The radio premiere of a Connemara arts venue’s first production will be broadcast on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta as part of the stations Christmas schedule.
An Cosán Draíochta, a production by the a new arts and music venue in An Spidéal Stiúideo Cuan,, will feature on RnaG on Christmas Day.
Connemara box player Johnny Óg Connolly was commissioned by Stiúideo Cuan to write An Cosán Draíochta, and the work honours the memory of his father, legendary melodeon player Johnny Connolly, who died in 2019.
It was first performed on stage in November, and a live recording of the performance will be aired on Christmas Day at 3.00pm with musicians including Johnny Óg, Clíodhna Ní Choisdealbha (banjo), Ciara Ní Bhriain (fiddle), Pádraig Ó Dubhghaill (guitar), Jim Higgins (percussion), Seosamh Ó Neachtain (dance) and the talented singer Bríd Treasa Ní Ghaothín.
On St Stephen’s Day, Spórt an Lae will feature an interview with Galway hurling legend John Connolly, who was on the county’s All-Ireland winning team in 1980.
John was also a member of the brilliant Castlegar teams that won six county finals between 1967 and 1980, and of course the Hurling Club Championship too in 1980. He takes a walk down memory lane with Gearóidín Nic an Iomaire on the programme.
Ó Chonamara go Crimea will be broadcast on Tuesday 28 December at 5.05 pm and tells the story of a young man from Connemara, Pádraig Ó Gionnáin, who was born just before the Famine, and enlisted in the Connaught Rangers and went to fight in the Crimean War in 1854 and 1855.
In the programme, funded by the BAI and presented by Mícheál Ó Gionnáin, listeners will hear a description of life in Conamara at the time, and the central role of the Connaught Rangers in the community.
Seán Bán Breathnach will be keeping listeners entertained every weekday morning throughout the Christmas period from 9 am to 11 am with interviews, music and a bit of craic on SBB ar Maidin.
If you’re at home on New Year’s Eve and fancy some good company, tune in to Slán le 2021, where Jó Ní Chéide and Séamus Ó Scanláin will help you to see out the old year and welcome 2022.
Seaweed harvesting has changed a lot in the last few years, and in Ag Saothrú na Feamainne on Tuesday 4 January at 2 pm, Treasa Bhreathnach examines some of those changes, and learns about the seaweed industry in the west today with interviews with Murchadh Ó Cuanaí, a Connemara seaweed harvester, Pádraic Mac Diarmada, manager of The Seaweed Centre in Leitir Mealláin, and scientist Iarfhlaith Ó Connalláin from Cartron Point Shellfish in Co. Clare.
Music Editor Neansaí Ní Choisdealbha will bring us a series of great concerts as part of the Christmas schedule too, including a concert to honour Johnny Connolly from 2016 which featured legends such as Joe Burke and Máirtín O’Connor, and there’ll be plenty more good reasons to tune in.
Full details of the schedule are available at www.rte.ie/rnag
