I’m sorry to have to tell you that due to increased work commitments, not to mention one 18-month-old mass of pure concentrated energy to look after and Baby No. 2 on the way, this will be my final ‘Folk Centre’ column. Many, many thanks to all those who’ve been sending in news, opinions and good old gossip for me to pass on. Do keep the flood of information coming, but note the new Email address at the end of this column. Meanwhile, I’ll still be scribbling away at reviews of folk and traditional albums, so won’t vanish from these pages entirely.

Néillidh Mulligan is still looking for participants for an 11-month Heritage and Research Project that he’s set up in Na Píobairí Uilleann. Modules include Data Capture and Entry, Computer Skills, Music Notation Entry, Image Digitisation and Indexing, Music Transcription and Indexing, First Aid and Collecting New Archive Material. Would-be trainees need to be aged 18 or over, with experience of Irish traditional music,?a level of music ear training or/and an interest in historical research. If you’re interested, contact Neillidh in FÁS on (01) 814 0220 or Harry Bradley in NPU on (01) 873 5094.
Congratulations to all the nominees in the Best Folk/Trad category for the 2005 Meteor Ireland Music Awards, set to take place at The Point Theatre on February 24: Kíla, Mary McPartlan, George Murphy, Declan O’Rourke, Planxty and Pauline Scanlon.
Starting on February 2, Kíla’s Rónán Ó Snodaigh will be hosting Le Chéile at Crawdaddy on the first Wednesday of every month, inviting musicians from Ireland and around the world to share the stage with him.
The Green Room at the Holiday Inn has a great folk/trad lineup for the next couple of months, including Sean Tyrell on February 11, Swedish singer-songwriter Annika Fehhling and Nashville’s Dana Cooper on the 16th Feb, John Spillane on the 25th, Gerry O’Connor on the 26th and Mick Hanly on March 1. For full details, see www.holidayinndublin.ie/live_music.html.
Dervish are as busy as ever in 2005, with a return trip to China under their belt before January is out, and trips to Luxembourg and the USA before the end of February. Recent months have seen them co-writing with Ron Sexsmith, Dave Donohue from the Floors and top Nashville songwriter Sharon Vaughn among others; a collaboration with Brendan Murphy from The Four Of Us also seems increasingly likely, I’m told. Early February will see Sligo’s finest getting hot and sweaty in some of this country’s more intimate venues, including the Sligo Southern Hotel (as part of the Tsunami Relief Concert), Cyprus Avenue (Cork), Dolan’s (Limerick), the Róisín Dubh (Galway), the Glens Centre (Manorhamilton), The Spirit Store (Dundalk) and the Balor Theatre (Ballybofey). For dates and further info, visit .
Nuada, formerly a Cork-based trio, are doubling in size and sound with three eager new recruits. Daithí Kearney, Padraig King and Jeremy Spencer have now been joined by flute player Michael King, pianist Steven Markham and guitarist Seán Leahy. The six members first appeared on stage together at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in August, and the official launch of the new lineup will take place at their gig in Cork’s Lobby Bar on February 2. For more details see www.nuadamusic.com.
Seán Tyrrell continues his residency in the Róisín Dubh every Sunday afternoon from 5 to 7pm. “Bring the kids – I call it the Seán Tyrrell crèche!” he says.
Seán Keane and his band, The Border Collies and the St. Attracta’s Community School Choir are donating their talents to a fundraising concert for the Asian Disaster Fund in association with the Irish Red Cross. The concert will be held in Banada Abbey Hall, Banada, Co. Sligo on Saturday, February 5. Doors open at 7.30pm.
Frances Black and 100 musicians aged from 9 to 18 years old from Clontarf Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann will be performing in a fundraising concert for Clasac in the National Concert Hall on February 8. For tickets, ring (01) 417 0000 or book online at . Costing over €4,000,000, the Clasac building will be situated on the Alfie Byrne Road, Clontarf, adjacent to the DART Station. It will serve the needs of Dublin Northside branches of Comhaltas, while also providing an outreach service to bring traditional music into the schools and the communities of North Dublin, and in particular the inner city. The building will incorporate a bar, restaurant, 300-seat theatre, recording facility and rehearsal rooms.
The 4th annual Corofin Traditional Festival take places on the first weekend of March this year – not that far away now! Visit the website for a full list of concerts, workshops and masterclasses, as well as biogs of performers and teachers: www.tradfestival.com.
Sad news has come in that the great Clare flute player PJ Crotty passed away at Ennis Hospital on January 7. PJ was diagnosed with cancer of the blood platelets about six years ago, but it was during this time that he recorded his wonderful Happy To Meet. Following his removal the following day in Lahinch, all in attendance went back to The Atlantic House Hotel and a session started that lasted all night. At the funeral mass on the Sunday, the church was filled with musicians. The Cor Cúl Aodha sang the mass in Irish under the direction of Peadar Ó Ríada, and solos were played during the service by Liam O’Flynn, Seán Keane, Matt Molloy and Kevin Crawford. Before the casket left the church, PJ’s wife Angela played a tune on the whistle, and when she finished all the flute players present came forward and played sets of tunes in unison. I’m told it was a beautiful sight and sound. You can hear a lovely tribute to PJ on www.rte.ie/radio1/ceilihouse. Also featured is piper Joe Shannon, who passed away on St. Stephen’s Day.
That’s all, folks. All the best, and do keep sending me your albums for review...

Musicians and singers with news to share can e-mail The Folk Centre on [email protected].