Exciting times ahead for The Wrafter Family Band

It's all go for The Wrafter Family Band from Kilbeggan.

In early 2025, the band is releasing a new single, 'That Tune', which was penned by Offaly poet and songwriter Anthony Sullivan; before that the five-piece outfit is returning to the Tuar Ard Arts Centre in Moate on December 13 for a Christmas show, 'Christmas with The Wrafter Family Band - A Seasonal Celebration', where they will perform their new single for the first time.

"We've had some brilliant and lovely evenings playing in the Tuar Ard over the last few years," observed band-leader Peter looking ahead to both the concert and the single's January release, "so we couldn't think of anywhere better for the first performance of this song".

"This single, 'That Tune', is a big moment for us, as it's the first time that we've recorded and released a song that's going out into the world for the very first time, and a song that will be doing that with our name attached to it. It's something that we're all very excited about, to be honest. It feels like the obvious next step for us, and it feels like the right moment to take that step too.

"When Anthony sent us on the song, there was just something about it that both myself and the two lads, Conor and Thomas, were drawn to straight away. There are some songs that just make you want to play them, but then they make you want to play them for others to actually hear. And this is one of those songs. Since we made the decision to go into the studio with it, the whole family - Noreen and Aimee, as well myself and the two lads - have been working away on putting a Wrafter Family Band stamp on it and it will be a proud moment for us when we get to play it in front of an audience for the first time."

The song's writer, Lusmagh poet and lyricist Anthony Sullivan, is also looking forward to December's Tuar Ard concert, and the general release of 'That Tune' in January.

"Almost as soon as I'd written it and listened back to it a couple of times, I could hear the Wrafters playing it. So when Peter came back to me after I'd sent it onto him and told me that they really liked it, that was just a wonderful moment. It's a love song essentially, but one that's tinged with a little bit of regret, enough to make it bittersweet in a way. And that kind of a lyric, or story, when paired with a folk/country fusion musically, just works so well. Throw in the talent that runs right through the Wrafter Family Band, and this becomes such an exciting project to be involved with. It's really an honour for me to have the Wrafters record 'That Tune', and I think it will be quite a powerful and emotional moment when they play it in the Tuar Ard next month."

The Wrafter Family Band came to national attention on St. Patrick's night in 2017 when they charmed the country with a performance on The Late Late Show. Since then, they've gone on to perform in Leinster House, at the GPO, and on TG4, sharing stages with household names like Nathan Carter, The High Kings, George Murphy, The Fureys, Johnny McEvoy, Finbar Furey, and more. They also released their debut EP, The First Verse, in 2019.

Tickets for the Christmas show in Moate are on sale now from www.tuarard.ie, or by calling the Tuar Ard box-office on 0906482042. Tickets are also available from www.universe.com/events. For more information on The Wrafter Family Band, including details on the release of their forthcoming new single, 'That Tune', check out www.thewrafterfamilyband.com, and follow the band on Facebook and Instagram.