Belfast TradFest: Hundreds in traditional music flash mob bring park to life
Belfast TradFest, now in its seventh year, is running until 3 August.The Artistic Director of Belfast Tradfest Dónal O'Connor led the 900 strong group in a rendition of 'The Blarney Pilgrim'."We thought it would be a nice idea to have a spontaneous session and bring the students out of their classrooms and come together to play a tune, dance and sing together."I don't think I've ever been in the company of so many traditional musicians in one place, and the beauty of the summer school is that there are people of all ages, from five years old, to our oldest student being 85."He added: "Traditional music brings people together, with young people learning from the old and old learning from the young".
Mr O'Connor also explained the intentional choice behind the tune "The Blarney Pilgrim"."It made famous by the band Planxty in the 70s, but is often a tune that many people learn at the early stages of their music learning career, it is a brilliant unifier."
Éimear, 21, has been playing the flute for nine years and said it "has been great to see everyone of all ages and all abilities come together to play a tune". Nellie, a summer school student, told BBC News NI the importance of the music."I live in England and have come over specifically for TradFest. I come from a very musical family and just love playing and listening to traditional music.""Trad music for me is a way to communicate. I can go in to any pub and have something in common with someone else there, it creates an instant human connection over a shared love."
Family influence also plays a big part in many of the young people's journeys with their instruments.Which is the case for Eimhear, 13, from Portadown who has been playing the harp for four years."I started learning the harp because of my great granda... there's always music being played in my house and at family parties. My uncles and cousins also play so I wanted to do it too."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BreakingNews.ie
4 hours ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Week-long Fleadh festivities to get underway in Wexford from Sunday
Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2025 will kick off on Sunday in Wexford Town for the second year in a row. Approximately 500,000 visitors are expected over the 10-day period of the largest cultural event on the island. Advertisement Singers, musicians, and dancers will gather alongside street performers and big names. RTÉ and TG4 will support Comhaltas Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann as official media partners and, in addition to a large-scale national campaign, RTÉ programmes and presenters will be going to the Fleadh in Wexford town. This year's Fleadh will see another Guinness World Record attempt, after the 2024 event set the record for the largest group playing tin whistles together over a five-minute period. This year, organisers are attempting to break the record for the largest céilí band ever assembled. The Fleadh has something for everyone - with book/music launches, céilís, children's events, concerts, exhibitions, gig rigs, walking tours, as well as lots of food and drink to enjoy. This year's Fleadh will be officially opened by President Michael D Higgins at 3pm on Sunday, August 3rd, with the launch day also featuring the WexWalks Historical Walking Tour, O'Riada Mass, Credit Union Rig Gig, Glenside Céilí Band, and Scoil Éigse.
BreakingNews.ie
5 hours ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Seán Rocks: Funeral of RTÉ broadcaster to take place in his hometown Monaghan
The funeral of RTÉ broadcaster and actor Seán Rocks will take place in his hometown of Monaghan on Monday. Mr Rocks, who was the host of arts and culture programme Arena on RTÉ Radio 1, died suddenly at St Vincent's University Hospital on Wednesday following a short illness. Advertisement The 64-year-old, who lived in Dundrum in Dublin, had been on air the previous Friday. In a notice on Mr Rocks' family offered their thanks to the staff at the intensive care unit in St Vincent's for the 'excellent and devoted care' they gave him. They also expressed their appreciation for the kindness extended to them by staff onsite at a very difficult time. Mr Rocks will lie in repose at Clerkins Funeral Home Milltown, Monaghan, on Saturday and Sunday from 3pm until 6pm. The funeral procession will arrive to St Macartan's Cathedral in Monaghan on Monday for 11am mass with burial in the adjoining cemetery. The funeral service will be live streamed. Advertisement Paying tribute to Mr Rocks earlier this week, RTÉ director-general Kevin Bakhurst said his death was an 'enormous shock'. Ireland Seán Rocks, presenter of RTÉ radio's culture show... Read More He said: 'Seán said once: 'Radio is never about the presenter. It's about the person who is opposite you.' 'Loyal listeners, especially to Sean's beloved and long-running Arena on RTE Radio 1, will recognise the man in that quote: Modest yet learned; subtle yet probing; curious yet polite. 'The listener at home was always his focus. Not only is radio the poorer for his passing, but so too has Ireland lost one of its most passionate advocates for the arts, and one of its most informed and versatile voices. 'I want to extend my most sincere sympathies to Sean's beloved Catherine, his children Christian and Morgan, his friends, and his colleagues at this terrible time.'
Daily Mail
6 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Sing Street is a feel-good, Eighties Irish fairy tale. Nerdy new boy forms a band and gets the cool girl. What's not to like, says Georgina Brown
Sing Street (Lyric Hammersmith) Verdict: Sounds like teen spirit Rating: The School Of Rock meets The Commitments in this rough but ready Dublin-set film-to-stage musical. In the opening image, a dolls' house is pulled apart to reveal what's happening inside. Three kids are watching Top of the Pops in the bad-old Eighties, drooling over the New Romantics, bopping to Blondie. It's the highlight of the week for this once 'posh' family which has run out of money because of Dublin's flat economy and even worse, run out of luck. Conor's mum is having an affair, his dad is drinking, his dope-smoking brother can't get himself out of the house, his new Christian Brothers school (motto: 'Act Manfully') is run by bullies and the headmaster hates him. In a bid to impress (actually, get off with) a punky wannabe model, Raphina (Grace Collender), Conor asks her to be in his music video. The lad hasn't even got a band. Lucky, then, that Sheridan Townsley's Conor has a fabulous voice and, with a smear of eye-liner and lipstick, is rock-star gorgeous. Oh, and all his gawky, gormless mates just happen to be super-talented musicians. The band is born. Characters are flimsy, the plot schematic and predictable in Enda Walsh's book, which may just as well have been written by Chat GPT on a bad day. Eventually Rebecca Taichman's wonderfully winning production collapses into an all-out gig. But such is the teen spirit, the astonishing energy and raw talent of all involved, with many of the performers making their theatre debut, Sing Street sings loud and clear about the possibility — no, the absolute certainty — of dreams coming true and the irresistible power of music. And a couple of the numbers (music and lyrics by John Carney and Gary Clark) have staying power. 'Girls', sung by Conor and his sister and then reprised by Raphina, is one; Conor's sweet, funny, catchy Up is another. An Irish fairy tale on many levels. What's not to like?
