Young Clare céilí band going global

MUSIC from a young Clare Céilí Band, whose members range in age from 16 to 19, has been finding an appreciative audience on the other side of the world.

Mitch Park plays a weekly music programme on Radio Kidnapper, one of the most popular online stations in Hawke’s Bay, Hastings, New Zealand.

Clare Céili Band leader, Colm Nestor recalled how Mitch went on the website of Custy’s Music Shop in Ennis to source an Irish traditional group and found the band’s first CD.

“We listened to music from the band being played in New Zealand online between midnight and 1am on Christmas Day, 2021.”

“It went further than we ever thought. Colum King plays the band regularly on Charity Radio, an internet radio in Dublin,” he added.

In addition to launching their second CD during Culture Night recently, the band has been featured regularly on Clare FM and Radio na Gaeltachta including a 30-minute slot of their live performance on the streets of Miltown Malbay during the last Willie Clancy Music Festival, which attracted 66,000 views on social media.

Radio na Gaeltachta music organiser, Neansaí Ní Choisdealbha lauded the band’s energy on the sleeve notes of their second compact disc.

“It is clear that they have a deep understanding of our ancient tradition and heritage at a very young age.

“The music of the fine musicians who came before them can be heard in their music and it shows respect and respect for tradition.

“Listening to this new recording from them is exhilarating. From the first reel, John Brennan’s to the last reel, O’Rourke’s, there is meaning and vitality to hearing and great variety of music,” she stated.

Group member Hannah Morrissey (18), Ballyea, felt the band had arrived as musicians when a set dancing teacher who she didn’t know starting dancing unprompted while they were practising a reel in the lobby before going on stage for Ceoil An Geidridh in 2018.

The former Rice College student, who has played with the band since its formation, prefers to play the fiddle in the group rather than on her own.

“All the band get on well, we are good friends. We have practised a lot over the last few years.

Playing in the band has given us the confidence to go on stage and performing has now become almost second nature to us now. Colm Nestor always encourages us to have a happy and warm presence on stage.”

At the age of five she took up the fiddle and quickly progressed with the help of her sister, Ailbhe.

Ballyea banjo player, Eoin Costello (16) came second and third in the U-12 All-Ireland fiddle competitions and plays the fiddle on tracks four and six in the second CD.

“It is great to be able to keeping playing in the band and always have an event to look forward to. I have made great friends in the band.

“We all share a common interest in music. It is vital that young people continue to keep Irish traditional music alive.”

Eoin looks up to his teacher Keith O’Loughlin and banjo player Enda Scahill from county Galway.

His sister, Eileen, (17) started on the tin whistle but chose the flute after watching a female musician in Glór.

“You learn a lot more and it is more fun playing in a group. My highlight is launching our first CD in Kilfenora because it was the first time we had played together in a long time due to Covid-19.”

She admires flute player Louise Mulcahy and Matt Molloy.

Ennistymon drummer Niamh Lernihan (17), who also plays the fiddle, loves the energy from all the band members when they are performing on stage.

“This gives me energy as well and I love playing with everyone. We are playing so long together we know our tunes really well, there is so much of a buzz to play for other people.

“My highlight was going into a recording studio for the first time. It was great to have this opportunity with such a young band.”

Caoimhe McMahon, Ennistymon, (18) believes the band has a “unique sound” and a “different feel” after completing so many projects together.

The highlight for the flute player was playing in Kilfenora, which is very close to home, particularly before the legendary Kilfenora Céilí Band.

Inagh concertina musician, Leah Scanlon (18) got a Wheatstone concertina when she was seven in her grandmother’s house, which was previously played by her uncle who won a number of All-Ireland medals.

Playing for Radio na Gaeltachta during the last Willie Clancy Festival in Miltown Malbay was her highlight.

Her sister, Amy, (16), said playing the flute on her own can sometimes be boring so she loves playing with others in the band. Her highlight was going into a studio to record their two compact discs, which was a fitting reward for all the band’s hard work.

Clarecastle flute player, Oisín McNamara (17) started off playing the tin whistle.

The first tune Colm Nestor taught him was Fr O’Grady’s trip to Boco almost ten years ago and he has been playing under his tutelage since then.

“Playing music is a great escape because you have to concentrate on music and not other things. It gets you out of the real world. When I started in Rice College, it really hit me how many friends I have made through music.

“It was great to play for dancers for the first time since Covid-19 during Culture Night.”

Barefield fiddle player Cillian Fox (17) said it is great to be playing with friends in the band who love music.

Cillian felt his colleagues were more involved in the process of producing their second compact disc and was honoured to play in Kilfenora and share a stage with an iconic céilí band like the Kilfenora Céilí Band.

Sarah Higgins (19) from Ballynacally started on the fiddle but moved to the concertina, which she feels is easier to keep in tune.

Unlike the Fleadh which is competition only, she said band members are not in competition with each other, which makes them even stronger.

“We are all so young. I am the oldest. We are constantly getting better. It is great to get so much coverage and air play. I think we have a bright future.”

In 2012, Colm Nestor started music classes in Clarecastle Daycare Centre before submitting entries in the Fleadh a year later.

His tin whistle band entered the primary school tin whistle band competition at 2014 Clare Fleadh.

In 2015 and 2016, these musicians entered the Pléaracha competition with a half hour show of music singing and dancing.

They decided to concentrate on band performance after playing on the Gig Rig at the All-Ireland Fleadh in Ennis in 2017. After winning the Munster final in Ceol an Gheimhridh in February 2018, the band played in the Kilfenora Trad Festival in April 2018 for the first time.

Opening the Fleadh Nua with a concert in 2018 was followed by a performance at the World Meeting of Families at the RDS Dublin in August 2018.

Finishing second in the Munster Ceol an Gheimhridh final in February 2019 preceded playing at the Kilfenora Trad festival before the Kilfenora Céilí Band.

In November 2019, the band was recorded by the late Pat Costello for his Clare FM music programme on Christmas Eve.

This prompted the band to record this first compact disc of 42 tunes and 15 selections in January and March 2020 before it was officially launched in Kilfenora with a 90-minute concert outside the Burren Centre in August 2020.

During the second Covid-19 lockdown from September 2020 to the summer of 2021, the group met on Zoom to learn new tunes for a second compact disc and later rehearsed outdoors before it was recorded in Martin O’Malley’s Miltown Malbay studio in late September 2021 and January 2022.