Arts & Culture

The sun will no doubt be splitting the Burren rocks this Sunday when the mighty Kilfenora Céilí Band take to the stage at the Square in the village for the hugely popular open-air céilí. The céilí, which has been the cornerstone of the Kilfenora Traditional Music Festival for the past 16 years, has never yet seen a rainy day, with musicians and dancers usually basked in early summer sunshine. “The biggest event always in ‘the Kilfenora’ in Kilfenora. I’ve met people from all over Ireland who travel to hear the band playing in the village square,” said John Morgan. “We have 200 seats out for the people who are not dancing and lots of space for those who are. I remember I met a woman when the first festival was starting in 2009 who hadn’t seen set dancing in the village for 30 years, so we had to change that. “The band always play out of their skins in the …

TUAMGRANEY historian and author Dr Tomás Mac Conmara is set to spend time in the US state of Arkansas, where he will work with the Irish Cultural Society of Arkansas to help build a project to document the memories and tradition of the Irish American community living there. The project is being funded by the Irish Abroad Unit of the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Consulate of Ireland, Austin, who have invited Dr Mac Conmara to bring his expertise in the field of oral heritage stateside. Dr Mac Conmara is recognised as one of Ireland’s leading oral historians, with multiple national projects including with the Local Government Management Agency, Dublin Port, the National Museum of Ireland, the Defence Forces, as well as several local authorities. The project in Arkansas is called Deep Memories: The Arkansas Irish Oral Heritage Project and aims to digitally record, preserve and disseminate the unique memories, testimony and tradition of members of the Irish American …

A commemoration for Titanic bugler, Percy Fletcher who was newly married to a West Clare woman took when he died in the disaster 112 years ago, took place last Sunday at Tooting in London. The young 25-year-old man tragically died when the ocean liner struck an iceberg and sank on its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York in 1912. A mere three months previously, he had married a Kilrush woman called Mary Meaney at St Gregory’s Catholic Church in Wandsworth. Local historian and county Tyrone native, Geoff Simmons had put out an appeal in March via local Clare media and social media for descendants of Mary Meaney’s to attend the unveiling of an historic blue plaque in Percy’s honour at his former home at 26, Lessingham Avenue on April 14, the eve of the anniversary of the ship’s sinking. Mr Simmons had hoped The Cliffs of Doneen would be sung on the day in recognition of Mary and the …

On May 25, 2018, Irish society changed forever. In a move every bit as significant as the Marriage Equality referendum of 2015, 66% of the Irish population voted to the remove the Eighth Amendment, and pave the way to legalise abortion For many who voted Yes that day, it was a seminal moment in history. Ireland was shedding the clothes of generations of Church control and taking a bold step into the modern world. But that view was not shared by all. For many of those who voted No, the Repeal Referendum represented the death of the Ireland that they knew, and the ushering in of an altogether more scary and dangerous world. These complex and contrary feelings are at the heart of the debut short film by Dysert O’Dea writer and actor, Lisa O’Connor. Like many Irish artists, Lisa was based in the UK in 2018 when the Repeal Referendum took place. Without the financial means to travel home …

A fighter, a musician, a businesswoman, a lovable rogue, a leader of the late-night sessions, Lahinch woman Susan O’Sullivan was a one of a kind. Born in Bartrá, just outside Lahinch, in 1892, Susan took up the fiddle when she was eight years old. As well as being a talented player in her own right, her house became the main Sunday evening venue for some of the greats of the Clare trad scene, including Willie Clancy, Seamus Ennis and Junior Crehan. Later in life, she was also a great advocate of passing on the tradition to the young, and served as president of Clare Comhaltas in the 1960s. But in her younger days, in the heat of the War of Independence, Susan lent her considerable intelligence and skill to the Republican cause, and it was this involvement that led to her family home in Lahinch being burned by the Black and Tans in the wake of the Rineen Ambush in …

Multitalented Clare vocalist, musician and composer, Lou McMahon, has just released Mysteria, the first single from her upcoming concept album, Butterfly Wars. The song merges the structures of video game music with a pop sensibility, underscored by a classical orchestral tapestry. Mysteria is the theme song from Lou’s concept album Butterfly Wars, and possesses the characteristics of both a video game underscore and a theme song. The music carries a hypnotic, minimalism reminiscent of Radiohead’s style or Massive Attack, yet with an orchestral instrumentation. Mysteria represents a digital realm within the game that blushes with botanical beauty, a rogue femininity and wilderness. The song aims to paint a gothic tapestry, reflecting the sullen disposition of the AI protagonist, X. Mysteria is accompanied by a music video featuring an anime representation of X, created by Paul Andre Fortin. “The genesis of X stems from my fascination with Japanese culture, especially my experiences in Tokyo and Yokohama, alongside my deep appreciation for …

“WE’RE floating on air,” says Knockanean National School teacher Amy McEnnis as the school was named winners in this year’s Walton’s RTÉ Lyric Music for Schools Competition after wowing the judges with a performance in the National Concert Hall. Knockanean National School’s entry in the contest, one of Ireland’s foremost student music competitions, scooped first prize in the primary school category this week. The winning group, made up of members of the school’s music club and choir, arrived back at the school after their performance on Monday to a heroes’ welcome. “There were lights flashing from people’s camera phones and the school grounds were crowded, we felt like superstars. It was just so beautiful and we were really moved,” said a delighted Ms McEnnis. Knockanean NS was one of just six primary schools chosen from entries across the country to taken part in the grand finals of the competition in Dublin. To enter the competition the students, with the help …

“I HAVE never been as happy as I am now,” talented 17-year-old River McGann tells us as he celebrates being crowned ‘Fiddler of London 2024’ at the weekend. There was success on the double for Clare in the prestigious international competition with Doora-Barefield teenager Jack Dilleen also being named ‘Up and Coming Fiddler of London’. The musicians both travelled to London at the weekend where they showcased their talents at the Fiddler of London Festival taking place across two days at the London Irish Centre. River was among 12 finalists who took to the stage at the festival’s grand final on Saturday night. Judge Donál O’Connor praised River for demonstrating “a uniquely individualistic, creative, stylistic and confident demonstration of fiddling beyond his young years.” Speaking to The Clare Champion River says he was stunned to take the overall title of ‘Fiddler of London’. “There were a couple of names I was expecting him to say when he was calling the …