Tulla tunes up for sixth traditional festival

EACH year, Tulla Trad Festival continues to grow and widen its scope and this year is no different as the East Clare village prepares its sixth annual event, announcing a film screening and a special appearance by the Awbeg Céilí Band.

This year’s festival runs from September 7 to 9 and additions have just been revealed.

Aughty, an experimental film on the Aughty region and its hinterlands by artists Tom Flanagan and Megs Morley, is to be shown as part of the festival line-up at 3pm on Sunday September 9.

Created by Galway-based visual artists and filmmakers, Tom Flanagan and Megs Morley, the two spent the last 18 months exploring Sliabh Aughty Mountain, its hinterlands and its people, spanning a vast geographical area that bridges East Galway and East Clare culminating in a feature-length documentary.

The film is a portrait of place, that weaves together the ordinary to the sublime, capturing the complex relationship between people, community and the landscape at a time where many aspects of rural life are under threat.

With original music from Galway band, Phantom Dog Beneath the Moon and Caoimhe Morley, alongside traditional music scores by local musicians, many from Tulla, Aughty is a unique, original and beautiful cinema experience.

Aughty has been curated by Dr Áine Phillips, as part of Aughty Public Art Projects, a Ground Up Artists Collective (GUAC) initiative. It was commissioned by Galway County Council, supported by the Arts Council of Ireland and Clare County Council.

All-Ireland Senior Céilí Band Champions 2012, Awbeg Ceilí Band are confirmed to play for the Céilí Mór at the festival on Saturday night, September 8 at St Joseph’s Secondary School in Tulla.

On Friday evening, September 7, the current All-Ireland wren boy champions will parade through Tulla and will also perform at the Courthouse. Later that night, Danny Hunt and his band will play for the opening céilí at Minogue’s at 10pm.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, September 8, the secondary school will host a number of workshops with registration at 10.30am. Darren Breslin will tutor for the accordion, the Kane sisters, Liz and Yvonne from Connemara, will tutor for the intermediate and advanced fiddle classes. Angelina Carberry will be the tutor for the banjo, Michelle Mulcahy from West Limerick for concertina and her sister Louise Mulcahy on flute.

Sean-nós dancing will be taught by Sibéal Davitt, while the cómhrá Gaeilge will be offered by sisters Eiblin and Caitlin Ní Mhaoldomnaigh. Mary MacNamara is co-ordinating the workshops and anyone interested in taking part can contact her on 087 2378611.

From 1pm on Saturday, September 8, live music sessions will be held at the open day in the Tulla Stables Art Studio.

The celebrity concert takes place at the Courthouse on Saturday night at 8pm with all of the tutoring musicians partaking along with singer Brian O’Rourke; fiddle player, Vincent Griffin; Michael Landers on guitar and Mary Corry on piano.  Tickets for the concert are available from Custy’s Ennis, Music room Tulla and Tulla Pharmacy.

Aifreann Gaeilge will be broadcast live at 11am on Sunday morning on Radio na Gaeltachta. At 12pm, Robbie McMahon will sing Spancilhill at Teach Ól and will be joined by Nora Butler from Tipperary for the annual singing session.

At 1pm at Minogue’s Darren Breslin, noted Fermanagh accordion player, will be joined by Mary MacNamara on concertina and the East Clare Young Musicians for a gala session.

One of Ireland’s most renowned fiddle players, Eileen O’Brien from Tipperary will release her eagerly awaited CD Aon le hAon at 6pm at Minogue’s that Sunday evening. Andrew MacNamara will launch the CD.

The late great Paddy O’Brien composed the majority of tracks on the CD, while Eileen performs them, unaccompanied. 

Also on Sunday, Jim Corry, Mark Donnellan and Charlie Harris will play for the closing céilí also at Minogues at 9.30pm.

There will be sessions throughout the local pubs over the weekend which will see musicians Angelina Carberry, Liz and Yvonne Kane, Tim Collins, Anthony Quigney, Eileen O’Brien, Seamus Buglar, Andrew MacNamara, Pairic  MacDhonnachadha, Mark Donnellan, Michael Landers, John Canny and a host of others perform.

Full details of what’s happening throughout the weekend are available online at www.tullatradfestival.ie.