Thurs 22nd March at Cruises, Ennis!
We had a really great night last Thurs (see pictures below taken by Andrew Lambert)! Join us this Thurs 22nd March from 8:30pm and we’ll see what tunes we’ll play and who will play them with us! We love company!!
#loveirishmusic #lovethecraic #alwaysdifferent #coclare #wildatlanticway
Orla McGovern, Patricia Kerwin, Jim Maher, Lenka Hoffmanova, Bernie Kerwin, John Malone and Aoife. Photo by Andrew Lambert.
Áine Heslin, Jimmy Clancy, Orla McGovern and Patricia Kerwin. Photo by Andrew Lambert.
Orla McGovern, Jim Maher, Patricia Kerwin (dancing), Bernie Kerwin, John Malone and Aoife. Photo by Andrew Lambert.
Orla McGovern, Patricia Kerwin, Jim Maher, Lenka Hoffmanova, Bernie Kerwin, John Malone and Aoife. Photo by Andrew Lambert.
Lenka Hoffmanova, Brian Burke, Bernie Kerwin, John Malone, Aoife ? Yoshinori Fukuda, Misaki Fukuda and Mary Caldwell. Photo by Andrew Lambert.
Áine Heslin, Misaki Fukuda, Yoshinori Fukuda,and Orla McGovern. Photo by Andrew Lambert.
Lenka Hoffmanova, Brian Burke and Bernie Kerwin. Photo by Andrew Lambert.
Open session in Ennis tonight.
February 15th – (Thursday) from 8:30pm at Cruises Bar with Jimmy Clancy, Áine Heslin and friends. Had a great session of visiting musicians last Thurs – see photos below (missed some people, our apologies.) We also had some lovely sean-nós dancing from Patricia and a little from Mary – but no photos I’m afraid. Next time! Come join us tonight.
Aoife from Kilmaley on concertina.
Michael on fiddle and Jim on accordion.
Aoife on concertina and Andy on bouzouki.
Mary and Patricia discussing sean-nós steps and Patricia and Aoife playing concertinas.
Sorcha on concertina, Mike on flute and Howard on whistle.
February 1st 2018 – a session in Cruises.
Well, last week’s session must have been our last in Jan because this one coming…..is
Join us at 8:30pm in Cruises Bar Thurs night… 1st Feb!
Last week there was Jimmy Clancy on accordion and myself, Áine Heslin on flute. As always we had lovely guest instrumentalists and we had tunes all evening even though for the previous two weeks we had four singers at least each night! But then, a young singer who had made her way up from Tipperary just to give us a couple of songs…..arrived as we were finishing and gave us a couple of beautifully-sung songs, accompanying herself on guitar. Ronán from Ireland’s Inner Beauty recorded some videos.
#enniscoclare #sessions #irishtraditionalmusic #accordion #flute #tinwhistle #irelandsinnerbeauty
Some photos below of last week.
25th Jan in Cruises, Ennis.
Join us for tunes tonight from 8:30pm in Cruises Bar, Ennis. Jimmy Clancy and friends! I’m playing a few NEW tunes if there is time and we can relish this wonderful winter weather…or we can dream of sunny days……!!
Last week we had our friend Gerry for the last time before he headed back to Spain again – but he wants to return – often! 🙂 Gerry gave us a fine rendition of the song ‘She moved through the fair’ while accompanying himself on accordion!! Beautiful!
See photos below of our session last week and pop in to us tonight!
Gerry playing his most recent instrument!
Joe Curtin playing harmonica and singing.
Brian, Siobhán and Matt.
Joe, Jim and Brian.
Gerry on fiddle.
Siobhán and Matt – sister and brother! Both lovely singers.
Matt singing.
Jimmy Clancy.
A New Year’s gift?
‘The Tunes Foundry’ CD. https://aineheslinmusic.com/shop/ for more info. Also for sale in digital download format at cdbaby https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/aineheslin where you can hear short clips from each track!
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/
Sunday 2nd July 6-8pm (- before you head to Miltown!)
Sunday 2nd July 2017 ‘Áine’s New Tunes’ Summer Concert Series’ (No admittance charge) continues at ‘The Maguire Suite’ Old Ground Hotel in Ennis from 6-8pm! ‘Áine will play, on tinwhistle and flute, a selection of her recent compositions. From this extensive repertoire of tunes, each concert will feature a unique programme. Presenting also, some popular tunes from her album: ‘The Tunes Foundry’ (released 2014). She will be accompanied by her husband Matt, on guitar and he will sing some songs. Áine encourages people and musicians to ask questions and, any who know her tunes to play with them towards the end of the performance. She may have guests join her – more information will be shared on this website’s homepage or Áine’s Facebook Page (Aine Heslin Music) as it comes available.
“Thoroughly enjoyed playing yesterday at The Sanctuary at Cruises! Was joined by Patricia Kerwin – sean-nós dancer from Clare – who danced beautifully to some reels, and Brian Burke – flute player from Ennis – joined us for ‘Walking the Dog’ and ‘A Tribute to Michael Tubridy’ – two jigs from my album. Lovely playing Brian!! Matt’s songs went down really well too. Looking forward to next Sunday!”
Patricia Kerwin – sean-nós dancer from Co Clare with Áine Heslin at The Sanctuary at Cruises.
Áine accompanying Matt, singing Sullivan’s John at ‘The Sanctuary at Cruises’
Matt Heslin singing during the concert at The Sanctuary at Cruises.
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
Cruises Thurs eve session – June 1st!
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.
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.
‘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/
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