FRIDAY 3^rd SEPTEMBER.    8.00 p.m. Session with Frank Custy, Teresa Custy, Patrick O’Loughlin and friends. 9.00 p.m. Official opening by Joe O’Connor followed by sessions with Peter O’Loughlin, Maeve Donnelly, Vincent Griffin and Conor McCarthy.  Ceili will follow with Music by Four Courts Ceili Band.

12-1 p.m.   Tin whistle classes for beginners–  Karen McInerney

1-2   p.m.   Tin Whistle for Improvers –           Karen McInerney                             

12-1 p.m.    Flute classes – Beginners -            Paul Smith

1 - 2 p.m.    Flute classes-   Improvers-             Paul Smith

12-1 p.m.    Fiddle classes – Beginners -          Vincent Griffin.

1-  2 p.m.    Fiddle classes – Improvers –         Vincent Griffin

2- 3  p.m.    Tin Whistle –Advanced -              Maria Cafferkey.

2 - 3 p.m.    Brush Dancing –Beginners-          McDonagh Bros.

                    (bring your own brush).

2 - 3 p.m.    Concertina – Improvers -              Mairead Considine.

4 - 5 p.m.    Sean Nos Dancing -                      Mairead Considine.

5 - 6 p.m.    Set Dancing                                   Mary Murrihy ( in Garrihy’s Bar).

Registration must take place 15 minutes prior to each class. 

Afternoon sessions and dancing in Garrihy’s Bar with Ann Hayes Group, James McNamara, Michael Falsey, Mary Ann Sexton James McMahon. 

Saturday night:  Sessions with Mick Crehan, Ita Crehan, Angela Crotty, Paul Smith, Vincent Griffin, Conor McCarthy. Jedd Foley, Maria Cafferkey, Des Cafferkey, Ailish Walsh, John J. Hartnett, Frank Whelan and Ennis CCE Group, and local musicians, James O’Halloran, Bernie Keane, Murt Collins, Tom Clohessy, Astrid Adler, Jerone Bos, Karen McInerney, Tony O’Loughlin, Frankie McNamara. Breda Latham, Tommie McMahon, Michael O’Brien.

SUNDAY 5^th   Mass in Lisdeen Church at 9.30 a.m. followed by visit to Nell Galvin’s Grave in Lisdeen Cemetry. Sessions commence at 2 p.m. at Garrihy’s Bar with Tony Linnane, Mick Conneely, Jedd Foley, Mick Crehan, Angela Crotty:

Sunday night: Sessions continue with Alan Finn and friends, Robbie McMahon, Des Mulkere and a host of noted musicians.     

Full list of musicians and dancers at a later date.

For further information Tel: 065 90 51597 or visit www.nellgalvin.com

The seventh annual Nell Galvin Festival proved to be the biggest and most successful to date both from the attendance of patrons and musicians point of view.  We had the largest number of musicians so far in attendance over the week end with some coming from Achill Island, Mayo, Galway, Kerry, Dublin, Limerick, Cork, and all parts of County Clare.  Patrons from all over Ireland and some from the U.S.A, Australia, Spain and England attended and were loud in their praise for the friendly atmosphere they experienced and also for the quality and continuous supply of traditional Irish music available.

However, the entire festival was shrouded under a cloak of sadness and deep shock at the sudden and untimely death of our Chairman Peadar Crotty who passed away on Wednesday the 19^th August 2009.  He had chaired our Committee meeting on the night of Tuesday 18^th August and died peacefully in his sleep during that night.  Peadar was a very fine musician and played the Flute at many venues throughout County Clare, Kerry and Roscommon.   Together with other musicians from County Clare he performed for Jean Kennedy Smith at the Phoenix Park during her visit to Ireland.  At all times he encouraged the young people he met at music sessions to continue with their classes and to keep the traditional music alive throughout West Clare.   He came from a musical family and was predeceased by his brother the well know flute player the late P.J. Crotty.  His father and grandfather were also musicians and played the fiddle.   Peadar was respected by all who knew him.  He was always willing, helpful and kind with a great sense of humour. These are some of the great memories he leaves behind.    May he Rest in Peace.   After consulting with his family we decided to go ahead with the festival and make it a celebration of his musical life as well as commemorating Nell Galvin’s memory.  

On Friday the 4^th the festival got off to a flying start with music provided by Frank Custy and his group.  At 9.30 p.m the official opening ceremony was performed by Muiris O’Rochain Miltown Malbay.  A minute’s silence in memory of Peadar Crotty was observed.   A session then took place with Vincent Griffin, Conor McCarthy, Peter O’Loughlin and Maeve Donnelly.   Later in the evening The Four Courts Ceili Band played to the delights of all the set dancers present.  Sessions were also taking place in the outer bar in Garrihy’s until late.

On Saturday the 5^th the classes were held in Moyasta School, (with the exception of the set dancing) which took place in Garrihy’s bar, and this year all classes were very well attended by both beginners and improvers.   The classes were in Fiddle, Tin Whistle, Flute, Concertina, Sean Nos Dancing, brush dancing and set dancing.   The tutors were: Vincent Griffin, Paul Smith, Karen McInerney, the McDonagh brothers, Mairead Considine and Mary Murrihy. 

From 2.30 p.m music sessions took place in Garrihy’s bar with Ann Hayes, Mary Ann Sexton, James McNamara, Michael Falsey and James McMahon.   During the night there were several music sessions throughout Garrihy’s bar and exhibitions of sean nos dancing and brush dancing were given by the McDonagh brothers, Pat McMahon, Claire Frawley, and the Latham sisters.

Sunday morning Mass in Lisdeen Church was followed by a visit to Nell
Galvin’s grave in Lisdeen cemetery.  Michael Galvin the ninety year old son of Nell Galvin and his wife Phyllis were present at the Mass and for some of the festival events and a large contingent of their friends from Thurles Co. Tipperary were also present.

At 2.0 p.m Garrihy’s bar was resounding with musical renditions by Tony Linnane, Mick Conneely, Jedd Foley, Mick Crehan, and Angela Crotty.  These were joined by Des Cafferkey, Maria Cafferkey, Ailish Walsh, and Aoifa Desmond.   Singers also contributed to the afternoon sessions:  These were Michael Cafferkey, Tony Slattery, Marty Marrinan, and Robbie McMahon.   The following is a list of the musicians that participated during the week end.

Colin Sheehan: Murt Collins:, Paul Smith, Mick Crehan: Angela Crotty: Astrid Adler, Jerone Bos : James McNamara, Tony Slattery: Paul Smith, Jedd Foley, Vincent Griffin, Aoifa Desmond, John Desmond: Ita Crehan: Frank Whelan and members of Ennis CCE – Martin Quigley, Josh O’Loughlin, Colm Nestor, Des Mulkere, Conor Daly, Claire Hamilton, Frank Custy, Teresa Custy, Patrick O’Loughlin, John Joe Tuttle, Maria Cafferkey, Maeve Donnelly, Peter O’Loughlin, Sorrocha Curtin, Frankie McNamara, Conor McCarthy, Joe Searson, Pat Curtin, Ann Hayes, Michael Falsey, Mary Ann Sexton, James McMahon, Bernie, Colman and Marie Munnelly: Mark James , James O’Halloran, Bernie Eustace, Karen McInerney, Ailish Walshe, Des Cafferkey, Edel Vaughan, Joe Linneen, Mick Conneelly, Robbie McMahon, Michael O’Brien, Bernadette Keane, Mairead Considine, Tommy Browne, Pat McMahon, Darragh McDonagh, Matthew McDonagh, Mary Murrihy, P.J. King Cyril O’Donoghue, John Wynne, Tommie McMahon, Breda Latham, Michae Crowley, Pat Kelly, Ollie Gallagher, Pat Reddan, Seosamh Reid, John Reid, Sean Barry, Casandra Frawley, Tom Clohessy, Peter Haugh, Joe Sullivan, John Brosnan, Tim Kerins, Marty Marrinan, Claire Frawley, Pat McMahon, Jenny Clark and the Latham sisters.  Two ceili bands also attended: The Four Courts and The Five Counties.  An exhibition of set dancing by the All Ireland winning set took place on the Sunday night.  The dancers come from all around West Clare.

The Festival Committee received a very positive feed back from all who participated and from the patrons who attended the week end.  The classes on Saturday once again proved to be very popular and successful.  The festival has again proved to be a big financial boost for local B & B operators in the area, as the musicians travelling long distances stayed in accommodation paid for by the Committee, but many more musicians and visitors stayed in accommodation paid for by themselves. 

The Nell Galvin Committee are deeply indebted to all the musicians who attended this year and also to our loyal sponsors, the Clare Co. Council, the Arts Council Comhaltas Ceoilteoiri Eireann and to all those who contributed to the various articles in our programme.   Thanks also to the Tutors for the classes, because without the assistance of all those we could not continue.