The annual Concertina Cruinniú organised by Oidhreacht an Chláir, with continued support from the Arts Council, will be held on February 14-16th (incl).
The 13th Cruinniú will feature classes for all grades, lectures and recitals, and free public sessions.
The Gala Concert on Saturday 15, at 8.30 pm in the Community Centre, will feature, for the first time in Miltown, the renowned group GARADICE (Eleanor Shanley, Pádraig McGovern, Dave Sheridan and John Mc Cartin), with special guest Tom Morrow, preceded by Liam O’Brien, Déirdre Hurley and Pádraig Ó Dubhghaill.
The lectures and recitals include:
- Launch: The Clare launch of “Ceoltóirí Chualann: The Band that changed the course of Irish Music” by Peadar Ó Riada, followed by music with Peadar Ó Riada, Eamon McGivney and John Kelly (The Drole) (Friday, 8.30 pm, Community Centre)
- Lecture: Dr Clare Keville – “’There was no tune at all at all in good land’ – The Concertina Music of Gerdie Commane” (Saturday, 2.00pm, Community Centre),
- Concert: An intimate short event in The Listening Room featuring Noel Hill, Jack Talty and Sorcha Costello (Saturday, 5.00-6.00pm, Westbridge).
Free public sessions: Saturday, 3.30pm – 4.30pm: Open Junior Session led by Bríd O’Donohue & Liam Browne (St Joseph’s National School), and Open Intermediate Session led by Bernie Geraghty & Aoife Kelly (Community Centre).
Open Adult Session led by Claire Keville & John Weir (3.30pm – 5.00pm, Friel’s Bar); and on Sunday, 2.30pm-5.30pm: Songs and Tunes with Tim Dennehy, Róisín White, Matin O’Malley, Pat O’Connor, Eva Carroll, John Canny (The Forge at the Players Bar), plus Cosán Ceoil (Friday & Saturday nights, 10.00pm in selected pubs).
The Cruinniú is a festival weekend consisting of Concertina classes, lectures, recitals, and sessions, like a mini Willie Clancy boutique festival. We cater and welcome all age groups and abilities. We run concertina classes on Saturday and Sunday mornings and host informal music sessions in the afternoons so that our students can practise what they have learned in a friendly and open environment. We host a supervised Junior session on the Saturday afternoon and we also host an adult session to encourage and support our students.
We have lectures on topics related to the concertina which are open to both students and the public.
Along with the activity during the day, we also have a Concertina Trail, where there are free traditional music sessions in the local pubs each night. These sessions are anchored by the individual concertina tutors. Our tutors, led by Master Tutor Noel Hill, are all well known concertina players.
The Concertina Cruinniú is an annual, community, non-commercial event organised by Oidhreacht an Chláir (www.oac.ie), held in Miltown Malbay every year since 2013.