Eilís Kennedy with Fire & Grace
Séamus Ennis Arts Centre, The Naul, Co Dublin Friday October 13th 8pm €15/€10 tseac.ie
Hillgrove Hotel, Dingle, Co Kerry Saturday October 14th 7pm €27.50 (with Atlantic Arc Orchestra and The Whileaways) hillgrovehotel.com
Duke & Coachman, Maynooth, Co Kildare Tuesday October 17th 9.30pm Adm free thedukeandcoachman.ie
The West Kerry singer (and one half of Lumiere) recorded her 2016 solo album, Westward, by collaborating with Grammy award-winning guitarist William Coulter to produce a collection of songs that reflected her musical travels over the last 20 years as well as some original songs of her own. On this autumn tour, she's joined by Coulter and his regular compadre Edwin Huizinga on violin. The duo are alternatively known as Fire & Grace.
Mórglór Award Night 2017 honouring Dr Geraldine Cotter Glór, Ennis, Co Clare Saturday October 14th 8pm €22/€20 glor.ie
Glór’s annual award, named in memory of the late west Kerry cultural ambassador and visionary Muiris Ó Rocháin, who co-founded the Willie Clancy Summer School, celebrates outstanding contributions to traditional music. The gong goes to Dr Geraldine Cotter this year. From Ennis, Cotter is a well-known tin whistle and piano player, teacher, lecturer and researcher. Tonight’s exceptionally eclectic gathering will include Shaskeen, The Boruma Trio, Mary MacNamara, Charlie Harris, Maeve Donnelly, Eamonn Cotter, Tim Collins, Lillis Ó Laoire and the Performing Landscapes Ensemble, The Cotter Family, Mairéad Casey and many more.
Slow Moving Clouds
The Dock, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim Saturday October 14th 8.15pm €16/€14 thedock.ie
Variously described as "rich, emotive, euphoric and utterly unique", this trio of Irish and Nordic musicians features Danny Diamond on fiddle, Kevin Murphy on cello and Aki on nyckelharpa. Theirs is a sound that's otherworldly and elusive, rich in atmosphere and evocative of both the traditional and contemporary. Their theatrical soundscape for Loch na hEala has garnered its own laurels, too, so anyone with a taste for wider musical horizons will hardly be disappointed.
Come All Ye Loyal Heroes
The Teachers' Club, 36, Parnell Square, Dublin Saturday October 14th 8pm €12/€6 eventbrite.ie
Anniversary concert marking the passing of the great singer and song collector Tom Munnelly. This gala gathering will feature Donegal sean nós singer Lillis Ó Laoire, The Four Star Trio, Paudie O’Connor and Aoife Ní Chaoimh, Rosie Stewart, Paul O’Shaughnessy and Paul McGrattan and many more. Singers and musicians unite in celebration and in memory of a life lived to the full.
Manus McGuire, Emily Flack and Éamonn de Barra
Powerscourt Centre, Dublin Thursday October 19th 6pm €12 gael-linn.ie
Gael Linn’s intimate monthly teatime sessions kick off for a new season with the exceptionally fine Sligo fiddler (and founder member of Buttons & Bows, Moving Clouds and the Brock McGuire Band) Manus McGuire, who will be joined by Cape Breton singer Emily Flack and multi-instrumentalist Éamonn de Barra. This is tasty music set in the context of the Irish language, just the rejuvenating ticket for those on their way home from a long day.
