Music

This week’s best shows in tradidional music

Folkfest kicks of in Killarney, John Spillane heads for Cork

Femi Kuti, Folkfest Killarney, Saturday

Siobhán Long's face
Siobhán Long July 7th 2017
Fri Jul 7 2017 - 06:14

FRIDAY 7


FOLK FEVER
Folkfest Killarney
INEC, The Gleneagle, Killarney, all weekend folkfestkillarney.com
With a very eclectic programme this year, the Folkfest features Grammy award winning Nigerian rhythm meister, Femi Kuti and his band, along with Indian supergroup The Bollywood Masala Orchestra. Technicolour folk music will dominate this year's happenings, with Kíla, Aldoc and Na Mooneys bringing a distinctly Irish flavour to the mélange. Ye Vagabonds, No Crows, Lisa Hannigan, Lisa O'Neill and Wallis Bird (below) will also squeeze in, so punters who land already rested up will be able to make the most of the shenanigans. Yet another busy summer weekend of music in this tourist mecca.

Wallis Bird. Photograph: Jens Oellermann

SUNDAY 9


SUMMER SCHOOL
South Sligo Summer School of Traditional Music, Song and Dance 
Various venues, Tubbercurry until July 14 ssssschool.org
The Swallows Tail Céilí Band opens the 31st Summer School tonight, after which will follow a series of concerts, workshops, recitals and sessions. Tomorrow, Foxford fiddle player, John McHugh will be honoured at a tribute concert, with a grand-finale concert on Friday featuring tutors Liam O'Connor, master flute player from Dublin, as well as piper Leonard Barry, Angelina Carberry and Derek Hickey. This summer school epitomises what traditional music is all about: the open-hearted sharing of tunes, songs and steps between musicians, singers and dancers.

TUESDAY 11


SINGER/SONGWRITER
Nelson Olivares and Shay Cotter
Central Library, ILAC Centre 1pm Adm free (booking essential) 01-8734333 ext 5
Piano and guitar duo who mix folk, blues and pop influences with a unique finger picking guitar style. A quirky lunch time concert interlude in the midst of Dublin's Central Library: where words normally reign supreme. This promises to be an intimate gig in a welcoming setting.

THURSDAY 13


TROUBADOUR FOLK
John Spillane
The Hayloft, The Long Valley, Winthrop St, Cork 9pm €10 021-4272144

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Musician, songwriter, poet, dreamer: John Spillane is one of those artists whose canvas is wide and colourful. Cork to his very fingertips, his songs have been borrowed by Christy Moore, Pauline Scanlan and Karan Casey, among others. Spillane’s ability to connect with his audiences is legendary, and his store of songs continues to grow. Listen up for ‘The Dance Of The Cherry Trees’, ‘Passage West’ and ‘Johnny Don’t Go To Ballincollig’: all slices of the Independent Republic at its best.