Some of Galway’s best trad musicians will be wowing audiences in England this month in the 25th annual Return to London Town festival.
This year’s programme of wonderful traditional Irish culture features 22 artists visiting from across 14 counties in Ireland, including Pádraic Keane, Páraic MacDonnchadha, and Seán Gavin from Galway.
From Friday to Monday, October 27-30 there will be concerts, album launches, workshops, céilís, sessions and more, for all the family.
Events will be held at venues in and around Cricklewood and there are special weekend tickets available.
Hailing from a musical family in Maree, Pádraic Keane is an avid player of the Uilleann Pipes, and have been a tutor at many music festivals in Ireland and abroad. In 2011 he was awarded TG4 Young Musician of the Year Award.
He has toured America as a soloist with The Irish Chamber Orchestra and has collaborated with Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin, RTÉ Concert and RTÉ Symphony Orchestras, as well as with local theatre and arts groups – An Taibhdhearc, Branar and Macnas.
The son of renowned Connemara sean nós singer, Seán Mac Donnchada, banjo player Páraic Mac Donnchada was born in Ahascra, and has had a long career with many well regarded Galway musicians.
He is particularly admired for the subtlety of his playing and is regarded as one of Ireland’s finest banjo players. He has held a long association with the Feakle Festival, where he released his debut album, Not Before Time… 39 Years in the Making, in 2018.
Sean Gavin, the eldest of his musical family from Corandulla, is an all-Ireland champion on the button accordion who has toured extensively throughout Europe, America, and Asia.
In 2011 he received a Gradam an Chomhaltas medallion having being invited to participate in the Button Accordion Championships in Tullamore on the 60th anniversary of the founding of Comhaltas Ceoltóiri Éireann.
Festival Director Karen Ryan says, “The line-up of concerts and album launches holds a cornucopia of talented artists, many of whom will also be teaching workshops and leading sessions over the weekend.”
“We are looking forward to welcoming children to our Céilí Dancing and Singing workshops. We are also very excited about a new addition to the programme – our Traditional Irish Music Quiz with Mick Mulvey.”
“We are very much looking forward to welcoming you to Cricklewood – hope you have a fantastic weekend!”
Galway’s influence is not limited to these three, as many more of the artists playing have family that hail from this part of the west.
Flutist Mike McGoldrik was born in Manchester, but his family come from Dunmore; Fiddle and Viola player Saileog Ni Cheannabhain is from Dublin, with family roots in South Connemara; and Karen Ryan of the London Lasses was born in that city, but her family also came from the musically rich roots of Connemara.
All Festival tickets (including the excellent value £40 weekend ticket) are now available to purchase via links on www.irishmusicninlondon.org and www.returntolondontown.org.
Festival Schedule
Friday, October 27
- Evening Concert: Noel Hill and Brian McGrath/ The London Lasses/ The Trad Gathering
Saturday, October 28
- Instrumental Workshops
- Children’s Céilí Dancing Workshop
- Afternoon Concert: Mairéad and Deirdre Hurley with John Blake / Pádraic Keane, Páraic MacDonnchadha and MacDara Ó Faoiláin / Tara Viscardi and Robert Harvey
Set Dancing Céilí: The Parish Céilí Band, with host: Tom Kelleher - Sessions
- Evening Concert: John Carty, Michael McGoldrick, Matt Griffin, Michael McCague / Saileóg Ní Cheannabháin and Pádraic Keane / Harry Bradley, James Carty and Libby McCrohan
Sunday, October 29
- Instrumental Workshops
- Children’s Singing Workshop
Set Dancing Cèilí: The Parish Céilí Band with host: Tom Kelleher - Sessions
- Quiz: Mick Mulvey
- Album Launch Event: Sorcha Costello and John Blake / Pádraic Keane, Páraic MacDonnchadha and MacDara Ó Faoiláin / Seán Gavin
- Cèilí For All with McCool Trad, calling by William Macken
Monday, October 30
- Afternoon Concert: Mary MacNamara, Sorcha Costello and Pete Quinn / Seán Gavin, Mick O’Connor and Peter McAlinden / London Irish Pensioner’s Choir
