Thursday 28 May 2009

Major summer concert at Ionad an Bhlascaoid, Dún Chaoin

Ionad an Bhlascaoid in Dún Chaoin will play host to two of the most accomplished singers in the Gaelic tradition, Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh from Dún Chaoin in West Kerry and Julie Fowlis from North Uist in the Scottish Hebrides, in a special concert at the centre on June 6th. It will be the final concert of their nationwide promotion tour of their new collaboration 'Dual', an album on which the two singers work alongside Éamon Doorley and Ross Martin. The album is a collection of songs and music from Ireland and Scotland which have been given an interesting twist. For example, on one of the tracks Muireann sings some verses of the famous Irish song 'An Chóisir' while Julie mixes in verses of the Scottish song 'Chuirinn mo ghiollan a dh'iomann nan caorach' Also included on the album are beautiful renditions of songs like 'Beauty Deas an Oileáin' and 'Alasdair Mhic Giolla Ghasda'. The collaboration has earned good reviews around the globe. Robin Deneslow from The Guardian says 'Fowlis is Scottish, while Nic Amhlaoibh is Irish, and this delicate, finely performed set explores the musical links and traditions of the two Gaelic communities... one of the most intriguing folk albums of the year', and Amanda Darling of The Stornoway Gazette calls it 'A marriage of two like minded souls, this album 'Dual', meaning to 'interlace, twine or braid' or 'one's inheritance', truly showcases the girls prodigious talents.' The two have won numerous awards recently. Muireann toured and performed with various musicians and groups before joining the group Danú in 2003. In 2004 they won the BBC 2 Folk Award for "Best Group". At the same awards, the song "The County Down" by Tommy Sands that Danú had recently recorded, won "Best Song". Muireann herself won "Best Singer" at the liveireland.com Awards in 2005. Now a regular contributor to television and radio programmes at home and abroad, she featured prominently in the recent "Highland Sessions" BBC television series, celebrating the best of Irish and Scottish traditional music and song. Julie was awarded Folk Singer Of The Year at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Music Awards 2008, and she won Album Of The Year and Gaelic Singer Of The Year at the Scots Trad Music Awards 2008. This concert is being held with the assistance of Ealaín na Gaeltachta. Tickets are available at €15 from The Blasket Centre. Further Information: Dáithí de Mórdha, Ionad an Bhlascaoid: (066) 9156444 or 0879778871. Visit http://www.muireann.ie/ and http://www.juliefowlis.com/ for more info.

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