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ATTENTION PERFORMERS!

Musicians, Singers, Dancers who are interested in performing at the 2008 Fleadh Nua, please send a CD or tape or credentials to

Kevin Doyle (Phone 9181 3365 or 0401 827 460)
8 South Street, DRUMMOYNE  NSW  2047
or Email:
irishmusicianssydney
@hotmail.com

Review of Last Festival Concert Photos The Performers Photos of Sessions


Irish Musicians Sydney

  Festival of Irish Music  -  Fleadh Nua

Fleadh Nua 2008
Goulburn

7th 8th & 9th November 2008

· Traditional Irish Music · Song and Dance
· Set and Step Dancing · Ceili and Old Time Dancing ·  Concerts ·
Workshops for flute, tin whistle, fiddle, accordion, uilleann pipes & banjo

ABOUT US

Irish Musicians of Sydney is a non profit volunteer organisation whose aim is to promote Irish music, song and dance in Australia, especially NSW and Sydney with an emphasis of motivating children.

SPONSORS?

Interested in Sponsoring?

Please contact Kevin Doyle on
918
1 3365 or email our hotmail address.

Read the Review of the 2007 Festival in Goulburn

A Great Irish Festival !

In a wonderful weekend for the Irish, 3 of Ireland’s finest musicians flew to Australia for the Fleadh Nua (pronounced Fla Noo), a Festival of Irish Music, Song and Dance, in Goulburn on the June 2007 long weekend.

Over 400 people enjoyed the festival in concerts of music, song and dancing like Riverdance, teaching workshops, ceilis for set dancing, and impromptu instrumental sessions.  

(1)  Pictured from L to R, Kevin Doyle IMS President, the Goulburn Mulwaree Council Deputy Mayor Ken Sullivan, the Irish Ambassador Mairtin O’Fainin, and the visiting Irish virtuosos Carmel Gunning, Janine Redmond and Michael Harrison. 

The Irish Musicians Sydney (IMS) produced the Festival, which included 50 Irish Australian musicians. It was opened by the Irish Ambassador, Mairtin O’Fainin, the Goulburn Mulwaree Council Deputy Mayor, Ken Sullivan, Bishop David Cremin and Kevin Doyle, IMS President. 

The visiting virtuosos were Carmel Gunning, a former All-Ireland Champion Tin Whistler and a renowned flautist and singer; Janine Redmond, a three-time All-Ireland Champion Button Accordion Player; and Michael Harrison, a three-time Champion All-Ireland Fiddler. 

Michael comes from a long line of great musicians, with his great-grandfather founding the Ballinakill Ceili Band, which was the first traditional Irish band to tour the US and record an album, and his grand-mother, Aggie White, the brilliant fiddler, also playing in that band (see Biographies of main artists). 

(2)  Pictured from L to R: Bishop Cremin, Kevin Doyle and Judge Kevin O’Connor playing at the VIP Luncheon, with Carmel Gunning in the backgound.

The other Artists included many of Australia’s best Irish musicians and Artists such as the Jimmy Mullarkey (Ceili) Band, Paddy Fitzgerald on the Button Accordion, Tony O’Rourke on the Banjo, the Uillean pipers with Jack Brennan, Kevin Higgins and Oliver Cechin, the modern traditional Trouble in the Kitchen band, The Beenies, singers Sean Roche, Shea O’Hara and George Gaynor – George hails from the famous George and the Unicorns showband - The Wollongong Academy of Dancers and Andrew McKay, the Sydney Irish Ceili Dancers, and the Harp Dancers.

 (3)  Pictured (left) from L to R, 3 times All-Ireland Champion Fiddler Michael Harrison,and 3 times All-Ireland Champion Accordionist Janine Redmond at the main concert

The Irish Ambassador opened the Festival and said “How wonderful it is to have a festival of this nature, with Irish music & dance. I applaud the Irish visitors Carmel Gunning, Michael Harrison and Janine Redmond who have come all the way from Ireland to make this a success. It is great to see the Irish in Australia who are keeping this music alive, especially those who have brought it here from their native Ireland.” 

The President of the IMS, Kevin Doyle said “Thanks to all the Sponsors especially the Irish Embassy and the Goulburn Mulwaree Council, and to the Musicians and Committee. We hope to hold the Fleadh Nua in Goulburn again next year, but are looking at the October long weekend, and the final decision will be on our website at www.irishmusicianssydney.com”. 

The audience was very appreciative of the main concert on Sunday afternoon, where Michael Harrison and Janine Redmond were called back for an encore, as was George Gayner. The musicians and audience also enjoyed the sessions held at the Astor Hotel, where many of the musicians joined in from 10:30pm to 2am on Friday and Saturday night, as well as the final session at the Workers Club on Sunday.

The Ceili dances were well patronised at St Saviour’s Hall, with music from the Jimmie Mullarkey Band and the Corner House. 

The teaching workshops for fiddle, accordion, tin whistle, flute, Uillean pipes, banjo were held over three days

Back to top            (4) Pictured (right)from L to R, Corner House Ceili Band –
Peter and Sue Hobson, Mark Tandy and
Terry McGee (without pianist Peter Logue)

 
 
 
 
 
(5)  Pictured (left) from
L to R,
Olley Cechin, Jack Brennan and
Kevin Higgins playing the Uillean Pipes.

 

 


 
(6)  Pictured (right)
from L to R playing,
Paddy Fitzgerald, Jimmy Mullarkey, Carmel Gunning, Ivan Roberts, Sharyn Calcagno (Borhan) and Jack Brennan on Tin Whistle in last session
 
 
 

 

(7) 
Pictured (below):

Kevin Doyle on the accordion,
in the same last session

 

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2007 Goulburn Festival

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Website last updated
30 July 2007