Irish Traditional Singers' Sessions Irish Traditional Singers' Sessions
Singers' sessions (also known as 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 leniant.
If uncertain what the rules are for the session in your area, feel free
to attend and ask. Americans calling Ireland should note: the phone
numbers below should
be preceded by the international access code (011) and the country code
for Ireland (353).
This listing makes no pretensions to completeness.
If you know of other sessions that should be on this list, feel free to
contact me with the particulars. This information is as accurate as I
could make it, but it is always advisable to confirm with the
contact
listed.
The Traditional Singers' Club
McCollam's Bar
Mill Street
Cushendall, Co. Antrim
Northern Ireland
Contact: Mick Quinn
27 Chapel Road
Cushendall, Antrim, BT44 0RS
Phone: +44(0)28 21771610
Email: glenstraditions@utvinternet.com
Website: http://www.glenstraditions.utvinternet.com/events.html
Singers' sessions are held on the second Friday of the month. No
guitars please!
Armagh City Singing Session
Northern Bar
Railway Street
Armagh, Co. Armagh (Northern Ireland)
Contact: Thirza Mulder
Phone: 028 37522420 (after 19.00 GMT)
Email: mulelia@btopenworld.com
The Session gets underway at 8 p.m. (20:00 GMT) and meets in the
back bar area of the pub on the 1st Tuesday of the month. Anyone
interested in singing or listening is welcome.
Carlow Traditional Singers' Club.
Teach Dolmain,
Tullow Street,
Carlow, Co. Carlow
Contact: Tony Malone
88 Green Road,
Carlow, Co. Carlow
Phone: 059- 9142686
"They have not met for a considerable period of time," so a call ahead
is advised.
**Loughshore Traditional Singing Club*
St. Trea's Hall
Ballymaguigan, Co. Derry
Contact: Henry McGlone
Phone: +44 028 79650116
Email: maureenmcglone@hotmail.com
< email:maureenmcglone@hotmail .com >Ballymaguigan is between Toomebridge and Ballyronan. The session is held Fridays on alternative months. The last one will be November 17, 2006 . The group will disband thereafter. Come join the festivities if you can.
Co. Donegal
Inishowen Traditional Singers Circle
Contacts: Brian Doyle/Grace
Toland [OR] Kevin Mc Gonigle
Phone: 00353 1 2819091(Brian
and Grace) [OR]
00353 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. The venues are The
Square Bar in Clonmany and Hegartys
Bar in Buncrana (in alternate months). 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!"
Gweedore Singers' Circle
Gweedore, Co. Donegal
Phone: 086 6050110
Email: carongate@eircom.net
Session meets first Thursday of the month.
Nightly Sing-Song
The Fiddler's Green
Portpatrick, Co. Down
Phone: 028 42728383
As the name implies, this occurs every night. What happens depends on
who shows up.
Portadown Folk Song Club
Contact: Rodney Cordner
21 Tandaragee Road
Portadown, Co. Down
Northern Ireland BT63 2BQ
Phone 02838 337668
E-mail Address rodney_cordner@hotmail.com
An Goilin Traditional Singers Club
Tom Maye's Pub
Junction of North Frederick Street and Upper Dorset Street
Dublin, Ireland
Contact: Antaine O'Farachain
Phone: 01 -4538192
Email: angoilin@goilin.com
Web site: http://www.goilin.com/
Begun in 1973, this is the daddy of all singers'
sessions. Meets every Friday,
September to June at 9:30 PM, except the weekend of the Inishowen
Festival
(see Festivals and Workshops listings) and June Bank Holiday
weekend. Cost: 2.00 Euros.
Fingal Singers' Club
O' Connor's,
Ballyboughal, Co. Dublin
Contact: Dave O' Connor, Ballyboughal, Co. Dublin
Phone: 01 -8433691
Session meets every Tuesday.
Co. Mayo
Cooke's on the Hill
Tommy Cooke's Pub
Ballina, Co. Mayo
Contact: Tommy Cooke
Phone: 096 -72063
Sessions held Tuesdays. Bar owner himself sings. All varieties of songs
permitted.
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.
Sessions in the United States:
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 above web site or phone the listed contact. There are no
cover charges or restrictions on repertoire.
Come and sing, bring an instrument, or just listen.
Paddy Burke's Pub
132 Portland St, 3rd floor
Boston, Massachusetts
Contact: Tel: Shay Walker (617) 523 - 0291
Email: judypredmore@webtv.net
Wednesday nights, starts anywhere from 9-10 p.m. and goes to 12-1
a.m. Small, informal, friendly group. Celtic / British Isles oriented,
but all traditional and traditional style contemporary songs welcome.
Irish Cultural Centre's Singers' Seisiun
200 New Boston Drive
Canton, Massachusetts
Contact: Maureen McNally
Phone: (781) 821-8291 [or] (781) 767-4401
Email: seisiun@irishculture.org
Website: http://www.irishculture.org
Despite the use of the Irish word seisiun for this
singers' session, it is not necessary to know Irish. 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.
Traditional
Singers
Club of the Twin Cities
The Liffey
Contact:
Shawn McBurnie or Brian Miller
Email: shawn@rumgumption.com
or brian@5milechase.com
Website: http://www.5milechase.com/singersclub/about.htm
Monthly singing sessions are
held the last Sunday of the
month from
New York
Buffalo Singers' Session
Shannon Pub
2250 Niagara Falls Blvd
Tonawanda, New York 14150
Phone: (716) 743-9348
Email: shannonpub@aol.com
An informal session held the first Sunday of each month, 4 to 7 PM.
Mostly singing, although some tunes may be thrown in.
Ull Mor Singers' Circle
Blaggard's Pub
8 West 38th Street (west of 5th Avenue)
New York, New York
Phone: (917) 731-3897
Email: ullmorcce@yahoo.com
Website: www.geocities.com/ullmorcce
The Circle meets the last Sunday of each month beginning at 3:00 p.m. Admission is free. Most
people sing unaccompanied but feel free to bring an instrument. The
Singers' Circle is hosted by
Ull Mor CCE member, Louise Walsh Kitt,
a fine
singer from Dublin. Very occasionally the session may need to be moved
due to conflicts with her schedule. Visitors are encouraged to call
before setting out, to ensure the session will proceed as scheduled.
Texas
Austin Singers Session
Things Celtic
1806 W. 35th Street
Austin, Texas
Phone: 512-472-2358
Email: http://www.ganfidil.com/contact.html
and click on the"email Kenny" link
Website: http://texcelt.org/CalendarCentralTexas.html
Directions:
just east of Mopac, on the north
side of the street. The session is held the first Sunday of the month
from
Wisconsin
Milwaukee Irish Song Circle
O'Donoghue's Irish Pub
13225 Waterford Plank Road
Elm Grove, Wisconsin
Contact: Dan Virck
Email: drvircks@msn.com
Phone: (414) 476-3378
Meets on the second and
fourth Thursdays of the month. Focus is primarily on ballad singing,
and instruments are welcome. Singers are encouraged to bring a song
others can learn.
© 2006 Christopher Brennan