Northern Ireland/Donegal Sessions

Subject: Northern Ireland/Donegal Sessions
From: GUEST,Jeremy S
Date: 28 Jun 04 - 12:24 PM

I shall be visiting Northern Ireland and crossing the border to Donegal next weekend and was hoping to find some acoustic music/song sessions of the non-touristic variety. Does anyone know where to find the 'Craic' over there?

Subject: RE: Northern Ireland/Donegal Sessions
From: Letty
Date: 28 Jun 04 - 12:56 PM

A good place to look is http://www.thesession.org, and use their search function to find a session. They usually provide some info as to the type of session too.
Have a good time!

Subject: RE: Northern Ireland/Donegal Sessions
From: Peter K (Fionn)
Date: 29 Jun 04 - 08:01 AM

It's a pity that the venues part of that website is a bit less organised than the magnificent tunes section! (Duplicate and misleading entries, etc.) HERE's an active link. Then click the search tab, bearing in mind that Ireland and Northern Ireland ae listed separately in alphabetical order, so well apart from each other.

In Belfast, John Hewitt's is one of the newest on the scene and among the best known. It inherited some of the musicians from the Liverpool Bar, when that building came down. But as with any other listing, be sure to check under the "comments" tab, where you will find that it also has a Sunday session (4pm I think) in addition to those listed. When I was there, Sunday was the best.

The Kitchen Bar (Fridays) has a long-established Belfast session. And for a real down-to-earth session, fine Guinness etc, you can't beat Pat's bar in the Docks. Again check the website for details, and make sure to look at the comments. There's a similarly rough-and-ready session (similarly fine Guinness) and seriously fine playing at Fealty's in Bangor. (Get to Fealty's by 9.30pm if you want a seat near the music - bottom right if you're planning to play, or bottom left if you're going to listen. The session goes on to about 12.30am; last orders a little later.)

The Skerry at Newtown Crommelin is listed as having Wednesday and Saturday sessions. Saturday's likely to be a much better bet than Wednesday, but maybe phone first as it's far from the beaten track (but in the middle of spendidly scenic country).

Te other one I would single out for mention is the Crosskeys, near Portglenone - again listed on the website. The music is mostly at weekends, but you'd need to phone as it's not every week. On Sunday afternoons there is often a workshop for young and very young players, and this is worth catching. You're likely to hear musicians who will eventually be in contention for all-Ireland honours.

Subject: RE: Northern Ireland/Donegal Sessions
From: ard mhacha
Date: 29 Jun 04 - 03:42 PM

Fionn, I have bad news for you, the Kitchen Bar was DEMOLISHED to-day,a sad parting, initiated by vandals in suits.

Subject: RE: Northern Ireland/Donegal Sessions
From: Peter K (Fionn)
Date: 29 Jun 04 - 04:46 PM

It's been on the cards for so long, I was beginning to think they'd forgotten about it. You don't know HOW bad that news is.....

Subject: RE: Northern Ireland/Donegal Sessions
From: GUEST,Dáithí mag Fhionainn
Date: 30 Jun 04 - 04:53 AM

I was in Donegal last week and had some great sessions in teelin (at the Cúl an Dúin) and in Biddy's , Glencolumbkille. A bit far from Belfast (3 hours) but you can get B&B there easily enough. John McSherry (Lunasa etc) was in Biddy's just playing along with us - Great crack!
Dáithí

Subject: RE: Northern Ireland/Donegal Sessions
From: alison
Date: 30 Jun 04 - 10:47 AM

I'm in belfast at the moment..... and to be honest the sessions I've been to have been a bit exclusive (eg duos paid to provide a "session" - nothing wrong with that ... but no real chance of joining in if thats what you want to do)

here is a good list sessions around Northern Ireland

I'm off to a friendly one (everyone welcome to join in)tonight just outside Belfast at the " Crown & Shamrock"

having said that there are sessions on around the town most nights, donegal is the same... just ask the locals they know where they are on, and now that its almost July there is more likely to be music put on during the week for tourists rather than just at weekends. I was in dunfanaghy (Co Donegal) about 3 weeks ago, stayed in a lovely hostel just outside the town

I'm here for another 2 weeks before I head back to australia PM if I can help

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Northern Ireland/Donegal Sessions
From: GUEST,Mike Quinlan
Date: 19 Aug 04 - 09:55 PM

Five friends and myself (from the hometown of Liz Carroll) will be in Donegal Sept 10th thru 18th and we love irish music. Would LOVE to find the next Altan or Deanta! Or a session lead by Paul O'Shaughnessey or Frankie Gavin. Unfortuately, many great bands will be out of the country on tour. But will your kind help, we'll find new ones. Any knowledge of where in the North half of Innis Ealga we should look?

Thanks for the help, Mike Q

Subject: RE: Northern Ireland/Donegal Sessions
From: FIDDLE-4
Date: 19 Aug 04 - 10:34 PM

MATTIES -OUT SIDE LARNE IN A VILLAGE
CALLED CAIRNCASTLE-SAT ABOUT 4:00 PM
MOSTLY SINGING

Subject: RE: Northern Ireland/Donegal Sessions
From: GUEST,skyesidhe
Date: 21 Aug 04 - 04:15 AM

I have to say that I've not been to many sessions in Ireland outside of Galway, but I have to concur that Biddy's has some great craic! I was in Gleancolumbcille for 5 weeks a few years ago and never had trouble finding musicians and sessions. It's a pretty small town (only about 300 people) and has a nice atmosphere.

Subject: RE: Northern Ireland/Donegal Sessions
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Feb 18 - 05:38 PM

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Does anyone have a 'goto' listing for Folky stuff in N.I.?

~~~~~~~~~
Here are a couple of live links from above

The Session
https://thesession.org/sessions/nearby?latlon=54.50419,-6.41498
or
https://thesession.org/sessions/search?q=northern+ireland&page=1

Peter K (Fionn)'s tip
http://www.thejohnhewitt.com/music/
&
http://www.facebook.com/pg/thejohnhewitt/posts

FIDDLE-4's tip
https://matties.co.uk/news/

Alison's "Sean Quinn" link is now dead
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/sean_quinn/sessions.htm

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& some others I've been googling

CLUBS
a 'closed group' Facebook page, Belfast
http://www.facebook.com/groups/535564546459596

Chris Rust's Folk Music Map
https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?ll=54.57970479013585%2C-6.678007600781257&z=9&mid=1d1L8gNDhc6JP84Wyt01-LSEcL_A
one result :(

Living Tradition
http://www.livingtradition.co.uk/folkclubs-irish
Sunflower
Killala Bay
Downpatrick
An Droichead(several sessions & concerts)
An Culturlann



(N&S)Ireland - Irish Traditional Music Session Listing
https://tradconnect.com/page/ireland-sessions-listing-pub

Discover Northern Ireland
Bars with Traditional Music
(? seems to be add for pubs, not much info about the music)
https://discovernorthernireland.com/explore/bars-with-traditional-music/

Visit Belfast ? What's On ?
Traditional Music Sessions
https://discovernorthernireland.com/explore/bars-with-traditional-music/
undated info

Folk & Honey
mix of Northern & Southern pubs
http://www.folkandhoney.co.uk/ireland/venues/

Ents24
gig listing page, filter by genre
https://www.ents24.com/whatson/near/Omagh/radius/75/genres/celtic,folk,world...


~~~~~~~~~~~~
MISC'
ORIEL ARTS
aims to bring awareness to the contribution made by Oriel musicians, composers and poets, past and present, to the corpus of Irish traditional music;
http://www.orielarts.com/about/

Belfast Folk
various links
http://www.belfastfolk.co.uk/kitchen/index.asp



~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Subject: RE: Northern Ireland/Donegal Sessions
From: FreddyHeadey
Date: 11 Feb 18 - 04:26 PM

Belfast Singing Circle - first Wednesdays
https://www.facebook.com/Belfast-Singing-Circle-167976863290754/posts/

Subject: RE: Northern Ireland/Donegal Sessions
From: FreddyHeadey
Date: 25 Apr 18 - 05:49 PM

There is a map with a few pins showing mainly Singers Circles.
Open in a browser not 'maps' (landscape on a mobile)

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=1plE0C69JOiO8FotbmDlDvE2qxbM&ll=54.36129180966293%2C-7.302876839899227&z=9