Folk Hibernia - documentary

From Bob MacDiarmid, to Judi Longstreet to Charles Dunlap, to all of ye! It is a documentary on Irish Folk revival. Charles recommends watching this as he found it both interesting and informative. Grab a cup of your favourite tea or coffee, as it takes about 1 hour 30 minutes.

To whet your appetite, here's the blurb below the YouTube video:

A revival of Irish traditional music took place around the turn of the 20th century. After a lull in the 1940s and 1950s, when (except for Céilidh bands) traditional music was at a low ebb, Seán Ó Riada's The Chieftains, The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem, The Irish Rovers, The Dubliners, Ryan's Fancy and Sweeney's Men were in large part responsible for a second wave of revitalization of Irish folk music in the 1960s. They were followed by the likes of Planxty, The Bothy Band and Clannad in the 70s. Later came such bands as Stockton's Wing, De Dannan, Altan, Arcady, Dervish and Patrick Street, along with a wealth of individual performers.

VIDEO LINK to the Irish Folk revival...

Paddy O'Brien Tune Collection of 1000 tunes now available!

Paddy O'Brien recently Tweeted, and Facebooked:

Here it is, the big news: The Paddy O'Brien Tune Collection is now available in digital download form!!! Now you can download just the tunes you want to learn, whole albums, or the whole 1,000 tunes!

A product of County Offaly in the midlands of Ireland, Paddy O’Brien is regarded by serious players and collectors of Irish traditional music as one of the tradition’s most important repositories; in a musical career that spans nearly forty years, he has collected more than 3,000 compositions—jigs, reels, hornpipes, airs, and marches, including many rare and unusual tunes. His mastery of the two-row button accordion was also acknowledged through prestigious awards: he was named Oireachtas champion four times, and All-Ireland senior accordion champion in 1975.

Since 1994, he has received a number of grants and fellowships to undertake an unprecedented project, recording and cataloging 1,000 tunes from his vast repertoire of traditional music; the result of that effort, The Paddy O’Brien Tune Collection: A Personal Treasury of Irish Traditional Music, has received accolades from players of Irish music around the world (*).

The tunes are available for purchase at CD Baby, here.


* text from the bio at CD Baby.

Call out for Heritage Day City Hall, 19 February 2013

A request from Jim Mountain...

Council of Heritage Organizations Heritage Day Celebration Free lunch and and audience of hundreds : Call out to O'Connell Pub Session Players and Friends

Lunch Hour, Tuesday February 19, City Hall, Elgin and Laurier

Audience survey last year indicated that the live music we provided was a true highlight of Heritage Day at City Hall.

So this is a call out to any and all musicians who have an hour and want to provide a session style presentation to some 1000 or so participants in celebrating Ottawa's heritage to bring your instrument along and join in. We are on stage in the centre of it all, and it is a lovely time.

Free lunch provided and refreshments too, sadly I can not convince them yet to supply a keg of guinness or other good stuff.

If interested and available, please let me know.

I am at jim.mountain@ottawa.ca

This is a particular challenge out to fiddlers. Last year - there were none and they still loved us !

Hope to see you there.
-Jim

A Celtic Imbolc Celebration - 10 Feb 2013

Press Release: February 10, 2013, MacKay United Church, A Celtic Imbolc Celebration!

MacKay United Church and the Harmelodic Music Club presents A Celtic Imbolc Celebration: Scottish and Celtic Folk Over The Years on Sunday, February 10th, 2013 at 2:30 p.m. at MacKay United Church, 39 Dufferin Road at MacKay Street, Ottawa. From Robbie Burns' and Yeats' poems put to music, to O'Carolan harp tunes plus a good ole piper and a first class highland dancer - all guaranteed to warm the heart and spirit during the waning days of winter. Join us for Celtic and Gaelic music, original compositions and classics, traditional and modern arrangements - even a world premiere, solo and choral vocal pieces, instrumental piano duets, harp ensembles and celtic guitar. A reception, sponsored by the Scottish and Irish Store, will follow with a traditional ceilidh, with music provided by Mostly Bows. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for seniors and student, and are available in advance from the Ottawa Folklore Centre, Leading Note, MacKay United Church or at the door. For information please visit www.mackayunitedchurch.com or call 613-749-3727.

Ottawa Cape Breton Session Update

Jan 26—Special Event: 6pm- 10:30pm- Robbie Burns Supper and Dance at Glen Cairn United Church in Kanata Google Map . Traditional roast beef dinner prepared by the United Church Women's Group followed by Highland Dancing, Scottish Country Dancing, music/entertainment provided by Ottawa Cape Breton Session. Tickets $20 for adults, $10 for children under 12. Cash bar. Sponsored by Sherry's School of Highland Dance in support of the 2013 trip to Scotland for the highland dancers. For more information, call 613-592-2777 or emailse.sharpe@rogers.com .

FIDDLERS: Please let us know if you can join us for this event. Participating musicians will get the full church supper so you MUST indicate your intention to play by Jan 20 at the latest. There are some new sets of tunes to learn for the dancing, which will be practiced at the next few house sessions.

Jan 27 — 3pm - Atlantic Voices Concert: "Scottish Fling" at Centretown United Church, 507 Bank Street, Ottawa.With Bytown Highland Dancers and the Fumblin' Fingers; A silent auction and refreshments will follow. Tickets $15 in advance/$18 at the door, free for children 12 and under. www.atlanticvoices.ca

Feb 16—Special Event: 2:45-4:15 - In From the Cold - Ottawa Cape Breton Session will provide music for the In From the Cold program at Parkdale United Church. This program provides a warm place for the less fortunate in the Hintonburg area to spend an afternoon and get a hot meal before going back out into the cold. The program also provides some live music for the audience who would not normally have the opportunity to go to concerts or pubs to hear good music, various musical groups in the Ottawa area have volunteered their talents - please come out and join us in this worthwhile endeavor. Bring your instruments and music stands/books, we'll play sets from our regular repertoire. 429 Parkdale Ave. Enter off of Gladstone St. There is a small parking area off of Gladstone, also a large lot on the other side of the church off of Pardale Ave, from there you will need to walk around to the other side of the church to enter. Go down the stairs and left, there will be a large cloakroom/volunteer office where we hang our coats and leave instrument cases. There is an entrance to the stage from there as well.

Upcoming Irish Events at Saint Brigid’s Centre for the Arts

Saint Brigid's Centre for the Arts
Home of the National Irish Canadian Cultural Centre
310 St. Patrick Street,
Ottawa, K1N 5K5
http://www.saintbrigidscentre.ca

Live Irish Music - Breakfast
Sunday 13th January, 2013

Featuring musical entertainment by our very talented and dedicated volunteer musicians from the Irish community.

Breakfast is for all ages, and everyone is welcome!

COST: Adults: $5, Children $3 .
TIME: 10 am – NOON
Pancakes, Ham, Home Fries, Juice, Fruit, Tea/Coffee
Live music, food and good company at an affordable price!
Info: Ann 613-225-1830
Entrance to Kildare Room on Cumberland St.

St. Brigid's Day
Saturday 2nd February, 2013 at 7:30 PM

Celebrate/Join St. Brigid's Day with Diana Beresford-Kroeger and Ellen McIsaac and the Ottawa Celtic Choir.

Diana Beresford-Kroeger, a botanist, medical biochemist and self-defined "renegade scientist," brings to gather ethno botany horticulture, spirituality and alternative medicine to reveal a path towards better stewardship of the natural world. A precise and poetic writer steeped in Gaelic storytelling traditions gathered from her childhood in Ireland.

Ellen McIsaac creator and leader of the Ottawa Celtic Choir established in 2008. Reflects a rich heritage of Celtic music in our community and Canada. The choir sings the music of the Celtic nations and diasporas, both accompanied and acapella, in English and a variety of Celtic languages.

COST: $10 TIME: 7:30 CASH BAR
Entrance to Kildare Room on Cumberland St.

SUNDAY 17th MARCH 2013
ST. PATRICK'S DAY LUNCHEON

Indulge your love of both Irish music and food at our St. Patrick's Day Luncheon with the "Irish ghosts & spirits of the past" and the people of the present.

Saint's and sinner are welcome, bring your family and friends or meet new friends here.

Great food - Live entertainment, music, song and dance!!!!

Limited seating - Advanced tickets only. Tickets: $35:00

TIME: NOON – 3:00 pm
Call 613-244-7373 or 613-222-0710 or 613-225-1830
Entrance to Kildare Room on Cumberland St.

PARKING: Ample street parking and city parking lot on 141 Clarence St (between Dalhousie and Cumberland streets). Two open parking lots on Dalhousie at St Patrick Street.

House Concert and Workshops with Patrick Ourceau, fiddle and Ivan Goff, flute and pipes - 25-27 Jan 2013

Patrick Ourceau, fiddle and Ivan Goff, flute and pipes

Concert on the Saturday at 8:00 p.m.
202 Main Street, Barriefield (near Kingston)

Immersion Weekend: $125 advance registration (till January 15), $150 late registration. Concert: $20 advance (till January 20), $25 at the door

The usual reminder, a house is just a house and only holds so many (about 45, with many seats taken by the workshop musicians) and our house concerts have always sold out - reserve early. Enjoy

Weekend registration includes workshops all day Saturday and a ½ day Sunday, Saturday evening concert and session. Potluck shared food, and Kingston has a range hotels to stay in - we can provide information

Patrick Ourceau is a virtuoso on the fiddle, an avid student of the old masters, and a particular specialist in the style and repertoire of Clare and East Galway.

Ivan Goff, an All-Ireland champion from Dublin, based in New York, Ivan plays uilleann pipes (Irish bellows-blown pipes), whistles and Irish wooden concert flute. A traditional musician with an eclectic background that includes master degrees in both musicology and computer composition, Ivan has performed in several well-known productions including extended engagements with Riverdance (US tour and Broadway), Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance and has featured in film scores such as recently-released Cremaster 3 (Matthew Barney) exhibited in the Guggenheim museum 2003. In addition to performing as a solo artist, Ivan has collaborated as performer and composer in the theatrical productions Peacefire and The Voice of the Sea (Mac Uibh Aille) and has performed with numerous bands and artists including NYC-based Whirligig, Cathie Ryan and Irish traditional band Lúnasa.

From: http://www.srayner.ca/comhaltas/M_SpecialEvents.htm

Local Musician Making Music for Carleton Place Hospital

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Local Musician Making Music for Carleton Place Hospital

Live show and fund raiser – Saturday January 12th

Ottawa, Ontario: January 4th, 2013 – Ottawa-valley musician, Bob Haughian has teamed up with the Carleton Place & District Memorial Hospital Foundation for an evening of fun and music Saturday January 12th benefiting the Carleton Place Hospital.

Singer, songwriter Bob Haughian is gaining recognition in the international (and local!) folk/celtic music world. He defies any easy pigeonhole. By turns, he picks a mountain banjo to accompany a country ballad, sings a witty song about modern relationships, plucks a sweet Irish melody on guitar, swings a hot Maritime rock number, and then reaches deep for a soulful expression of values in a troubled Aboriginal world. He tops it all with a country fiddle tune -- all skillfully blended into a seamless flow. One fan said "Its music from the heart that hits you right between the eyes."

The recent release of Bob's second album – 'Home' follows regular airplay of his first album across Canada and the USA. This second release from the Ottawa Valley singer/songwriter continues with an eclectic blend of rocking Celtic-country with a twist of folk, jazz, and bluegrass. Soul-searching lyrics supported by gripping melodies define Bob's style. "Celtic, Country, Folk with a twist of Canadian ruggedness, make Bob's music a great blend of enjoyment that my listeners enjoy on a regular basis" says Dave Wertman of 'Celtic Dew', WSLR Radio, Sarasota, Florida.

"Stylistically we call it Celtic-Country-Rock" says Bob. "That means we can play a soft ballad, followed by a hard rocker, and then a loving Celtic tale of betrayal, a new-country love song and even a tribute to the Aboriginal spirit. Home is really about life's everyday ups and downs, put to music."

Tom Franks of FolkWords magazine in England says "...expansive Celtic-influenced country-folk-rock fusion with a soupcon of jazzy-blues added for good measure. If you like folk with a distinct rocky edge added to a miscellany of influences then this is for you. Me, I loved it."

The members of Bob Haughian's band are comprised of an elite and versatile group of Ottawa Valley musicians with varied roots in folk, rock, jazz, classical and world music. They paint exciting musical canvasses with fiddle, accordion, percussion, keyboard, harmonica and, of course some rocking, country-celtic guitars. The band includes Doug Slone (keyboards, accordion, fiddle and crazy-bong), Ardi Balca (bass and buffalo drum), Mark Nyvlt (guitars and banjo), Robert Libbey (guitar, harmonica and turtle shell rattles), Cyndi Kennedy (vocals, percussion and native chants) and Darrell Medaglia (drums and train whistle). Further bios available at http://www.bobhaughian.com

About the the Carleton Place & District Memorial Hospital Foundation (CPDMHF)

Formed in 1994, the Carleton Place & District Memorial Hospital Foundation is dedicated to raising funds for the Carleton Place & District Memorial Hospital in support of providing the best healthcare possible to the residents of Carleton Place and the surrounding communities. Robyn Arseneau, Manager of Fundraising for CPDMHF adds that; "Special events such as this evening of music ensure that our community will continue to have the quality healthcare and service that it expects and deserves".

The fun starts at about 8pm at the newly renovated 'Texas Worthy' restaurant in Carleton Place, 142 Bridge Street. Come early and enjoy house-made Texas smokehouse ribs.

-###-

Bob Haughian Band Website: http://www.bobhaughian.com


SHOW: Carleton Place & District Memorial Hospital Foundation fundraiser, January 12th, 8PM. at the Texas Worthy Smokehouse Carleton Place, 142 Bridge Street Contact the club for reservations (613) 492-0108

Media Contact: Bob Haughian 613-864-4039 bob_haughian@hotmail.com

Album Availability:
'Home' is available on iTunes, CD Monkey, and locally at All three CD Warehouse locations and at the show.

Cape Cod Ceili Weekend X

For those with some time and love of set dancing on their hands....

Cape Cod Ceili Weekend X

Greetings and best New Year wishes to all.

Here are the details for the next installment of the Cape Cod Ceili Weekend:

Date: January 25-27, 2013
Location: New Cape Cod Irish Village, 822 Route 28, So. Yarmouth MA 02664
Hotel contact info: phone 508.771.0100 - email irishvillage@comcast.net - website www.capecod-irishvillage.com
Host band: Northeast Ceili Band with guest Jerry O'Sullivan
Dance instructors: Barry & Pat Callahan (sets), Eileen Dugal (ceili)
Three ceilis: Friday and Saturday nights 8:30, Sunday PM 1:30 (walk-ins $15 PP)

Saturday Workshops: ceili 11:00 am -12:30 pm, sets 2:00 - 4:00 pm (also Sunday 12:30-1:30); price $10 PP

Event website: www.capeirish.com/cip/cccw10/home.html

Good weather guaranteed (on the dance floor!) and no seasick pills required.

If you've attended one of these weekends, you know how mighty it is. If you haven't yet, a great experience awaits!

Further information:
Regarding lodging, reservations, etc contact the hotel.
Regarding dancing, contact Barry Callahan (setdance dot man at verizon dot net).
Regarding music, contact Bill Black (bill at capeirish dot com).

BB