Music

Celebrating women in music: this week’s traditional highlights

Eleanor McEvoy heads a joyful line-up at NCH. Plus: Achill International Harp Festival

Laoise Kelly performs at the Achill International Harp Festival on Saturday afternoon

Siobhán Long's face
Siobhán Long
Sat Oct 27 2018 - 03:00

Freedom Doesn’t Fall From The Sky

National Concert Hall, Dublin Saturday October 27th 8pm €35/€30/€27.50 nch.ie

Eleanor McEvoy, Karan Casey, Pauline Scanlon, Liz Carroll, Niamh Dunne, Maighréad and Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill, Marry Waterson, Reem Kelani, Niamh Ní Charra and others embark on a joyful exploration of the contributions of women to the worlds of folk and traditional music. Inspired by the recent establishment of the Fair Plé initiative, which champions gender balance in Irish music, Saturday night’s concert will explore the rich seams of our tradition and the common ground it shares with other traditions, including that of Palestinian music through the involvement of singer Reem Kelani.

Achill International Harp Festival

Various venues, Achill Island, Co Mayo Ends Sunday October 28th achillharpfestival.ie

This year’s gathering celebrates links between Ireland and Galicia with a raft of concerts and sessions. Saturday afternoon will see a concert celebrating the work of harp-maker Peter Cafferky with Tríona Marshall, Laoise Kelly, Kathleen Loughnane and others in Gielty’s, Dooagh at 2.30pm, while Saturday night sees an international line-up of musicians including Connla from Ireland, Annika Mändmaa Band from Estonia and Anxo Lorenzo and friends from Galicia. Further concerts, films and recitals continue into Monday.

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This Island

Sirius Arts Centre Sunday October 28th 5pm €12 siriusartscentre.ie

Premiere of new composition by cellist Eimear Reidy. This work, for solo cello, combines sounds recorded on and off Heir Island, Co Cork. The piece reflects on the idea that in solitude our relationship with the environment becomes both heightened and intensified.

Scannal – Irish Dance Music

St John's Theatre, Listowel Tuesday October 30th 8pm €15/€12 stjohnstheatrelistowel.com

Featuring Peter Staunton and Bréanainn Ó Beaglaoich on accordion and guitar. Variously described as “musically irreverent” and genre-weaving, this pair of west Kerry musicians put the wildness back into the music that was made for dancing.