How time flies... when your computer breaks down and you get a summer cold. That's my excuse for neglecting to pester you relentlessly about the Connla concert, which is now less than one week away!
Fortunately many of you didn't need to be reminded and have already got your tickets. If you haven't yet, get on down to Harvest Market or Out of This World and pick 'em up.
Oak & Thorn presents: Connla
Friday, September 21
Eagles Hall, Fort Bragg
Doors open 6:30 PM
The band consists of Ciara McCafferty (vocals), Ciaran Carlin (Flute/Whistles), Emer Mallon (Harp) and Conor Mallon (Uilleann Pipes/Whistles), and Paul Starrett (Guitar).
Ciara is a folk singer from Derry who has always had a love for music. After achieving her grade 8 in singing she then progressed on to study music at the University of Ulster. Although classically trained her heart has always been with traditional and folk music.
From Derry City, Ciaran started to learn tin whistle at the age of eight and had the advantage of being brought up in a well known musical family. At the age of twelve Ciaran started to learn the flute from both Sean Gallagher and Marcas Ó Murchú and within the next few years he gained two all Ireland titles in Ballina Co.Mayo and In Enniscorthy Co.Wexford. Ciaran has played in numerous bands and as a session musician at Festivals all over the world.
Emer Mallon from Keady, County Armagh is a multi-instrumentalist and leading harpist. As a session musician and performer she has thrilled audiences at festivals across Ireland, Europe and the USA including the William Kennedy in Armagh, Tonder in Denmark, Piping Live in Glasgow and the Milwakee Irish Fest in the USA. Emer is a prolific performer, appearing on numerous TV & Radio shows for the BBC, TG4, and RTÉ. As a harp tutor with the prestigious Armagh Pipers Club she is inspiring the next generation of traditional Irish musicians. In addition to all this Emer is a qualified music teacher and holds an Honours degree in Music and a PGCE from the University of Ulster.
Conor Mallon started his musical career with the Armagh Pipers Club where he attended Uilleann Pipe lessons. He has progressed through ranks and is now one of the senior teachers at the club. He has been taught by many pipers over the years and they include Jarlath Henderson, Tiarnan O Duinnchinn and John McSherry. Conor was the first recipient of the ACNI/BBC NI Young Traditional Musicians Platform award and subsequently was a guest musician with the Ulster Orchestra and with the award winning Foden’s Brass Band. Conor is a Senior County, Ulster and All-Ireland Champion on Uilleann Pipes in the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann and has won many other awards including the Uilleann Piping Scholarship by the Na Píobairí Uilleann Dublin in 2008 and was the first recipient of the Mark Donnelly Bursary for Uilleann Piping Award in 2010.
We've been featuring tracks from their new CD, "The Next Chapter," on Oak & Thorn since it arrived. It's a great mix of songs and tunes, including several written by band members blending traditional and contemporary stylings. They put an Irish twist on the American classic "Wayfaring Stranger" and the Rhiannon Giddens song "Julie," adding one from Scotland's great singer-songwriter Dick Gaughan ("Sail On") and "One Starry Night by Sean Tyrell. These are definitely not traditional Irish songs, but Connla seems to see tradition more as inspiration than limitation. This is cutting-edge Irish folk music!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHbywU-ghiM
Wayfaring Stranger: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdB7fkIGReA
One Last Cold Kiss https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_2tdd_d1mo
We will of course have homebrewed beer and Albion dry cider on tap, and premium wines from McNab Ridge and Parducci, available from 6:30 pm.
Tickets are available at Harvest Market in Fort Bragg and Out of This World in Mendocino, as well as online at https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3478229
I look forward to another great night at Eagles with you!
