Photos by Colm Nestor

Photos by Colm Nestor

Photos by Andy Lambert




Photos by Patrick Keating



Orla Coughlan, Noel Bermingham and Michael McGrath

Áine, Andy Lambert and Jes McNamara


Nuala Kelly (whose flute I’m holding!) holding baby Muireann Considine at the Seisiún, mammy Niamh Considine (fiddle) and myself, Áine Heslin. PK photo.
Open seisiún at Cruises every Thurs night from 8:30pm – hosted by Jimmy Clancy on accordion and myself, Áine Heslin on flute and tinwhistle. Absolutely lovely group of people joined us last Thurs from different countries and from Facebook too!! 🙂 Met with Tony Illanes from Spain who joined us for the night – we’ve met on Facebook and he was happy to play ‘Walking the Dog’, my jig which he had learned from having downloaded my cd! Thanks Tony for supporting a composer!
We had visitors also from New York (Fang, on fiddle), London UK (Shirley and some friends) and closer to home, Wayne from Armagh, Gerry Eustace and Peig from Clare, also some of our regular visitors too; Patsy on piano accordion, Mary Caldwell on accordion, Brian Burke on flute, of course Andy on bouzouki, Michael on accordion, Patricia doing Sean-nós (we hear she won a sean-nós competition at the weekend – well done!) and concertina. Also their friend Mary, sean-nós dancer too. We had a couple more whose names I didn’t catch, sorry guys. Also Suzannah onfiddle and Geraldine on tinwhistle. Hup!

Wayne from Armagh on banjo! Fleadh Nua 2017

Patricia on concertina. Fleadh Nua 2017

In full flight – Tony Illanes from Malaga, Spain! Fleadh Nua 2017

Gerry Eustace singing, also (not in the photo) Peig, who sang a couple of lovely songs too. Fleadh Nua 2017

Andy Lambert on bouzouki, when not taking photos or singing a song!

In the snug beside the seisiún was the makings of another – only got Shirley’s name (on left, concertina) Fleadh Nua 2017

Three lovely sean-nós dancers seated before entertaining the lot of us with their lively steps! Fleadh Nua 2017

Ronan Burrenn (left) capturing the fun of the evening with Facebook Live for his group Ireland’s Inner Beauty!

Fang from NY on fiddle, Michael on accordion, Patsy on piano accordion Wayne from Armagh on banjo and this gentleman (sorry!) on bouzouki/mandolin? Fleadh Nua 2017

Áine, Jimmy Clancy and Tony Illanes, fiddle. (Brian Burke on flute behind and Gerry Eustace on mandolin) Fleadh Nua May 2017 Cruises. Photo by Andrew Lambert.

Shirley from London on concertina, friend on banjo, Colm Nestor on flute and friend on fiddle! Cruises Thurs night session during Fleadh Nua 2017. Photo by Andrew Lambert

Cruises Thurs night session during the Fleadh Nua in Ennis May 2017. Photo by Andrew Lambert.
Join Jimmy Clancy, accordion and myself, Áine on flute/tinwhistle from 8:30pm in Cruises Bar Thurs 25th May for an open seisiún – could be a mighty session with the Fleadh Nua in town!!
Today we are spoiled, as the photos I have from last Thurs were taken by Pat Keating – accordion player who was not included but I found an older photo – a couple of musicians I didn’t have names for, my apologies. Check out Ronan Burrenn’s Facebook Group ‘Ireland’s Inner Beauty’ for some previous live videos taken. (People listen live from all around the world)
8:30pm in Cruises tomorrow (Thurs) evening you can join Jimmy Clancy and myself in an open session full of music, chatter and maybe a song. Was a bit lax with my photos again last week and some musicians had already gone home but I got a couple before we finished up! None of Jimmy this week. 😦 ……but tomorrow night …..;)
Anyway – why not start warming up for the Ennis Fleadh Nua http://www.fleadhnua.com/ which starts next week!
OH and a big thanks to all who listened to my new tunes on the video last week!! I have news about new tunes which I will let you know of shortly – an exciting summer ahead!
Back to our lovely Thursdays – join Jimmy Clancy and myself tonight (May 11th) at 8:30pm in Cruises – I know it’s a bit of cliche but – every night is different and unique! Love them. Last week we were joined by Orla McGovern on piano and had a lovely visiting flute-player from Sligo, Marie Keeney (hope I’ve remembered that correctly?) amongst other musicians and even step-dancers! See photos below – also see Ronann Burren’s Facebook page ‘Ireland’s Inner Beauty’ as he has some photos too. We had a lovely lady Patricia who step-danced but I was playing so – no photo.

Satoshi Aoki on flute and later – sean-nós dancing.

Paula O’ Regan on fiddle and concertina, Patsy Hanrahan on piano accordion.

Orla McGovern on piano.

Marie Keeney from Sligo on flute. Mary Caldwell on accordion and later – sean-nós dancing.
Not really wishing away this lovely month but…looking forward to the hospitality of Keane’s Bar in Carrigaholt for Ceol Cois Tine (Music by the Fire) May 28th. All musicians welcome to join myself (on flute), Matt (on guitar/vocals), Mairéad Considine (concertina) and Caroline Killeen (on fiddle) and it’s an early seisiún so no more boss tapping you on the shoulder saying tut-tut late night!!NOT SAYING you have to go home early…at all!;) Join us at …...7:30pm. School-going musicians might find this useful too. Keep up to date with events by checking my Upcoming events – 2017 page. https://aineheslinmusic.com/upcoming-events/
As promised, here are the manuscript notes and video of ‘Jimmy Clancy’s Fancy’ and ‘Jimmy will find a relation’ – two reels I wrote last month. There are many of you out there who can do a better job of playing these than I can so please give them a try. (Am not a great trad player – a good musician, I hope!) There are musicians who are used to translating manuscript into abc notation – I’m not very used to it, but will do that for you soon. Thanks Olaf Sickman for asking to be the first to record a composition of mine – Olaf plays a lovely solo guitar version of ‘Bláthú’ on his album ‘Cafe Rialto’!


Áine Heslin and Jimmy Clancy. Photo by Betty Connor.
CRUISES seisiún tonight from 8:30pm.;)
Had a wonderful night in Friels Lynches Pub in Miltown on Sat night last with Sorcha Curtin and Caroline Tubridy. We were joined by Dolores Hamill who was looking forward to some West Clare tunes as was Denya DeVine from Cape Cod! We had a friendly and appreciative audience too, thanks all. Some photos below mixed in with some snaps from last Thurs night’s session in Cruises! That was a great night of music, which was fitting as Jimmy had laid to rest a dear friend and relation who loved the music always! Ronan from ‘Ireland’s Inner Beauty’ came in and took several Facebook Live videos during the evening (I captured a shadowy pic of him in the process!) Jimmy nor I feature in the photos but I’ll drop in one so you don’t forget us!!! 😉

Caroline Tubridy on concertina.

Sorcha Curtin on concertina and Denya DeVine on fiddle.

Dolores Hamill on concertina.

Áine Heslin and Jimmy Clancy. Photo by Betty Connor.

Michael on tinwhistle being Live videoed by Ronan from ‘Ireland’s Inner Beauty’!

Brian Burke on flute, Theresa on concertina Mary Caldwell on accordion, Michael McGrath out of sight! And Seanie on guitar.

Seanie on guitar/vocals.

Seanie on guitar and Andy Lambert on bouzouki – both sang songs during the night!

Paula O’ Regan on fiddle (beside her Patsy Hanrahan on piano accordion) Brian Burke and Michael Coffey on flutes
Recent Comments