Tag Archives: glor

WHEN singer/songwriter Luka Bloom was first approached with the idea of headlining a concert in Ennis supporting homeless people he didn’t hesitate to say yes. The Kildare native, who has been living in Clare for the past decade, will be performing in the Clare Easter Concert this April 21 in glór. The concert, organised by homelessness campaigner Josie O’Brien, was due to be held last Christmas but was postponed due to Covid and Luka is now looking forward to getting on stage. Asked how he got involved with the show he laughs, “I don’t go looking to do benefit gigs,” before adding, “but you get the call and if my sister Anne Rynne or Josie or someone like that contacts me, you know you just have to do it. That it’s the right thing to do and you just say yes and you’re grateful to have been asked and very happy to participate.” Luka has long been an admirer of …

CAOIN by vocalist/artist Ceara Conway will have its world premiere in Glór on April 8. For this concert and album vocalist/artist Ceara collaborates with producer Seán Mac Erlaine, musicians Kevin Murphy (Cello), Ultan O’Brien (Viola/Fiddle) of Slow Moving Clouds, Seán Mac Erlaine (clarinet, electronics) and Francesco Turrisi (piano). The ensemble will deliver a collection of sean nós songs that explore the beautiful sounds and sentiments of longing and loss found in traditional praise songs, lullabies with core emphasis on the traditional Irish ‘caoineadh’ or lament. Ceara Conway has gained recognition for her singing in traditional repertoires across cultures from Irish traditional sean nós, to Portuguese, Arabic and African song and Gregorian Chant. The essence of her music is its unique hybridity, a merging of her love and respect for tradition coupled with her interest in new styles, genres, and contemporary music. Speaking about it, Ceara says, “Caoin was born out of my love for singing Irish traditional sean nós songs …

LOCAL people will be among those showcasing their talents alongside the Fidget Feet Aerial Dance Theatre when the company brings their brand new show to Ennis next week. Fidget Feet are bringing their new show “HOUSE” to Clare Marts, Quin Road on Saturday, April 9 and Sunday, April 10. Ahead of the show, Fidget Feet put a call out to the people of Clare through to join them in this collaborative community spectacle with circus, theatre and drive-in bingo. “HOUSE Open Days” is a community project that integrates local communities into the show itself and will see community part-takers dance alongside 20 experienced and talented Fidget Feet dancers in the show. According to the company this project brings people together both young and old with an integral focus on the arts, wellbeing, mental and physical health. The show is a sequel to their hugely successful show Bingo Wings and brings its bingo fever to the 1980s Royal Broadway Parish Bingo, …

SONGWRITER and composer from Sixmilebridge, Louise (Lou) McMahon is back with a not-to-be missed Glór show, featuring the legendary Terry Woods. The pair are celebrating a 12-year long musical collaboration with a show that features original material and popular songs rooted in folk music. The gig is set to have an eclectic vibe with influences from pop-folk to folk-rock, psychedelic folk to gothic folk and ballads. The gig, on April 15 is appropriately, entitled Wide Eyed Folk. Louise’s voice is distinctive and euphonious, and her stage personal is mystical and exotic. She has been likened to folk singers such as Stevie Nicks, Joan Baez and Eddie Reader, yet has never compromised her own original sound.  Collaborator Terry is a multi-instrumentalist known for his membership of groups as The Pogues, Steeleye Span, Sweeney’s Men, The Bucks, Dr Strangely Strange and the short-lived Orphanage, with Phil Lynott. Super talented Lou has not been sitting too long on her laurels, despite the challenges all artists …

Tommy Fleming tells Jessica Quinn he tries to give audiences what they want, but just a bit different each time. WITH a career spanning 30 years Tommy Fleming, often described as “The Voice of Ireland”, will be returning to the glór stage this April for an evening of songs and stories. It is an exciting time for the Sligo man who is currently in the middle of a nationwide tour while his new album ‘All These Years’ is riding high in the Irish charts. As Covid-19 restrictions lift Tommy is looking forward to stepping out on the glór stage next month having performed at the Ennis venue to half capacity back in January. “It’s always a brilliant one being on stage in glór. It’s been an unusual year and the way the lockdowns went, we kind of had to just push things out and we’ve ended up with two nights in glór, which in brilliant. “In January I was on …

AN Ennis homelessness campaigner has said she has been helping working families who are being forced to make the choice between paying for their rent or mortgage and food, writes Jessica Quinn. Josie O’Brien was speaking to the Clare Champion ahead of next month’s ‘Clare Easter Concert’ in glór with funds raised being used to support local people in need and the homeless community. The concert takes place on April 21 with Luka Bloom headlining, and follows the cancellation of two planned Christmas concerts due to Covid-19. According to Josie the numbers of struggling people looking for help is rising all the time. “It’s awful, and it’s just continuous, there is definitely more of a need out there. I know people who are actually working and they have to make a choice between paying their mortgage or rent which is going up or buying food for their families. I help them as much as I can by giving them food …

ENNIS’ glór will celebrate International Womens’ Day with a musical collection of iconic women and their music. Singer, actor and musician Edel Murphy will be accompanied with a live band for the performance of MOTHERLAND : Songs of 20th Century Women on Tuesday. Following extensive tours with Grammy winning shows Celtic Woman and Riverdance, Edel and the band will bring you through the Dustbowl of the Great Depression, into the homes of 1950s urban desperation, down streets of protest in the 1960s and into the tumult of the 21st Century. Featuring evocative projected images alongside thought-provoking spoken word, Edel performs iconic songs of struggle and celebration from such songwriting greats as Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Nina Simone, Kate Bush, Nanci Griffith, Dolly Parton, and The Beatles. Dick O’Riordan, of the Business Post said it was “an amazing show” “Edel Murphy was stunning, the sharpness of her delivery was outstanding. The songs are acerbic and to the point and the backdrop of visuals was …

IT will be a family reunion of sorts for comedian Neil Delamere when he takes to the stage in glór this Friday, writes Jessica Quinn. Among the audience at the Ennis venue will be Clare hurler David Reidy, and the comedian reveals he won’t be holding back when it comes to making fun of his Ennis cousin. Neil tells us that David had been due to join his team on Ireland’s Fittest Family Celebrity Special last summer supporting the Alzheimer Society of Ireland. “Fair play to him, he was going to do it originally but he got injured and couldn’t do it so we had to draft in another cousin. “He’s flying it now. He’s coming to glór and I’ll be slagging him off. It was great craic to do the show, wading through a bog in the middle of Wicklow with your six foot two cousin dragging you over a log. “It was a strange way to spend a …