Will it 25°C on 25th May? Cruises Seisiún.
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)
Ceol Cois Tine May 28th Carrigaholt
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/
Jimmy’s set!
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.
From Friels to Cruises
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
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!
Thurs 20th (reviewing Thurs 13th! :))
Cruises Bar in Ennis (https://www.facebook.com/cruises.bar/) hosts our seisiún every Thurs night at 8:30pm (Come in on 20th!) and I usually have some photos from the previous week to show – don’t always show everybody (Colm was gone again by the time the snaps were happening) Long post ahead warning!!
What a sad time for my friend Frank Corr over from Reading, whose mum passed away the previous week in Shannon. His brothers and spouses brought him in to the session so that he could be with us and he sang a beautiful rendition of ‘A mother’s love is a blessing’. He shared many great tunes with us over the night and we were delighted to have the Corr family with us.
Also, a musician who joined our seisiún last year pledged to return and true to her word, Lillie arrived last Thursday. Lillie is an artist as well as a fiddler and was running a workshop in Listowel with a friend. She has an exhibition starting THIS VERY FRIDAY there! Check it all out on https://www.facebook.com/LillieMorrisFineArt/?pnref=lhc.
Our very good friends Bill and Betty Connor returned once again before they head back to the States (Seattle) and we shared more good tunes and laughs too! Bill will be immersed in the flute workshop https://www.facebook.com/cruinniunabhfliuit/?hc_ref=SEARCH&fref=nf as we read this post!! Betty was joking that she might come up to our seisiún but that’s a BIT of a journey…..!!
Bill on flute and Lillie dancing ‘Shoe the Donkey’ with step-dancer Michael who came up with his wife and Lillie from Listowel to the session. He also danced a hornpipe later!
Bill Connor on my left and Betty Connor on my right! Thanks for six mths of new friendship you guys – Jimmy enjoyed your company too.
Lillie Hardy Morris, artist/fiddle player from Georgia.
We welcomed back our friend Patsy Hanrahan who, at the end of the night gave Paula and myself a lovely gift each of handmade crotchet gloves (Patsy had been busy during her time away!!) Photo incl. below.
Had to take a picture of these beautiful gloves made by our friend Patsy!
Here are some photos. Paula, Satoshi, Michael and Colm rejoined us – Bernie and John I think had not been before..but hopefully will return!
Betty and Bill Connor on fiddle and flute, John Moloney on banjo and Michael McGrath, accordion
Paula O’ Regan on fiddle.
Betty sang beautifully ‘Irish ways and Irish laws’ a favourite of mine!
Frank Corr on banjo (borrowed from our mutual friend Pat Costello, thanks Pat)
Patsy Hanrahan on piano accordion.
Lillie Hardy Morris from Georgia on fiddle
Michael McGrath, my friend from Ballynacally Bernie Kirwin on flute and Satoshi Aoki also on flute! Great night. Missing from this photo – Colm Nestor on flute.
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!
Heading to Miltown tonight. :)
So happy to be joining Sorcha Curtin and Caroline Tubridy in Friel’s, Miltown Malbay tonight – wow – it’ll be great! Music and merriment. As always – happy to see you there too.
From 10:30pm in https://www.facebook.com/frielspub/
Thurs 2nd March Cruises session
Join Jimmy Clancy tonight at Cruises (Ennis) Thurs night open session at 8:30pm – I’ll be playing too (and who knows what visitors tonight!) and we’ll have musical craic for a couple of hours! Jimmy (if he has time) will work out not only who you are but who you are related to in Clare!! Even if you are from Sweden or Vermont – well ok, maybe who you KNOW in Clare. 😉 Here are a couple of photos from last week.
Brian, Paula, Adrian, Mike and Sorcha. Photo by Andy Lambert.
Áine, Jimmy, Brian and Paula. Photo taken by Andy Lambert.
Mike Coffey and Sorcha Curtin
#Summer2017
I’m dreaming ahead now because, even though this is the second month of our spring it feels like the first month of winter!! 
But at least..the days are getting brighter! 🙂
I have wanted to visit Scattery Island for some time now and this year I’ve noticed more promotion of the day trips out to the island so, it’s now on our summer game-plan. I know already that it will be an inspiration for new music so it’s a must for me.
People might say – isn’t there enough new music – but, when new music comes out that everybody loves…nobody cares how old/new it is – it just ‘is’! You’ll all know examples of this. Well, I’m not saying that any of mine will be that ‘one’ but, just as a good musician keeps playing anyway knowing that they may not be the best out there – so must I write.
https://www.facebook.com/scatteryislandtours/?fref=ts
PS Pencil sketching is a form of therapy and inspiration for me – if I do some that day that are presentable 😉 I’ll upload them.
Cruises Thurs night sessions 23rd Feb
While I still have the time – I’m uploading photos from the previous week. As time moves on things will get busier…less photos! Some of you will be happy about that maybe, but for the rest of us – here we go! (Don’t forget to call in this Thurs 8:30pm Open Session, before heading to Doolin for the weekend!) Ps also, we’ll be here the night before St Patrick’s Day.
Áine Heslin and Jimmy Clancy. Photo by Betty Connor.
Paula, Satoshi and Michael.
Andy! 😉
Michael and…Michael!
Make it a ‘Valentine’s Thurs?! (16th)
Here we go again and, have we a LOT of lovely photos from last week?? Yes, thanks to our good friends Andy and Pat! More even, by Ronan at ‘Ireland’s Inner Beauty’ facebook group – check it out! https://www.facebook.com/groups/1561847780795422/ Matt and I had a lovely visit from our good friend Frank Corr who lives in the UK/plays guitar, mandolin, banjo and sings! And of course all our other new and old friends as pictured below (hopefully with names correct..).
Join Jimmy and myself at Cruises again this and every Thurs from 8:30pm. Bring heart!
From the left – John, Adrian, Pat, Áine, Jimmy Matt and Frank. Photo taken by Andy Lambert.
Matt, Frank, John, Paula, Adrian, (Mary behind) and Satoshi. Photo taken by Andy Lambert.
Andy, Matt singing and Frank Corr (our good friend from England) Photo taken by Pat Keating.
Adrian on flute with Howard on tinwhistle behind. Photo taken by Pat Keating.
Satoshi on flute. Photo by Pat Keating..
Howard and Paula. Photo by Pat Keating.
Áine, Jimmy, Andy, Matt and Frank. Photo by Pat Keating.
John and Howard. Photo by Pat Keating.
Michael in the zone! Photo by Pat Keating.
Áine, Jimmy and Andy. Photo by Pat Keating
John and Howard. Photo by Pat Keating
Exciting night in Kilkee Sat Feb 11th!
The film ‘Connected 2 Each Other’ will be screened for charity (see below) – a short (25 min) filmed featuring Our Lady Queen of Peace, Janesboro, Rose of Tralee Maria Walsh and 8 #portraitartists .Sat 7:30pm at Cultúrlann Sweeney, Kilkee. Tickets: Adult €5, Family €12 and Students €2
Filmed entirely in #limerick with a wonderful #soundtrack with musicians from #Westclare who will play live after the film. Light food sponsored by #marrinanspub at 9pm. .
Book into Kilkee for the night – a great night for 2 great causes. Any musicians attending are welcome to join us on stage after the film for just a couple of tunes!
for #pieta http://www.pieta.ie/?gclid=Cj0KEQiAw_DEBRChnYiQ_562gsEBEiQA4LcssqSDZ9zDz_jgPwPhcpwFHGAt_xu9591-vj9QYX07SpIaAoAb8P8HAQ and #kilkeemarinesearchrescue
Irish Music Magazine Dec’15
Bláthú composed by Áine Heslin 2015 for Maria Walsh in the film ‘Connected 2 Each Other’. (Played on a ‘C’ whistle )
D’C#D’B—ABA–F#EDF#A——-
D’C#D’B—ABA–F#EDE———
F#-E—F#-A–BAF#E-D——
E-F#-G—A-B–ABD’E———-
D’C#D’—E’-F#’–D’E’D’B-A—–
BC#D’–E’D’BA–F#EDE——–
D’C#D’B—ABA–F#EDF#A——-
D’C#D’B—ABA–F#EDD———
Thurs 8:30pm (2nd Feb ’17)’Cruises’
Join Jimmy Clancy, myself and all our visitors – regular and new – in Ennis tonight. Open seisiún at Cruises Bar under the hospitality of Pat and Teresa! 🙂 We had no photos taken last week so here are a couple from the previous week. We’ll probably be here at Cruises St Patrick’s Day EVE – so you can be planning ahead now! 😉
Thurs 19th Jan 8:30pm (Cruises)
Join us for some tunes tonight if you’re in town – Jimmy Clancy on accordion and myself, Áine Heslin on flute, and our visitors of course!! Some photos from last Thurs.
John, Patsy, Paula, Mick (taking a break) Mícheal, Jerry and – I’m sorry, I’ve forgotten our Italian flute-player’s name!!
Colm, Satoshi, myself and Jimmy.
Bill, Betty, Aiden, Kieran and John.
Betty, Aiden, Kieran, John and Patsy.
Thurs session in Cruises/Jan 12th
You coming in tonight? Cruises Bar 8:30pm. Put on your Uggs and snowboots…and be careful – could be some very precarious music played – risky reels, jigs in jeopardy and a hazardous hornpipe or two. (For those of you countries with lots of snow – just to let you know – we’re MAYBE in for between 1 and 3cm! So lots of prep!) Here are a few photos of last week – might not have everybody in photos, apologies. Lovely night.
Jimmy and Michael having the craic! 🙂
Michael, Betty, Bill and Jerry
Satoshi joining in!
Mick and Paula.
Orla on keyboards
It was 2016’s last Thurs seisiún…!:)
Lovin’ the tune! Patsy, Ritchie and Michael at Cruises Thurs night session – also Michael behind Patsy on the left.
There was a great gang (flute players Bill and Áine missing from the photos) and many fine tunes were played Thurs night and I want to thank the listeners (mostly out of the pictures) who gave such great appreciation that everyone had a ball! Happy New Year to all!
See you at the Cruises Thurs night sessions in….2017! (Thurs Jan5th) 😉
Thurs 29th Dec 2016
What better than to be spending time with friendly musicians who continue to join us every Thurs in Cruises Bar from 8:30 for those couple of hours with tunes, stories of woe or of laughter and always welcoming some new friendly faces!! This time, as well as welcoming as many musicians as want to come – we would particularly like to invite people to come and listen to all these diverse instrumentalists with their different talents – FREE CONCERT in effect (apart from the price of a drink and a taxi). We don’t claim to be world class at all times (you can never tell who is in town though..!) and love to have the warmth of a friendly audience around us. Thank you for all the support this past year. Paula O’Regan and Patsy Hanrahan are planning to be there – a great start!
Aine Heslin Music 
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