Ballynacargy champion Fiona on Macalla na hÉireann tour
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Fiona Ní Cheallacháin, who is a member of the Ballynacargy branch of CCÉ.Image 2 of 2
The Macalla na hÉireann (back from left) Eddie Murphy, tour manager, Limerick; Michaela Kennaghan, Offaly; Brogan McAuliffe, London; Dáire Smith, Cavan; Eimear Mulvey, Sligo; Thomas Palmer, Cork; Ciara Horan, Tipperary; Ray Shanahan, Cork; Danielle Bowe, Tipperary; and Lughaidh Fisher, Dublin; (front) Síofra Hanley, Sligo; Liam Orr, Donegal; Blaithín Kennedy, Tipperary; Timmy Flaherty, Kerry; Fiona Kelleghan, Westmeath; Seamus Harnett, Limerick; Ciara Maguire, Down; and Micheál Fitzgibbon, Limerick.Macalla na hÉireann, the 2019 Comhaltas Concert Tour of Ireland, comes to Áras an Mhuilinn, in Mullingar on Monday October 7 as part of this year’s 14-venue tour.
Sponsored by Bus Éireann, the annual tour features the best of traditional talent drawn from the four provinces of Ireland. Comhaltas also receives funding from the Dept of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, for which it has expressed thanks.
Each year the tour assembles established artists and young up-and-coming stars, blended into a fast-moving and exciting show of traditional Irish music, dance and song that appeals to both connoisseurs and peripheral fans.
Macalla na hÉireann reflects the breadth and depth of traditional Irish music, dance and song and is produced by musicians Cian Kearins and Niamh O’Sullivan.
Fiona Ní Cheallacháin
On tour this year is Fiona Ní Cheallacháin (banjo and flute), a member of Ballynacargy Comhaltas since its foundation in 2012.
Fiona developed an interest in traditional music at a young age, starting on tin whistle and progressing to flute. She has participated in county and provincial fleadhanna.
She started playing banjo a number of years ago under the instruction of Joe Connaire, and has performed for Seisiún an tSamhraidh for a number of years.
The remaining line-up includes a host of fine musicians, dancers and singers from all over the country. The bean an tí, and talented dancer Ciara Horan is joined by dancer Danielle Bowe, and multi-instrumentalist Bláithín Kennedy, all from Tipperary.
From Offaly are Michaela Kenneghan on vocals and guitar, Liam Orr from Donegal on button accordion, Ciara Maguire on fiddle from County Down and Daire Smith from Cavan on bodhrán, banjo and vocals.
From County Dublin, is Lughaidh Fisher on flute and vocals, and there is a host of talent from County Limerick, including Micheál Fitzgibbon on uilleann pipes, harp and flute, Séamus Ó hAirtnéide on flute and long-standing tour manager Eddie Murphy.
From Kerry, are Timmy Flaherty on uilleann pipes and banjo, and there is Ray Shanaghan, a talented dancer, and Thomas Palmer on piano accordion, both from County Cork. Brogan McAuliffe on concertina is coming from London for the tour, and there are two Sligo ladies, Síofra Hanley on harp and Eimear Mulvey, a sean-nós dancer.
Don’t miss out on this opportunity to see some of the best local and national talent in traditional Irish music, song and dance.