006. To coincide with
that release, the surviving original
band members – master fiddler
Danny Meehan, Liam Farrell (banjo),
John Roe (piano) and Kevin Boyle
(guitar) – reformed alongside new
studio and made a recording,
which was originally intended
to be a memento. The recording
had lain more or less forgotten
since that time, until John revisited
it recently and was surprised
at how fresh it sounded.
The decision was made to
master and release it and Noel,
Henry, Marcus and John have
reunited to perform at occasional
concerts. The music still has the
magic from the days when they
got together on one night the
week to play for the love of it.
recruits, flautist Paul Gallagher
and accordionist Andy Martyn.
Now they’re back, adding
powerful momentum to the
revivalist movement within Irish
music today with their exciting
big band mix of back to basics
traditional music from Donegal
and Galway. Their third album, Out
of the West, was released in 2010.
FESTIVAL CLUB AT THE COBDEN
› 12am until late • Session musicians welcome • Free
34 RtCT2016
www.returntocamden.org 35
LISTINGS
MONDAY 31ST OCTOBER
AFTERNOON CONCERT
In association with Irish Elderly Advice Network
•BOBBY AND LYNDA GARDINER
•TERENCE O’FLAHERTY
•COMHALTAS IN BRITAIN
2pm • London Irish Centre • £10/£5 concessions
Please see Sunday 30th
October for information about
Bobby and Lynda Gardiner.
Please see Thursday 27th
October for information
about Terence O’Flaherty.
COMHALTAS
Featuring many of the finest
Comhaltas musicians based in
London, the performers come
from across the generations
and include winners of several
All-Ireland titles. Following the
success of its nationwide tour in
2015, Comhaltas UK is on the road
again. For further information
about the work of Comhaltas,
please contact its development
worker for London, John Devine –
[email protected]
The Official Return to Camden Town 2016
FESTIVAL CLUB at
THE COBDEN
Festival session at 4pm on Saturday 29 October
Open late during the Festival on Fri 28, Sat 29 and
Sun 30 October... Session musicians welcome... food available.
Come and join us after the concerts.
28-30 CAMDEN HIGH ST, LONDON NW1 0JH
Lunch menu daily 12–3pm
36 RtCT2016
www.returntocamden.org 37
LISTINGS
Meitheal Cheoil at Irish Hooley in Islington,
Islington Assembly Hall, 28th June 2016
Photo courtesy: Geoff Holland
Traditional Irish Music classes
from Autumn/Winter 2016
• Instrumental lessons held in Camden/ Holloway/ Wood Green
– North London
• Fiddle, banjo, mandolin, tin whistle, flute, concertina, harp and
uilleann pipes
• Classes for children and classes for adults.
• Beginner classes currently available in most instruments.
• Private lessons also available
Please email: [email protected] for more information
www.karenryan.net
38 RtCT2016
www.returntocamden.org 39
COMMUNITY INTEREST COMPANY NO. 9031004
FOUNDED 2014
www.returntocamden.org
facebook.com/returntocamdentown
@ReturntoCamden
irishmusicdanceinlondon
E: [email protected]
presents the 18th Return to Camden Town Festival and would
like to thank its 2016 partners, funders and sponsors:
DONORS: Peggy and Niall Henry, Crispin and Maggie Wright, Muhammad Al Hussaini, Macai
Projects, Kevin Relf, O'Donovan Waste Disposal Ltd, Elma McElligott and Comhaltas in Britain.