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Like all music, Irish traditional music is a social activity, and local musicians have been using the technology available to them over the past weeks to continue musical performance and discourse while raising some much needed funds for the Southern Area Hospice too. Local man Justin Toner is on the air tomorrow night, Sunday at 7.30pm.
One such development is Coirnéal an Cheoil/The Music Corner a regular meeting of musicians and music lovers via Zoom to listen to pre-eminent musicians with local ties play their music and discuss it.
To date, performances have been given by Séamus Sands (Newry/Cork), Paul Bradley (Bessbrook/Wicklow) and Colm, Tom (Newcastle, Co. Down) and Enda (London, England) McGonigle. The musicians are all giving their time pro bono to raise much-needed funds for Southern Area Hospice Services.
A spokesperson for the community said “Enormous interest has emerged already around this gathering, and over one hundred listeners have joined us from across the country, as well as across the water. The series will continue until it is possible for musicians to meet together to play and discuss music – until then there are plenty of local high-calibre musicians willing to give their time to this worthy cause, and many more yet to come forward! The music and discourse is of a standard that could be expected from the faculty in any of the third-level institutions on this island that specialise in Irish music. We have volunteer archivists as well who take minutes, and when the series is complete, a written report will be made available to the Irish Traditional Music Archive in Dublin. The atmosphere is relaxed, and those who tune in have the opportunity to interact with the musicians.”
Future events include a recital/discussion of the music of Justin Toner (Co. Armagh) on Sunday 17 May at 7.30pm, and in June, independent researcher and fiddle player Nigel Boullier will share the findings of his ground-breaking research into the Fiddle and Dance traditions of County Down, which has culminated to date in the publication of his monograph Handed Down, with further developments afoot. Discussions are ongoing with many other musicians, and on Monday 25 May four musicians will join us from their respective music corners.
The performances will not be recorded, and can be accessed live via Zoom on HTTPS://US02WEB.ZOOM.US/J/555790461
The Fundraising page is available at HTTPS://JUSTGIVING.COM
Thank you for your support.
