Trad ‘supergroup’ due in Newbridge this September

MUSIC NETWORK continues its 40th anniversary celebrations with a dynamic new collaboration featuring four of Ireland’s most outstanding traditional musicians on a gruelling 13-date tour, which will see their arrival at the Riverbank in Newbridge on 18 September.

The quartet – Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh, Pauline Scanlon, Tom Morrow and John Doyle – will take just one day off between 16-27 September, before recharging for a couple of days prior to their short British tour in Liverpool and London.

Together the quartet brings musical traditions shaped by different parts of Ireland and beyond, each artist influenced by the place they call home and the musical communities that have inspired them. As John Doyle puts it, “Each one of us brings nearly a different county to the set”.

Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh is one of Ireland’s foremost traditional singers and musicians. Best known for her 13 years as lead singer and flute player with Danú, she has also established an outstanding career as a solo performer, broadcaster and collaborator.

A leading exponent of the sean-nós tradition, Muireann has earned accolades including Gradam Ceoil TG4 Amhránaí na Bliana and RTÉ Radio Folk Awards Best Folk Singer. She currently presents Folk on One on RTÉ Radio 1, sharing her passion for traditional music with listeners every week.

Also lending her voice to the line-up is this year’s TG4 Gradam Ceoil Amhránaí na Bliana (Singer of the year) Pauline Scanlon. Since the release of her acclaimed debut album Red Colour Sun, she has become one of Ireland’s most distinctive and influential folk artists.

Whether performing with LUMIERE, collaborating with artists including Damien Dempsey and Sinéad O’Connor, or reimagining the songs of Leonard Cohen with Bird on the Wire, Pauline has continually expanded the possibilities of traditional song while remaining deeply rooted in its heritage.

A member of Dervish since 1998, Tom Morrow has spent almost three decades performing Irish traditional music on the world’s great stages. From Glastonbury to Rio de Janeiro, and as a cultural ambassador on Irish state visits overseas, his expressive fiddle playing has introduced audiences around the globe to Ireland’s rich musical tradition. An All-Ireland senior fiddle champion and highly-respected collaborator, Tom has performed alongside many of the finest musicians in Irish traditional music throughout his distinguished career.

Completing the quartet is John Doyle, one of the most influential guitarists in contemporary Irish traditional music.

A founding member of Solas and a regular performer with Transatlantic Sessions, his unmistakable rhythmic guitar style has made him one of the most sought-after accompanists in folk music worldwide. John’s remarkable career has included performances and recordings with Joan Baez, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Liz Carroll, Martin Hayes, Eileen Ivers and Tim O’Brien, alongside an acclaimed body of work as a singer, songwriter and composer.

“When these engagements happen, it’s a chance to do something that’s pretty unique for the four of us and may not happen again. It’ll be of a moment,” said John Doyle.

“We’ll create something that we think is good and worthy to come and see because it might not be repeated.” 

This tour is supported by the Arts Council and the Heritage Council, and tickets range between €10 and €27.