New, older and old traditional music.
I have enjoyed very much the sessions I have played this past year – 2017. Not only am I hearing my own tunes being played by friends (amazing) but I’m enjoying playing tunes written in the past twenty years by some well known traditional musicians too – and of course, there is such a vast amount of old tunes that are truly fantastic to play! It’s been heaven!
Looking ahead now – I have decided to record more of the many tunes I have written in order to just have them out there and they can therefore sink or swim!! This will allow me peace to continue writing as it is what I enjoy and who knows what tune/melody/air is waiting to be written down?! Have to find out!! #composing #newcompositions
If you have my last album (‘The Tunes Foundry’) please throw it into the cd player again and give it a spin – I’d love if you would let me know which tune you think is memorable to you and why. (For sale on my Shop page for €16p&p incl) One of the greatest compliments I received this year was from a friend who told me that The Tunes Foundry was the family’s favourite car music and was still being played despite two of the tracks being scratched!! #geraldineandgang
Áine is presented with a cake by her father, celebrating the launch of her new CD The Tunes Foundry. From the family.
Áine Heslin flute with Matt Heslin accompanying on guitar.
#traditionalirishmusic #irishtraditionalmusic #newmusic #coclare #sessions #tradmusic #ennis #friendliesttowninireland #newtunes #cruisesbar
Thanks for the support so far!! I really appreciate it. xxxxx Áine
#fleadhdowninennis #fleadh17
In Cruises Pub Ennis tonight from 8pm with Jimmy Clancy and hopefully many visiting musicians – pop your head around the door or come in a look for a seat! You could be lucky…;)
Tomorrow night Friday 18th I’m playing in Kilkee with Paddy Mulcahy (of Los Paddys de la Pampas!) and Lenka Hoffmannova (from same band) from 10pm.
Busy few nights ahead…(tunes! :))
Tonight(Thurs 27th) from 8:30pm in Cruises with Jimmy Clancy and our wonderful, forever-growing set of friends! Join us there!
Tomorrow night(Fri 28th) from 9:30pm in the Stella Maris, Kilkee, with Niamh Casey on fiddle and Matt on guitar and song – open session too!
Saturday morning (29th) meeting my Facebook friend Olaf Simpson for the first time 🙂 and bringing him to the Dan Furey Set Dancing Weekend, Labasheeda, where I’m hosting a kid’s session at 2pm (all welcome) and partaking in the commemoration concert at 3pm.
Saturday night (29th)from 9:30pm looking forward to having a lovely session in Fafa Considine’s, Parnell St, Ennis with Sorcha Curtin and Caroline Tubridy.
Sunday 30th July you will probably find us at the early evening open session in Labasheeda 6pm (with Singer’s Club after) to end the Dan Furey Set-Dancing Weekend! Join us somewhere this weekend!
https://www.facebook.com/Dan-Furey-Set-Dancing-Weekend-Labasheeda-164517380280892/
Thurs night (6thJuly) in Ennis.
Join Jimmy Clancy (accordion) and myself, Áine (flute and whistle) in Cruises Bar from 8:30pm at our open seisiún – plenty of traditional Irish music and maybe some song and dance depending on who visits! Checked back in my phone camera and not one photo from last Thurs – but we had lovely music and lovely genuine visiting musicians!! Lots of thanks to our visiting friend Ronán from the Facebook group Ireland’s Inner Beauty who has taken many videos this past week of us both and shared them WORLDWIDE!! :0
Áine on flute and Jimmy Clancy on accordion. Photo by Pat Keating.
At Cruises tonight from 8:30pm
Thurs 29th June – join Jimmy Clancy on accordion and myself on flute in an open session of traditional Irish music (maybe some song and dance too – depending on our visitors!) at Cruises Bar, Ennis. It’s a weekly seisiún, each week being different and we enjoy every one. Here are a few photos from last week:
Brian Burke on flute and Michael McMahon (from Nova Scotia) on bodhrán.
Jimmy on accordion, Patsy on piano accordion and Bernie on flute.
Fiona on fiddle, Mike on flute and Emily on fiddle.
Bernie and Mike Kerwin (on flutes), Fiona and Emily Kerwin (on fiddles) joined us at the session in Cruises!
Thurs at Cruises (June 22nd)
Find us here from 8:30pm every Thursday – Cruises Bar, Ennis. Jimmy Clancy on accordion and all our visiting musicians – new and nearly new, loved and pre-loved – that’s all of us, and you too. Bring your instrument as it’s an open session. Here are some of last weeks’ participants…
James Kennedy on low whistle.
Daniel Aherne, Cratloe, Co Clare on banjo along with his father on guitar.
Pat Keating, Mr Aherne, Patricia Kirwin on concertina ans sean-nós, John Malone on banjo, Michael McGrath.
James Kennedy and Andy Lambert.
Lovely gathering of musicians…
Mon 19th June music in Kilkee!
Stella Maris Hotel hosts a lovely Monday night open seisiún at 9pm with Niamh Casey on fiddle – this Monday, joining Niamh are Matt Heslin on guitar and songs, and myself, Áine on flute and tinwhistle. So why not (after work maybe) throw on something for a walk on the beach or the cliff-walk and end up in the Stella Maris for music and something to quench the thirst! 40 mins drive from Ennis – worth it to smell the salty sea air!! #sea #sand #cliffs #wildatlanticway #irishtraditionalmusic #trad #session #kilkee
Thurs 15th at Cruises 8:30pm
Yes, looking forward to getting back to Cruises Bar and tunes with Jimmy, our regulars and visitors! Thank you Sorcha, for sitting in for me – you played a stormer last Thurs I heard (not a bit surprised!) I had a chilled week on Achill Island, Co Mayo with the family last week – stunningly beautiful! 🙂 Come on, the summer!! 🙂
Here are some old photos (2 weeks) of Cruises session. Maybe see you there soon!!
Michael on fiddle, Bernie on flute and Patricia on concertina.
Flute player from Clare (sorry about your name – will get it soon), John on banjo
James on bodhrán, Mary on accordion, Mary on concertina, another concertina-player (sorry about the name)
John on banjo and Andy on bouzouki.
Jimmy, James, Mary and Mary.
Cruises Thurs night session
Thurs 8th June at Cruises Bar, Ennis.
Hi all! For those of you looking forward to joining in at the session with Jimmy Clancy from 8:30pm I’m delighted to let you know that you’ll also be playing tunes with Sorcha Curtin – a fine concertina player from Miltown Malbay who is standing in for me there for the night. May there be MANY, many tunes…and maybe a bit of dancing or a song? Have a great night and I’ll show some photos from last week when my signal improves enough to upload!! 🙂 Here are a couple of previous photos of Jimmy and of Sorcha though.. Ps – I’ll see you as usual with Jimmy next Thurs night 15th June!
Last Sunday’s ‘Ceol Cois Tine’
Áine with Caroline Killeen on fiddle and Mairéad Considine on concertina at Keane’s, Carrigaholt.
Tom Maguire singing a lovely song of Kilbaha!
Another fine singer in the audience!
Matt accompanying music and songs – and singing himself too!
18th May (Thurs night in Cruises)
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!
Thurs night Cruises sessions
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.
Sat 29th April in Miltown Malbay.
Looking forward to a lovely night of tunes in Friels Lynchs Pub tomorrow night. Playing with Sorcha Curtin (concertina) and Caroline Tubridy (fiddle/concertina) and anyone else who might drop in to us! Check out Miltown Malbay too; http://www.westclare.net/miltown.htm – and – http://www.clare.ie/place/miltown-malbay/
https://www.facebook.com/Wilsons.Friels
Mike Coffey and Sorcha Curtin
Happy Birthday Jimmy Clancy! :)
Happy birthday Jimmy! I have enjoyed this past year and a half playing in Cruises with you and all our friends – old and new!! I have two reels written for you – hope you like them! 😉 Don’t worry – I don’t expect you to learn them overnight! Plenty of time for that. (I’ll post them here next week for musicians interested)
Thurs 27th – Cruises (photos from 20th)
Join us any Thurs in Cruises from 8:30pm…..here is a taste of last week!
Great photo by Patrick Keating of Satoshi doing his sean-nós steps!
Lovely black and white by Patrick Keating of Andy Lambert and Áine Heslin.
Lovely black and white photo by Patrick Keating of his son Pat and also Paula O’ Regan on fiddles.
Great black and white shot of Paula O’ Regan, fiddle and Michael Coffey on whistle! Photo by Patrick Keating.
Patrick Keating took this lovely photo of Mary Caldwell in conversation with Satoshi Aoki – planning a sean-nós dance? 🙂
Colm Nestor, Michael Coffey and Bernie Kirwin playing for Satoshi Aoki and Mary Caldwell sean-nós dancing. Photo by Andy Lambert.
Jimmy Clancy on accordion, Hannah on fiddle, Patrick Keating on accordion and Pat Keating on fiddle.
Mary Caldwell on accordion.
Colm Nestor on flute and Pat Keating on fiddle.
There is a fine video clip of our sean-nós dancers – taken by Colm Nestor!
Easter in Doonbeg photos
Was very happy during the night to play my two reels ‘Mairéad’s Paradise’ (written a few years ago especially for Mairéad) and Orla’s Intent!’ (written for our mutual friend Orla Coughlan) and it’s always great to hear the tunes on instruments other than my own! Having awesome times in the seisiún in Cruises, Ennis – where sometimes as many as six musicians are playing a couple of my tunes!! Don’t know how to react but I try to thank everybody. 🙂 Happy days! Happy out! (Ps these tunes and more on my album ‘The Tunes Foundry’ which can be purchased on this site if you are curious – grateful for all purchases)
Matt Heslin singing at Easter seisiún at Madigan’s, Doonbeg.
Mairéad Considine playing mighty tunes!
Delighted to have Tara O’ Malley join us in Madigan’s, Doonbeg
Áine with Mairéad Considine on concertina at Madigan’s Doonbeg.
Photos of Easter Saturday seisiún in Madigan’s, Doonbeg with Mairéad Considine, Matt and Áine Heslin and joined by Tara O’ Malley.
Easter Saturday in Doonbeg – April 15th
Join us in Doonbeg, this great little village in Co Clare, for a seisiún and some songs on Saturday night in Madigans Bar. Marty, Emily and family always have a warm welcome for visiting musicians. With Mairéad Considine on concertina, myself on flute and Matt Heslin on guitar/vocals – the tunes will be hoppin’! Looking forward to Easter! 😉
https://www.facebook.com/Madigans-Doonbeg-113455898988530/
April 13th – It’s a musical Thurs! ;)
Join us at Cruises again – 8:30pm in the Bar. Jimmy Clancy on accordion, myself on flute and always a nice collection of visiting musicians for this open seisiún. (Have already heard from a couple of returning visitors).
For the last couple of weeks we’ve had the company of Colm Nestor and though he was gone before the photos were taken – I’m sure I have one somewhere…! Also, Bill and Betty from Seattle who have nearly spent 6mths in Ireland soaking up the traditional music and uniting with relatives of Bill’s – came in for one of their last visits. (Betty took a few lovely photos too!) Andy Lambert was with us before going on a tour with a Galician group ‘A Gramola’. He sent me some nice photos too. Paula O’ Regan joined and I reminisced on some tunes we had learned as youngsters eg; Star of Munster jig into reel and another old jig into reel that the name escapes me…sorry. We played Tripping Down the Stairs as a jig into reel (the jig of which I’ve recently picked up from Paula) – great fun!! Jimmy and Colm steered us through a host of old Kilfinora tunes and stories too which was lovely!
Satoshi was with us again too this week on flute and once again stepped it out on the floor with his sean-nós dancing! The tinwhistle was brought out this week too. So, onto this week and whatever comes…. can’t wait!
Satoshi stepping it out with Bill Connor on flute and Paula O’ Regan on fiddle. Photo by Andy Lambert.
Bill Connor on flute, Paula O’ Regan on concertina and Betty Connor on fiddle. Photo by Andy Lambert.
Áine Heslin, flute, Paula O’ Regan on fiddle, Jimmy Clancy on tinwhistle and Bill Connor on flute. Photo by Andy Lambert.
Áine Heslin on flute with Paula O’ Regan on fiddle. Photo by Betty Connor.
Paula O’ Regan on fiddle and Jimmy Clancy on tinwhistle. Photo by Betty Connor.
Áine, Jimmy, Bill, Patrick, Jerry and Colm. Previous week’s photo for Colm playing flute (front of picture!!) 😉
30th March 2017
Hi again – it’s time for a session in Cruises Bar, Ennis from 8:30pm Thurs.
Some photos from last Thurs – we had more new visitors along with a few of our more regular participants – Aongus on pipes from Limerick originally but now residing in Belgium and Vincent on accordion from Holland.
Satoshi Aoki
Vincent (Holland), Michael McGrath and Aongus (Limerick/Belgium)
Also (but not in the photos this week) Paula O’Regan, Jimmy Clancy and myself.
‘Casper the dog’ (new jig)
The story behind this jig!
Thurs 16th Feb my good friend Paula (O Regan – Clare fiddle player) came into our session and was looking pensive. She was after doing her leading of the adult slow session in Ciarán’s pub and as usual came over to ours for the last few tunes. (We love to see her come in the door) Well, it turns out she had heard just 10mins before her session in Ciarán’s was due to start, that her little dog Casper (who was 10yrs old – a gorgeous, happy little dog) had eaten poison somewhere and had just died at the vet’s! Paula had bravely decided to go ahead with leading the session even though she was of course, gutted. 😦
Her generosity to her fellow musicians (and her good spirits every other night!!) lead me to offer to write a tune for Casper, and Paula was gracious enough to accept that night. I asked her to send me her beautiful photo of Casper and to tell me what type of a tune she would like. I wasn’t surprised when she said a jig – jigs are her favourite! Happy or sad? – ‘Happy’.
This jig is the one I composed for Casper but, the edited version, as I was unhappy with it for a week until I tweaked it. I hope everyone enjoys it! Play it for Casper!
(I appreciate Paula’s allowing me to write this account!)
Paula has begun composing tunes herself so watch out for these in the future.
Paula and her dog Casper!
23rd March (Thurs) Cruises Bar
Well, after all the Saint Patrick festivities of last weekend – it’s back to a normal night of tunes in Cruises Bar. Or is it?? 😉 Come on in and join us from 8:30pm – can’t guarantee what it will be like as it is different every week – but that is the joy of live music. We had a lovely night last week and great musicians – some photos below. (A few missing from photos – Andy Lambert, Steve Brown, Jimmy Clancy..)
Pat Keating, Michael McGrath, Brian Burke and Howard Winrow.
Des Mulkere, Paula O’Regan, Pat Keating.
Smokey McKeen from Maine.
Michael McGrath and Smokey McKeen
Eve of St Patrick’s Day – session in Ennis
If you are in Ennis on 16th March, why not drop in to Cruises from 8:30pm and enjoy the session – or join in if you feel so inclined! All welcome. Jimmy Clancy and Áine Heslin leading the session. Here are only a couple of photos from last week (phone settings went awry)
Michael McGrath.
Pat Keating snr and Pat Keating jnr. Father and son having fun!
Aine Heslin Music 
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