Altan kick off New Year with Trad Week

Altan (l-r): Ciarán Curran, Martin Tourish, Dáithí Sproule, Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh and Mark Kelly. Photo Credit: Gearóid Ó Maonaigh

ONE of Donegal’s premier ambassadors will be kicking off their New Year with a highlight performance at this year’s Letterkenny Trad Week.

World famous Donegal group Altan closed 2018 with a stellar performance last weekend at Scoil Gheimhridh Ghaoth Dobhair and now look forward to performing at the fourth annual Trad Week in the Cathedral town on Saturday, January 26.

Founded by Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh and her late husband Frankie Kennedy, the group has been bringing Donegal and Irish traditional music and song to fans around the world for over three decades.

In May, 2018 Donegal County Council honoured the group with a civic reception at the County House in Lifford, celebrating the group’s achievements bringing Donegal music to the worldwide masses over the years.

Their Letterkenny Trad Week closing performance will kick off yet another busy year for the popular group of musicians as they get set to tour France, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, the UK and the United States, to name but a few countries.

So make sure not to miss the wonderful Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh and Altan during this year’s Letterkenny Trad Week at An Grianán Theatre on Saturday, January 26 at 8pm.
Other Highlights

Kicking off Trad Week on Saturday, January 19 will be an exciting collaboration presented by Music Network – Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh, Siobhan Miller, Damien Mullane & Anna Massie in the RCC.

The ethereal voice of award-winning Scottish songstress Siobhan Miller (vocals) and the honeyed tones of Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh (vocals/flute), recent winner of RTÉ Folk Awards ‘Best Traditional Folk Track of the Year’ will be complemented by gifted accordionist Damien Mullane (accordion/melodeon) and fleet-fingered guitarist and banjo player Anna Massie (guitar/banjo/mandolin).

The show on Tuesday, January 22 featuring Zoë Conway and John McIntyre, Seamus McGuire and John Lee with Coirm has now SOLD OUT so be sure to book tickets soon for any other shows you are interested in.

There is huge excitement around the artist taking to the stage in the RCC on Wednesday, 23rd. A former electrician who decided to become a musician after seeing Christy Moore perform on Irish TV, Dublin-born traditional singer and bouzouki player Daoirí (pronounced ‘Derry’) Farrell has been described by some of the biggest names in Irish folk music as one of most important singers to come out of Ireland in recent years.

The high calibre of music continues on Thursday, 24th when Mike McGoldrick (flute) and Dezi Donnelly (fiddle) perform together in the RCC. Between them they have been members of Toss the Feathers, Stockton’s Wing, Capercaillie, Flook and Lunasa and have performed with Mark Knopfler, Eddi Reader, Sharon Shannon and Kate Rusby to name just a few.

On Friday night, 25th the RCC is delighted to welcome back Special Consensus who have appeared in Letterkenny on a number of occasions and are sure to attract a great crowd.

Special Consensus is a superb bluegrass outfit in a classic vein but with more than enough modern sensibilities to attract every ear in this now pleasantly fractionating genre.

The vocals are spotless, the playing as shiny as a newly minted penny, and music like this is the reason people come to love bluegrass.

All concerts begin at 8pm. For ticket click on the respective event link above or call An Grianán Theatre Box Office on Tel +353 (0) 7491 20777. Follow Letterkenny Trad Week on Facebook @LetterkennyTradWeek and Twitter @TradWeek