Now a folk institution in its own right, Cork’s beloved Folk Festival celebrates its 40th birthday with a panoply of artists and events stretched across the city’s main venues of Cork Opera House, An Spailpín Fánach, The Triskel Arts Centre, The Oliver Plunkett, as well as more intimate sessions in other locations.
It’s also a celebration of the life and music of Timmy “The Brit” McCarthy, known locally as the spiritual director of the festival. Timmy died last year, but his deep love of playing for set dancers is warmly remembered this year. Revelling in the distinctive and often intricate set dances of Sliabh Luachra, Cúil Aodha and Ballyvourney, not to mention the particular challenges of Abbeyfeale’s famed Hurry the Jug jig set, the legacy of Timmy “The Brit” is palpable from Knocknagree in the heartland of Sliabh Luachra to Miltown Malbay, and as far afield as Bavaria and the US.
The weekend bill topper is a gala concert in the Opera House on Sunday night, October 6th, with a remarkable gathering of musicians and singers. Iarla Ó Lionáird and Steve Cooney, English folk icon Martin Carthy and his daughter Eliza, Zoë Conway, Máirtín O’Connor and Dónal Lunny, Nollaig Casey and Arty McGlynn, Matt Cranitch and Jackie Daly, and Caoimhe and Eimhear Flannery will bring a plethora of tunes and songs to the party.
But there’s no shortage of musical shenanigans to be had across the city from Thursday next, when Andy Irvine will sound the starter gun on the whole weekend’s proceedings with a solo performance in Triskel Christchurch, supported by Martina Stafford and Leah Soherta. Irvine’s equal facility for genteel folk songs and joint-crushingly complex Balkan rhythms are a joy to behold. The man’s unfailing love affair with live performance shows no sign of dimming either, so land early and stay until the final encore.
Dusky vocals
Greenshine’s exceptionally honed original songs will take flight on Thursday night in An Spailpín Fánach. This family trio features the dusky vocals of daughter, Ellie, along with her parents, Mary and Noel. The Girl in the Lavender Dress set them apart as songwriters with an ear for a fine melody line, while their more recent single, The Good is Gone, is another example of just how distinctive their songwriting style is. They’ll share the bill with much-lauded English folk trio, Granny’s Attic, whose high-octane take on English folk has brought a whole new audience to the genre.
An intriguing pairing of Scottish folk legend Dougie MacLean and Cork singer/songwriter Ger Wolfe will occupy the same Triskel Christchurch venue on Saturday night, with MacLean’s circuitous historical tales from the islands and Highlands sidling up alongside Wolfe’s songbook, peppered with local references to The Curra Road, The Lark of Mayfield and beyond.
Cork’s reputation for intimate sessions continues to inspire some fine programming, with John Spillane and Jimmy Crowley co-hosting an afternoon session on Saturday in the Oliver Plunkett.
Donegal fiddle player and academic, and former member of The Bumblebees, Liz Doherty, is the festival’s Traditional Musician in Residence, and this charismatic musician will feature in a number of diverse events, including an online fiddle clinic on Friday, fiddle classes on Saturday and an eclectic fiddle concert on Sunday. Other fine fiddle players who’ll keep her company include the exceptional composer Siobhán Peoples and Clare fiddle player Yvonne Casey among others.
The primacy of local accent is writ large across this year’s Cork Folk Festival, with regional styles (both instrumental and vocal) finding space for full expression. It’s a labour of love for a local team who’ve been together since the get go, anchored by William Hammond and Jim Walsh. Local voices, but with a global perspective.
Cork Folk Festival runs from October 3rd to 6th corkfolkfestival.com
