Moyasta gears up for 10th Nell Galvin weekend

PREPARATIONS are underway for the 10th Nell Galvin Traditional Irish Music weekend, which will take place in Moyasta from August 31 to September 2.

Ellen (Nell) Galvin was born Ellen McCarthy and lived at Ballydineen, Knockalough in 1887. She learned to play the concertina and fiddle at a young age, being taught by Garret Barry, the famous blind piper from Inagh.
At the age of 14, she entered her first feis competition in Ennis and won the competition on the fiddle. At 18, she entered the Munster Championships and won a remarkable double on concertina and fiddle.
Nell is the first Clare woman to broadcast traditional Irish music on 2RN in 1937.
On Friday evening, festivities will kick off at 8pm with a session featuring Frank Custy, Teresa Custy, Patrick O’Loughlin and some friends. Then at 9pm, the official opening will take place. It will be performed by Matthew Bermingham and will be followed by sessions with Vincent Grififn, Conor McCarthy, Yvonne Casey, Davy Lavine, Niamh O’Dea, Anne Marie McCormack and Dessie Kelleher.
Saturday will see a number of free music classes. From 12 to 1pm, there will be a tin whistle class for beginners conducted by Michael Lavelle, a flute class for improvers by Paul Smyth and a fiddle class for improvers by Vincent Griffin.
Then from 1pm to 2pm, there will be a tin whistle class for improvers given by Des Cafferkey and a brush-dancing class for both beginners and improvers by the McDonagh Brothers. Those taking part in the brush-dancing classes will need to bring their own brushes.
From 2pm to 3pm, there will be a concertina class from improvers given by Mairéad Considine, while she will give another class from 3pm to 4pm on sean-nós dancing.
All of the classes are free and registration for each must take place 15 minutes before its start time.
There will be afternoon sessions and dancing in Garrihy’s Bar with numerous musicians.
On the Sunday, there will be mass at Lisdeen Church at 9.30am, which will be followed by a visit to Nell Galvin’s grave at Lisdeen Cemetery. Sessions will commence again at 3pm at Garrihy’s with Kevin Crawford, Mick Conneely, Tony Linnane and Mick Crehan, among others.
Sunday evening will see the sessions continue with the Five Counties, Siobhán and Una Hogan and a host of local and visiting musicians.
Secretary of the Nell Galvin Festival, Tim Thompson said there are a number of highlights to look forward to. “We have an outdoor stage this year.
The opening is on Friday night and we’re going to have music with Vincent Griffin and the Four Courts Céilí Band. Then on the Saturday, we’re going to have music lessons during the day for children or any adults who want to learn how to play instruments. They’re all free of charge and everyone is welcome to take part.
“On Sunday, we go back to Lisdeen Church and we have mass for Nell Galvin and then we go down to her grave and a bit of music is played. After that we go back to Garrihy’s bar and there’s music played until the night time. The late Peadar Crotty was our chairman for years and this year his wife Josephine Crotty has come on board on the committee as assistant secretary, and she has done sterling work.”