TUESDAY 13
Skilligan Day, Cobh, various venues - A Shrove Tuesday community festival featuring an illustrated lecture on Shrove traditions, with music from Jimmy Crowley and harper Bonnie Skaljean. Cork Singers Club will lead a Shrove Singaround, hosted by Jessie and Conor Anthony in Ryan's Tavern, Cover, at 6pm, while The Carrigcove Céilí Band will lead out the Skilligan Ball at the High Chaparral in Ballymore village at 9.15pm. It's a little calendar feast: no stars, no one gets paid; it's simply a gathering to mark Cobh's special attachment to this early Christian if bacchanalian festival.
THURSDAY 15
Michael Rooney, June McCormack and Róisín White Powerscourt Townhouse Theatre, 6pm. €12. 087-2547574 - Gael Lynn's monthly Siamsaíocht @6! Session brings together three TG4 Gradam Cheoil recipients: Monaghan composer and harpist Michael Rooney, Sligo flute player June McCormack, and Down singer Róisín White. Rooney is a prolific composer whose work The Macalla Suite traced and celebrated our history from the famine times of the 1840s to present day. Expect some finely wrought tunes, melded with exceptional attention to detail.
FRIDAY 16
Donie Nolan, Liam Flanagan and Caoimhín Ó Fearghail St John's Theatre, Listowel. 8pm. €12. stjohnstheatrelistowel.com - Accordion player Nolan is joined by fiddler Flanagan and piper and guitarist Ó Fearghail for an intimate session. This is part of this venue's regular "Best of Tradition" concerts where local and visiting musicians gather together, mixing old and some more contemporary tunes.
FRIDAY 16
Bernadette Morris Seamus Ennis Centre, The Naul. 8pm. €13. tseac.ie - Tyrone singer Bernadette Morris has a fresh take on traditional Irish folk songs. She's been slowly building momentum through support gigs with Cara Dillon, Eddi Reader, Brian Kennedy and Julie Fowlis. Bernadette returns to this venue with her band, fresh from dates at Glasgow's Celtic Connections festival. Tonight she will preview music from her new EP.
