The Goo 1
Christian Wethered FEB '25 FOLK February is looki
ng like an auspicious month. In terms of events, the 7th RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards will take place in Vicar Street, Dublin on Wednesday 26thFebruary 2025, hosted again by John Creedon. The Awards will be broadcast live on RTÉ Radio 1 and on the RTÉ Radio App, and a highlights programme will be broadcast on RTÉ television. Expect live performances from the likes of Niamh Regan and Rhiannon Giddens. Dublin is set for many a folkgig. Damien Dempsey plays the 3Olympia on 7th February. The trad trio of Derek Hickey, Liz & Yvonne Kane and Macdara Ó Faoláin (who launched his album last month) are on tour this month and worth catching. They play The Pavilion Theatre in Dun Laoghaire on 13th February and The Sugar Club on 18th February. The Ocelots play Whelan’s on the 14th as part of a February tour for their new album. Also don’t miss Dani Larkin at Workman’s club on 13th February. Trad-Jazzers The Olllam play Vicar Street on 4th February – a perfect venue for their heady mix of jazz and traditional folk. For the uninitiated, check out ‘with pure crystal teeth’ or ‘The Tryst After Death’. The trio is the creative offspring of Belfast-native John McSherry (uilleann pipes and whistles), and Detroit-natives Tyler Duncan (uilleann pipes, whistles, guitar, Rhodes), and Michael Shimmin (drums and percussion). Trad-festival Scoil Cheoil an Earraigh will run on 19th February for five days in Ballyferriter, County Kerry. Russell Festival Weekend will run in Doolin, County Clare, from 20th February, also for five days. Finally, The 37th Folk Alliance International Conference is taking place in Montreal, Canada, and will include six Irish-based Official Showcase artists: Billow Wood, Grainne Hunt, Krea, Laytha, Patrick Stefan, and Strange Boy. Each will participate with a Showcase performance on the Culture Ireland stage as well as a series of private showcases across the conference schedule. As regards releases, Declan O’Rourke’s 20th Anniversary Special Edition of Since Kyabram album will be released on February 7th, which is an amazing feat for the songwriter and writer. In its first week (October 2004), Since Kyabram entered the charts at no.5, and over the following two years achieved gold, platinum, and twice platinum status. ‘Galileo’, ‘Sarah’, ‘No Place to Hide’, ‘We Didn’t Mean To Go To Sea’ and ‘Marrying The Sea’ 35 are amongst the titles which led to Award nominations, and plaudits from Paul Weller to Paul Brady and Snow Patrol. The re-release will include a second disc of new bonus material. Alannah Thornburgh will release her debut solo album on February 12th. The instrumental harpist’s sound is elegant, raw, and folkloric. Check out her previous singles ‘Chasing the Hare’ and ‘Away with the Fairies’. The record includes Lorcan Byrne of Basciville on percussion, Rob Thornburgh on saxophone, and Cian Hamilton on electric bass.