Trad musician pals to reunite for special gig
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ABOVE: Flautist, Christy Barry from Doolin with (inset) Eoin Moriarty of Listowel who will appear - with friends - at St. John's Theatre & Art Centre in Listowel on Friday night, August 13. FROM Listowel to Doolin via Chicago — it's been quite a road in trad music for one Listowel bodhrán champion and an old friend of his as they prepare for their first concert together in years at St John's on Friday, August 13, next.
A chance meeting between Listowel bodhrán player Eoin Moriarty and Clare flute player Christy Barry reawakened great memories of their time together playing in the Chicago-based trad act, Listowel. So great were the memories in fact that the pair decided to reform, although the privilege of naming the new group went to Christy who duly hit on the Doolin Céilí Band — after one of the country's greatest trad destinations not too far from his home town of Ennistymon.
Eoin holds county, provincial, All-Ireland and North American titles for the bodhrán and Christy has been published in over 150 traditional music books worldwide and is recognised as one of the great Irish flute players on the trad scene today.
The pair now plan one memorable inaugural concert for the new band at St John's. They will be joined on stage by Kilfenora fiddle-player James Devitt, Doolin guitarist, banjo and bouzouki-player, Kevin Griffin and button accordion-players Stephen Murphy from Cong and Colin Nee from Kilfenora.
"The idea of putting the band back together is exciting, especially when you look at the line up," Christy said.
"We want the format to be a little different. The music will be powerful but we want to have a little bit of banter and interact with the audience-we want everyone to leave feeling that the music was brilliant and the craic was great! Included in the night, we intend to have performers from the locality-to give the peformance a local flavour."
As for the name of the band, it speaks for itself, Eoin said: "I chose the title of the previous band-Listowel, so it was Christy's turn this time, and what a great name he chose, after the home of traditional music."
Special guests at the concert will include Billy Keane and Irish step dancers Aaron and Sean Slemon.
- Donal Nolan's Photos by John Reidy Contact Donal Nolan Phone: 066 7145520 e-mail: dnolan@kerryman.ie
