Cream of Ireland’s trad crop coming to Cork soon
A group of acclaimed musicians representing some of the very best in Irish traditional music will be coming to Cork next month for two highly-anticipated shows.
Presented by Music Network, the concerts will bring together Derek Hickey, The Kane Sisters and Macdara Ó Faoláin, all recent winners of TG4 Gradam Ceoil awards.
The quartet will play the Triskel Arts Centre in Cork city on 20 February, followed by a show at Ionad Cultúrtha, Ballyvourney, county Cork, on 21 February. Both concerts start at 8pm.
The two Cork concerts are part of an extensive tour of Ireland.
Displaying incredible musicianship and mastery of their craft, each artist champions a performance style particular to their heritage which forms the bedrock of this fascinating collaboration.
TG4 Gradam Ceoil 2024 Musician of the Year Derek Hickey is widely acknowledged as one of Ireland’s most prominent and influential master accordion players.
From Adare in county Limerick, his musical journey began at the age of ten when his uncle left an accordion in the family home. Derek is currently the button accordion tutor on the BA Irish Music and Dance at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at University of Limerick.
Liz and Yvonne Kane, known as The Kane Sisters, were named the TG4 Gradam Ceoil 2024 Group of the Year. The highly respected fiddle players were born in Letterfrack and were taught by the great Sligo musician Mary Finn and by their grandfather, local fiddle player, Jimmy Mullen.
The Kane Sisters have performed in prestigious venues all over the world, from Carnegie Hall in New York to the Royal Albert Hall in London, and have recorded, toured and collaborated with many well-known artists including The Chieftains, Cherish the Ladies, Steve Earle and Sharon Shannon.
TG4 Gradam Ceoil 2024 Young Musician of the Year Macdara Ó Faoláin is a bouzouki player from An Rinn, county Waterford. Renowned for his innovative and distinctive approach to traditional Irish music, Macdara is in demand these days as an accompanist. His recently released a solo EP, ‘Do Shamhlaigh Mé Tír Nua…’ which serves as a prelude to his debut album due for release later in 2024. Macdara’s compositional work draws inspiration from a wide array of genres, and he is currently composing solo bouzouki pieces that seamlessly blend his deep knowledge of harmony with his traditional roots.
These ground-breaking artists together promise to thrill audiences across the country. Simply put, you will not hear finer exponents of our indigenous music.
The tour runs from 11-23 February and takes in venues in Galway, Limerick, Dublin, Kildare, Roscommon, Clare, Wexford, Cork, and Kerry.