Irish Traditional Singers' Sessions
Singers' sessions
(also known as singers' clubs or singers' circles) are slow variants of the
Irish traditional music session; however the dominant mode is not instrumental
music so much as the human voice in song. Each session is unique, with its own
rules and dynamics. Some charge a fee, others are free of charge. Some do not
allow musical instruments at all. Others do, provided they do not overpower the
songs. Some sessions insist only Irish traditional songs be sung. Others are
more lenient. If uncertain what the rules are for the session in your area,
feel free to attend and ask.
It is not possible for me to visit every session on this list. The information
below comes from various sources: websites; magazines; email; and personal
contact with attendees. Special thanks in particular go to Arnold
Fieldman, who has been dogged in running down various contacts, addresses,
phone numbers, etc. for me. I could not have had a list as full or as accurate
without him. This information is as accurate as I could
make it; still it is always advisable to confirm with the contact listed. All the information
is subject to change. I offer no guarantees of completeness. If you know of other
sessions that should be on this list but are not, feel free to contact me with the
particulars. If you attend any singers' sessions (whether or not they are on
this list), feel free to contact me and share your experiences.
Important dialing information for North Americans calling
the island of Ireland: for sessions in
Northern Ireland, calls from the western hemisphere should be dialed by
using the international access code (011), the country code for the United
Kingdom (44), the area code for Northern Ireland (028, omitting the initial
zero), then the local number. So, for the Traditional Singers’ Club in
Cushendall, Co. Antrim, Americans and Canadians would dial 011-44-28-21771610.
When calling within
The system works similarly when dialing the
All county designations below are
within the
Co. Antrim
The Traditional Singers' Club
McCollam's Bar (sometimes called “Johnny Joe's” locally)
Mill Street
Cushendall, Co. Antrim
Northern Ireland
Contact: Mick Quinn
27 Chapel Road
Cushendall, Antrim, BT44 0RS
Phone:
028 21771610
Alternate contact: Evelyn McCurry (Antrim Glens Traditions Group)
Alternate Phone: 028 21771372
Email: glenstraditions@utvinternet.com
Website: http://www.glenstraditions.utvinternet.com/events.html
Singers' sessions are held on the second Friday of the month, except
December and January. Exceptions are
possible, so a call ahead for confirmation is advised. No guitars please!
Co. Armagh
Ring of Gullion C.C.E.
The Welcome Inn
Forkhill, Co. Armagh
Northern Ireland
Contact: Martin Campbell
Email: m.campbell304@btinternet.com
Musicians and singers session meets each Tuesday night.
Co. Clare
Crusheen Singers’ Club
Highway Pub
Ennis Road
Crusheen, Co. Clare
Contact: Frank Hayes or John Madden
Phone: 86 8599957 (Frank) or 86 1517744 (John)
Email: fhayes23@gmail.com
Held on the second Wednesday of the month. The session
consists of unaccompanied singing of mainly traditional or folk songs.
All singers and listeners are welcome. Occasionally instruments are allowed
by pre-arrangement. From time to time they host special guest
singers/musicians.
Doonbeg Singers Club
Comerford's Bar
Doonbeg, Co. Clare
Contact: Ita Comerford
Phone: 065 905 5271
Email: comerfordspub@hotmail.com
Session is held October to April on the third Friday of the month.
Ennis Singers' Club
Cois na hAbhna (Clare Comhaltas Centre)
Gort Road
Ennis, Co. Clare
Contact: Peadar McNamara
Magowna, Inch, Kilmaley, Co. Clare
Phone: 065 683 9139 (home)
087 221 5571 (cell)
Email: peadar.mcnamara44@gmail.com
Session meets around 9:00 PM the second Friday of each month. The newly
renovated centre has a comfortable bar - with lower
club prices for drinks. The club hosts the Singers Club at the annual
Fleadh Nua at the end of May.
Shannon Singers Club
Old GAA Bar (Wolfe Tone's)
Shannon, Co. Clare
Contact: Kieran Kirby
Phone: 061 712068 [OR] cell 087 7985158
Email: kierna.kirby@daa.ie
Session meets first Wednesday of the month around 9:30 PM. Unaccompanied
singers and singer/guitarists welcome. This is an
open session, so come on in and sing a song. Listeners also welcome.
Admission free.
Spancil Hill Singers' Club
Duggan's Bar
Spancil Hill, Co. Clare
Contact: Robbie McMahon
Phone: 065 682 9874
The Spancil Hill group meets the first Friday of the month. Duggan's is
about six miles east of Ennis on the road to Tulla.
Whitegate Singers Club
Lucas' Bar
Whitegate, Co. Clare
Contact: Peneleapaì Nì Tsung (Penelope Chung).
Phone: 061 927318
E-Mail: peneleapai@gmail.com
Sessions are third Thursday in February, April, June, August, October
and December, beginning at 9 PM. Children and families
are welcome at Lucas' - the third Thursdays begin earlier than other
nightly sessions pub because of the many contributions
from children (who may also play instruments and dance) and families.
Typically, sessions don't venture too far beyond
midnight . Rarely, location and date may change; the June session may be
moved to the first week in June, as Peneleapaì hosts
the singers' session in conjunction with the Iniscealtra Festival of
Arts. That session is always Monday in the June Bank
Holiday (and the last day of the Festival) at Keane's pub in
Mountshannon village. Confused? Feel free to contact
Peneleapaì for clarification.
Co. Cork
Cork Singing Club
An Spailpin Fanach
28 South Main Street
Cork , Co. , Cork
Phone: 021 427 7949
The Singing Club meets upstairs every Sunday.
Skibbereen Singers' Club
O'Brien's Corner Bar
37 Bridge Street
Skibbereen, Co. Cork
Contact: Aine Meirbhic
Phone: 028 21522 or 028 22541
Email: spm@iol.ie
Website: www.skibbsingers.com
Singers' session held first Friday of the month throughout the year.
Co. Derry
Derry Traditional Singers' Club
Tinneys Pub
Patrick Street (off Strand Road )
Derry, Co. Derry
Contact: Jim MacFarland
Email: jimmacfarland@hotmail.com
Meets the first Thursday of every month, 9:30 PM to 12:30 AM . The session host, Jim MacFarland, was involved in running the Goilin session in Dublin (see below) for many years. Respectful listeners and beginning singers are as welcome as long-time traditional singers.
Co. Donegal
Inishowen Traditional Singers Circle
McFeeley's Bar
Clonmany, Co. Donegal
Contacts: Brian Doyle/Grace Toland [OR] Kevin Mc Gonigle
Phone: 1 2819091(Brian and Grace) [OR]
74 93 7896 (Kevin)
Email: inishowenseminar@eircom.net
Website: http://www.tradsongs.com/inishowenseminar.htm
The session meets the second Friday of the month at 9:30 PM. Visitors
are always welcome and encouraged to sing. There is
no fee or charge associated with the monthly sessions. The Session also
organizes an annual weekend-long seminar
on the weekend following St. Patrick's weekend in March (see under
Festivals). They charge a registration fee for the
weekend, but "There are no restrictions other than your ability to go
without sleep for a few days and consume copious
amounts of Arthur Guinness!"
Co. Down
Portadown Folk Song Club
Contact: Rodney Cordner
21 Tandaragee Road
Portadown, Co. Down
Northern Ireland BT63 2BQ
Phone 77 481 87776
Email: rodney_cordner@hotmail.com
Website: http://www.folksongclub.co.uk
This venue apparently has occasional singing sessions but primarily
presents professional (folk) singers in concert every
Sunday at Joe Mac's Pub on High Street.
Co. Dublin
An Goilin Traditional Singers Club
Teacher's Club
36 Parnell Square West
Dublin 1, Ireland
Contact: Antaine O'Farachain
Phone: 086 816 1557
Email: angoilin@goilin.com
Web site: http://www.goilin.com
Begun in 1973, this is the daddy of all Irish singers' sessions. Meets
every Friday, September to June at 9:30 PM Irish Time
(around 10:00 PM ) except the weekend of the Inishowen Festival (see
Festivals and Workshops listings) and June Bank Holiday
weekend. While instruments are not forbidden, most singers sing
unaccompanied. If you bring an instrument, you must also
sing! Featured guest singers are often featured (about every three
weeks), including Roisin Elsafty, Robbie MacMahon and
Mick Quinn. Cost for all sessions: 3.00 Euros.
Fingal Singers' Club
Old Town House Pub
Ballyboughal, Co. Dublin
Contact: Dave O' Connor, Ballyboughal, Co. Dublin
Phone: 01 8433691 (or cell phone 087 680 3860)
Email: cllrdoconnor@eircom.net
Ballyboughal (sometimes spelled Ballyboghill) is 8 miles northwest of
Dublin airport. Session meets every Tuesday. Some
instrumental tunes are featured, but primarily good, solid fun singing.
Howth Singers' Club
Howth Sea Angling Club
West Pier
Howth, Co. Dublin
Contact: Francis Devine
Phone: 01-8393260
Email: fdevine@eircom.net
Meets first Thursday of the month. No meeting in August. Sometimes have
special events on other evenings.
Most worthy of note is Burns Night on the third Thursday in January
(complete with haggis and the St. Lawrence Pipe Band).
They also run events during the Howth Festival, Beann Éadair Beo each July.
Co. Galway
Ballinasloe Singers Circle
Clarke's Dunloe Tavern
Dunloe Street
Ballinasloe, Co. Galway
Contact: Damien Clarke, Prop.
Phone: 090 96 43603 (or) 086 1704241 (cell)
Session meets second Thursday of the month around 10 PM .
Kinvara Singers Circle
Greene's Bar
Kinvara, Co. Galway
Contact: Caoilte Breatlach
Phone: 091 627357 (Caoilte)
091 637110 (Greene's Bar)
Email: greensofkinvara@eircom.net
Session meets the first Monday of the month.
Na Fonnadoiri Galway Traditional Singers Circle
Crane Bar
Sea Road
Galway, Co. Galway
Email: galwaysingers@eircom.net [or] galwaysingers@gmail.com
Website: http://galwaysingers.tripod.com
Session meets the third Saturday of each month (except July and August).
Normal admission fee is two euros, although a
higher fee may be charged for guest singers (invited three to five times
per year).
Shanaglish Singers Club
Whalen's Bar
Shanaglish, Co. Galway
Contact: Joe Kearney
Phone: 091 633150
Session meets last Friday of the month. Shanaglish is between Crusheen
(Clare) and Gort (Co. Galway).
Kerry
John Benny Moriarty's Pub
Strand Street
Dingle (An Daingean), Co. Kerry
Contact: John Benny & Eilis Moriarty
Phone: 066 915 1215
Email: jbenny@eircom.net
Website: http://www.johnbennyspub.com
John Benny's is managed by John Benny & Eilis Kennedy. Both are
musicians and singers themselves, ensuring that taking a
part in the music session is what it is all about. Singing Session is
held Wednesday nights beginning about 9:30 PM .
Club an Dreoilin
Siar O'Thuaidh (Rear of Kane's Bar)
Ballyferriter (Dingle Peninsula, Co. Kerry)
Phone: 066 9156359
Email: siarothuaidh@eircom.net
Website: http://dinglearts.com
Club meets on the first Wednesday of the month around 9:30 PM .
Co. Limerick
Castleconnell Folk Club
Bradshaw's Pub
Castleconnell, Co. Limerick
Contact: Larry de Cleir
Phone: 086 8370034 (cell)
Email: larrydecleir@yahoo.com [or] ccfolkclub@eircom.net
”Where everybody is a special guest!” Session meets weekly on Tuesday
nights from 9:30 until around midnight .
Patrickswell Session
Punch's Bar
Main Street
Patrickswell, Co. Limerick
Contact: Denis Collins
Phone: 061 355142 (or cell) 087-1378552
Email: collinsdenis@hotmail.com
Singing every Thursday at 10 PM with resident accordionist.
Thomond Singers Club
Dolan's Pub
Dock Road
Limerick, Co. Limerick
Contact: Noirin Lynch
Phone: 087 9068576
Email: noirinlynch@hotmail.com
Session is on the second Sunday of the month.
Dolan's is at the intersection of Dock Road and St. Alphonsus Street, a quarter mile or less from the River Shannon., not far from Shannon Bridge.
West Limerick Singing Club
Ramble Inn Bar
Church St .
Abbeyfeale, Co. Limerick
Phone: 068 31385
Meets the first Thursday of the month. All singers and storytellers are
welcome
Co. Offaly
Ballyboy Singers
Dan and Molly's Pub
Ballyboy, Co. Offaly
Contact: Paddy Heaney [OR] Sean Brown
Phone: 057 91 37956 (Paddy) [OR] 057 91 37231 (Sean)
Session meets the last Monday of the month
Banagher Singing Circle
Willie Lyons Pub
Main Street
Banagher, Co. Offaly
Contact: Peter Keane
Phone: 057 91 51663
Singing Club meets the third Monday of the month. The contact, Peter
Keane, is a knowledgeable, and willing, contact person
for info on all singing sessions in the vicinity--stretching out at
least as far as Ballinasloe, Co. Galway .
Bawler's Singers Club
Hiney's Pub
Ferbane, Co. Offaly
Contact: Joe Hiney
Phone: 090 645 4344
Email: joe_hiney@hotmail.com
Sessions are the second Tuesday of the month.
Crinkle Singers' Circle
The Thatched Pub
Crinkle, Birr, Co. Offaly
Contact: Sean Cooke
Phone: 087 2621303 (Sean) OR 057 91 20682 (Pub)
Session meets first Monday of the month
Co. Roscommon
South Roscommon Singers Circle
Jimmy Murray's Pub
Knockcroghery, Co. Roscommon
Contact: Declan Coyne
Phone: 087 966 7029 (cell)
Email: dhalon2@eircom.net
Website: http://www.dhalonproductions.ie/
Meets the first Saturday of the month September to June (inclusive).
No formal sessions during July and August. Extra sessions are held in
February and March (on the third Saturday of the month).
Admission is free. Raffle is held at each session to cover expenses.
Special guest each night. The Circle also sponsors a
three-day singers' festival in Knockcroghery over the October Bank
Holiday weekend.
Boyle Singers' Circle
Wynne's Pub
Boyle, Co. Roscommon
Contact: Breege Duffy
Phone: 071 966 3244
Email: cosullvn@gmail.com Website: http://boylesingers.blogspot .com/
Meeting the third Saturday of each month from 10 PM on, the session is
an informal group of singers who sing (mainly) unaccompanied in Irish or
English. Traditional, folk or other styles depend on the participants.
All singers and listeners are welcome. No standards are set and there is
no charge.
Co. Sligo
Sligo Traditional Singers Circle
Durkin's Pub
Ballinacarrow, Co. Sligo
Contact: Frank Finn
Phone: 85 174 5625 [or] 087 648 9057 (cell)
Email: tradsing@eircom.net
Web site: http://homepage.eircom.net/~tradsing
Ballinacarrow is 10 miles south of Sligo town on the N17. It meets at
least every month, usually on the 2nd Wednesday of the
month. But dates and venues are flexible, so phoning ahead, checking the
website or emailing in advance is advised. The Sligo
Traditional Singing Weekend will be held on the last weekend of September.
Co. Tipperary
Killea Singers Club
O'Sullivan's Pub
Killea, Templemore, Co. Tipperary
Contact: Moll Tracey
Phone: 0505 43209
Session held on the second Monday of the month.
Silvermines Singers Circle
Hickey's Pub
Silvermines, Co. Tipperary
Contact: Jim Quirke
Phone: 67 25403 (Jim) or 067 25003 (Pub)
Silvermines has only one pub, so the session should not be hard to find.
This group gathers on the last Friday of the month, October to April. It
is a new club, just getting started, so the dates of its sessions should
not be considered permanent.
Upperchurch Session
Jim O' the Mills' Pub
Upper Church, Co. Tipperary
Contact: Tom Joe Spillane
Phone: 0504 51591
Mixed session (tunes and songs) held every Thursday.
Co. Westmeath
Ballynahown Singing Session
Flynn's Bar
Ballynahown, Co. Westmeath
Contact: Liam Hunt
Phone: 09 064 30032
Singing session meets third Tuesday of the month,
September to June. All visitors and new members are heartily welcome.
Sessions
in the United States:
Arizona
Tucson Irish Community Singing Session
Contact: Aine Ni Haralambie
Phone: (520) 327-6287
Email: aine@tusconirishcommunity.com
Website: http://www.tucsonirishcommunity.com
Session is held monthly at a private home in Tucson , Arizona . One Saturday night per month at 7 p.m. For more specific information, check the website above or phone the listed contact. There are no cover charges or restrictions on repertoire. Come and sing, bring an instrument, or just listen.
California
San Francisco , California
Contact: Michael Duffy
Email: cce_webmaster@ccewest.org
Website: http://sf.ccewest.org/music/singing.html
Sponsored by the Cooley-Keegan Branch of Comhaltas Ceoltoiri
Eireann (the branch for the San
Francisco
area), the session is generally held on the first Friday of the Month at 8 PM. Location and hosts vary. To provide security
telephone numbers and directions to host homes are not posted. The details for
any session are available by contacting the host via e-mail or by subscribing
to the listserv. Directions for subscribing are available on the web page.
District of Columbia (D.C.)
Frank Harte Memorial Singer's Circle
Contact: Jesse Winch
Phone: (301) 622-6582
Email: jessewinch@hotmail.com
Website: http://www.ccepotomac.org
sponsored by the O'Neill Malcom Branch of Comhaltas.
The circle meets 3 to 4 times per year in the metro Washington area,
usually in a private home. For particulars concerning
the next meeting of the group, email Jesse.
Massachusetts
200 New
Boston Drive
Canton, Massachusetts
Contact: Maureen McNally
Phone: (781) 821-8291 [or] (781)871-1247
Email: seisiun@irishculture.org
Website: http://www.irishculture.org
Singers gather in the Adare Room on the 2nd floor from 8:00 to 11:30 p.m. each Friday.
The focus is on traditional and ballad style singing, although instrumental
tunes and unsung poetry are also welcome. .
Hibernian Cultural Center
19 Temple
Street
Worcester, Massachusetts 01604Contact: Helen Foley
Email: htfoley@charter.net Website: http://www.aohworcester.com
Not strictly a singers' session. This is a traditional instrumental session, but singers are welcome! Meets second and fourth Sundays at 4 PM .
Mulligan's
Taverne
Westborough Country Club
121 West
Main Street
Westborough, Massachusetts
Contact: Katie O'Neill
Email: kate.oneill@yahoo.com
Website: http://www.mulliganstaverne.com
Not strictly a singers session. This is a traditional instrumental session, but
singers are very welcome! Meets Thursday evenings at 8 PM
Maryland
Baltimore Singers Club
Bertha's Resturant & Bar
734 South Broadway
Fells Point, Baltimore , Maryland 21231
Phone: (410) 327.5795
Meets upstairs at Bertha's on the second Wednesday of the month, 9 to 11 PM .
All singers, accompanied or unaccompanied, are welcome as is anyone who
wishes to listen. The repertoire is traditional and old, but newly
composed songs in the same vein are welcome. Afterwards the singers
retire to the Cafe Hon in Hampden for the weekly instrumental session.
Transportation can be arranged for those unfamiliar with the area.
Minnesota
Traditional Singers Club of the Twin Cities
Keegan's Irish Pub
16
University Ave NE
Minneapolis, MN 55413
Phone: (612) 252-0880
Email: singersclub@gmail.com
Website: http://www.singclub.org
Monthly singing sessions are held the last Sunday of the month from 3 PM until 5-ish . Emphasis is on
Irish and Scottish traditions but can incorporate similar traditions (e.g.,
American Appalachian style singing). They tend to be informal affairs. In
addition the club hosts concerts and workshops with guest singers (the most
recent being Fintan Vallely). The time for them varies, so prior contact is advised.
New York
New York Irish Singers Circle
Paddy Reilly's Pub
519 Second Avenue (at 29 th Street )
New York , New York
Contact: Louise Walsh Kitt
Phone: ( 917) 731-3897
Email: louise.kitt@hotmail.com
Circle meets the first Monday of the month at 6:30 PM (Irish time). Most singers sing unaccompanied in English, but Irish-language songs are occasionally offered. All singers are welcome regardless of ability
(beginners, advanced, etc.), as well as those who just want to come to
listen.
Texas
Austin Singers Session
Things Celtic
1806 W. 35th
Street
Austin, Texas
Phone: 512-472-2358
Email: info@austinsongsession.com
Website: http://www.austinsongsession.com
Directions: just east of Mopac, on the north side of the street. The session is
held the first Sunday of the month from 2:30-5:00 p.m. Everyone who comes will have a chance
to sing. Any song that is Irish, Scottish, or otherwise Celtic will do. Songs
tend to be solo round-robin, but sing-alongs are great too. A cappella singing
is preferred in the old Irish Tradition. Just bring your voice. You may also
bring a guitar or other instrument if you prefer to accompany yourself. Please
bring a folding chair, as seating is limited. Also, bring some water or a
non-alcoholic beverage to wet your whistle. Please kindly observe the
no-smoking policy for the benefit of the singers.
Wisconsin
Irish Fest Song Circle
O'Donoghue's Irish Pub
13336 Watertown Plank Road
Elm Grove, Wisconsin
Contact: Dan Virck
Phone: (262) 691-2523
Email: dvircks@msn.com
Meets on the second and fourth Mondays of the month. Focus is primarily on ballad singing, and instruments are welcome. Singers are encouraged to bring a song others can learn.
Bytown Singer's Club
Rasputin's Folk Cafe
696 Bronson Avenue
Ottawa,ON Canada
Email: ellen.macisaac@sympatico.ca
This is an accapella-only singing session open to all styles of singing. The idea is to sing a song meaningful to yourself, and give some background as to how you learned it, from whom, etc. They meet once a month at Rasputin's, starting at 7:30 pm . There's no cost to take part, although people are encourage to buy a cup of tea or a drink to support the cafe.
34 Clarence St.
© 2008 Christopher Brennan