This October Music Network celebrates 40 years with a special anniversary concert. This exceptional evening of live music will feature the very best of traditional, folk, jazz and classical music and brings together acclaimed Irish and international artists from across Music Network’s programmes.
Presented by Ellen Cranitch for RTÉ lyric fm’s Vespertine at glór in Ennis on Saturday 3rd October, the line-up features Mike McGoldrick, Nollaig Casey & Niall McCabe, Patrick stefan, The Carole Nelson Trio, soprano Sarah Shine with pianist Dearbhla Brosnan, cellist Raphaela Gromes & pianist Julian Riem, plus Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh & Brendan Begley.
Presented in partnership with RTÉ lyric fm’s Vespertine, this special event will extend the programme’s spirit of musical discovery beyond the radio waves and into the concert hall, to bring audiences inspiring live performances and a chance to experience the remarkable artistry at the heart of Music Network’s programmes.
Folk and traditional music
Among the highlights will be the return of artists connected through previous Music Network programmes; the trio of Mike McGoldrick, Nollaig Casey and Niall McCabe were invited by Music Network to come together for a nationwide tour in 2024. They were also commissioned by Music Network to write new music for the tour and have continued their unique musical collaboration, performing regularly together since.
Renowned fiddle and viola player Nollaig Casey was a member of groundbreaking bands including Coolfin and Planxty, while guitarist and singer Niall McCabe is one of Ireland’s fast rising stars of the folk world. Multi-instrumentalist Mike McGoldrick is a core member of the celebrated Transatlantic Sessions and is renowned internationally for his work across traditional and contemporary folk music. Their appearance at the 40th anniversary concert is a fitting celebration of the creative relationships that Music Network has helped to forge over the years.
Also performing is Patrick stefan, an Irish-Dutch singer, guitarist and wayfarer born in County Clare. Patrick has travelled and lived in different corners of the world, from Scandinavia and Brazil to Africa, with his experiences informing his distinctive musical style. He is also a former Musician-in-Residence with Music Network.
Joining the line-up as well are Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh and Brendan Begley, two distinctive and highly respected voices in Irish traditional music.
Dublin-born fiddler and a founding member of The Gloaming, Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh has become known as one of the most innovative and creative musicians working in traditional music today. His playing draws on the depth of the Irish fiddle tradition while embracing experimentation and improvisation, and his work has taken him to audiences across Europe, North America and Asia. Caoimhín first toured under the Music Network banner with Catherine McEvoy and Micheál O’Raghallaigh in 2008 and following this performed as a Music Network roster musician throughout Ireland and abroad with Brendan Begley and others.
Brendan Begley, a native of the Dingle Peninsula, is an accomplished performer on button accordion and singer in his native Irish. A long-standing member of the Boys of the Lough, he has toured extensively in Ireland and internationally, including a 1998 Music Network tour with Cormac Breatnach , Kevin Glackin and Sean Tyrell , and a 2011 tour with Tommy Peoples and Laoise Kelly. He is also well known to television audiences through his work presenting traditional music on TG4.
Classical
Irish soprano Sarah Shine is fast becoming one of Ireland’s most sought after young sopranos. Earlier this year, she took on the role of Eurydice in Music Network’s ambitious production Orpheus in the Garden, performed in the beautiful surroundings of the National Botanic Gardens. Prior to this, she joined leading French harpist Emmanuel Ceysson for a Music Network tour in 2025.
For this special anniversary concert, Sarah returns to the stage with esteemed pianist Dearbhla Brosnan, performing a selection of French repertoire by Debussy and Fauré, including Après un rêve and Nuit d’étoiles.
Also returning to Ireland following their 2019 Music Network tour are internationally acclaimed duo Raphaela Gromes and Julian Riem. Superb cellist Raphaela Gromes brings her extraordinary intimacy, musical imagination and thrilling virtuosity to the stage alongside award-winning pianist and long-time collaborator Julian Riem. Their exceptional musical chemistry promises an inspiring and unforgettable performance and their return celebrates the high calibre of international artists Music Network has toured over the years.
Jazz
Representing the world of jazz is The Carole Nelson Trio, an outstanding Ireland-based piano trio formed in 2015 and supported by The Music Network Piano Scheme in 2017. Carole is one of the most original Jazz composers working in Ireland today, and her trio features the fantastic bassist Cormac O’Brien and exceptional drummer Dominic Mullan, both of whom have been involved in various Music Network projects over the years. They have released three albums of original music together, establishing a distinctive voice within the Irish jazz scene described by The Irish Times as “…glorious free-spirited jazz”.
anniversary concert celebrates the enduring connections Music Network has created between musicians, audiences and communities across Ireland since 1986. Over four decades, the organisation has presented more than 350 national tours featuring over 1,100 musicians and commissioned 113 Irish composers to create more than 860 minutes of new music.
Collaboration has always been at the heart of Music Network’s mission and they have built a vibrant, country-wide network of partners, ensuring that high-quality live music is accessible in every corner of Ireland. That spirit of collaboration continues for this special event which brings together RTÉ lyric fm’s Vespertine, glór and a host of artists for one fantastic night of live music.
Tickets are €20/18 conc plus a €1 booking fee, and are available to book now at www.glor.ie or by calling box office on 065 684 3103.
Music Network is Ireland’s national music touring and development organisation, founded by the Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíon in 1986.
For 40 years we have been making high quality live music accessible to communities throughout Ireland and helping musicians to develop fulfilling careers. Our vision is that of a culture which increasingly values live music in our everyday lives, embracing it as an essential part of a healthy, vibrant society.
We deliver a broad range of programmes including a National Touring Programme, musician residencies both here and abroad, learning and participation projects, the Music Capital Scheme, commissioning, training programmes and other professional development supports for musicians.
Find out more about Music Network here.