The Annual Comhaltas Tour of Britain Echoes of Erin starts its tour of Britain on Saturday.  For audiences in the UK the Echoes of Erin tours provide a fantastic showcase for all that is best in Irish traditional music, song and dance. Top class performers in all fields display the highest standards and regional styles that have become synonymous with these events down through the years. These are the same performers who have already thrilled audiences throughout the length and breadth of Ireland during the Comhaltas Irish Tour in October 2011.

For the audience at The Tyneside Irish Centre the Echoes of Erin tours provide a fantastic night of  top class performers  displaying  the highest standards and regional styles that have become synonymous with these events down through the years.

This year we have the added bonus of a local lad and member of the Tyneside Irish Centre ‘Mathew Dean’ fantastic and shining light in flute playing, who is touring with The Echoes of Erin promising to make this year  a truly wonderful night, not to be missed. 

RESEARCH ON FAMILIES OF IRISH DESCENT

Can you help?

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THE STUDY

The Tyneside Irish community forms a major part of the regional identity of the North East but this is not always recognised and you can help change this.

To fill the gap, the Economic and Social Research Council has funded my PhD project at Newcastle University – to look at what it means to be a man of Irish descent, living on Tyneside in everyday life.

Do you feel Irish?

If so, I would like to know more about your experiences of being from a family of Irish descent living on Tyneside. I am looking for Granddads, Dads and Sons as well as Uncles, Brothers, Cousins and Nephews… to come forward to tell their stories.

How have things changed for you over time?

Have men in your family experienced life differently for different reasons?

If you find yourself asking/answering any of these questions please get in touch.

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Taking part – What is involved?

I will arrange to meet you either at your home, your workplace, or a more social setting; the choice is yours. This meeting will be an informal discussion about who you are and why you or your family feel Irish? There would be the option to then meet with more of your family members and if you and they wish to be involved, your stories will form part of my project.

I will use a digital tape recorder in our formal discussions to make sure I can accurately detail your stories. Everything you tell me will be in complete confidence and you will have the chance to check that what has been recorded is correct. You can of course withdraw from the project at any time and any data you do not want to be includedwill not be stored and will be destroyed.

If you are interested in taking part, you could either phone, email or write to me at the addresses below. Thank you for your time.

Researcher

Michael Richardson – PhD

5^th Floor, Daysh Building, Newcastle University, NE1 7RU

Tel: 07980 151559

Email: m.j.richardson1@ncl.ac.uk

                            http://www.tynesideirish.com/2012/02/09/irish-men-on-tyneside-research-on-families-of-irish-descent-can-you-help/

  On BBC TV last week, Paddy Keenan was described as the Jimi Hendrix of the uilleann pipes.

I am not sure if this is a fair description; however, without doubt, he is one of the world’s top players of the instrument.

This concert – one of just two UK gigs – was a bit of coup, as Keenan spends a lot of time performing in the States.

He limped on stage, explaining he was recovering from a leg injury and has not been able to practise regularly over the last couple of months, so he might be a “bit scratchy”.

Guitarist James Riley’s finger- picking and strumming perfectly complemented the jigs and reels played. Clearly Keenan and Riley are friends as well as musical partners.

One of the highlights of the night was a haunting slow air played on low whistle – Johnny’s Tune written in memory of Paddy’s dad.

As the concert drew to an end, players were invited on stage from the floor. At first there was reticence, then the concert turned into a session which saw him joined on stage by half a dozen local traditional musicians, young and old.

Keenan was far from a “bit scratchy”. His performance was polished and the audience was captivated.

Read More http://www.journallive.co.uk/culture-newcastle/music-in-newcastle/2012/02/07/review-paddy-keenan-at-the-tyneside-irish-centre-61634-30279369/#ixzz1liCa86OE

 The show is in collaboration with The Tyneside Irish Centre and  reflects the stunning array of cultural and musical talent that the centre has brought to Tyneside over the past 30 years.

Resident hosts Jim Bennet, Fiona Clelland and Tommy McClements would  love to hear what you think about the show or any musical tastes you’d like to be represented.  So why not phone in or text during our next  NE1Irish show this Wednesday 5pm til 7pm. Contact us on 0191 240 1025 or text 60300 (NE1+Your message)

If you live in the Newcastle area you can tune on fm 102.5 or for any where else in the region log on to

http://www.ne1fm.net/listen/

I do hope you can join us next week.

jim.bennet@ne1fm.net

8.00pm

Éamonn Coyne is a tenor banjo player from Ireland who plays traditional music of various countries such as Ireland, Scotland, Brittany, Cape Breton, and America among others. He also plays mandolin, guitar, tenor guitar and national steel tenor guitar on his solo CD ‘Through the Round Window’. And also released a CD with Kris Drever called ‘Honk Toot Suite’.

Kris Drever has increasingly been attracting plaudits for his singing as well as his playing, with his warm, soulfully resonant vocals featuring in five of the thirteen tracks on Fine Friday’s debut album. His choice of songs ranges from the traditional Cold Blow and the Rainy Night to Steve Tilston’s Slip-Jigs and Reels; from Boo Hewerdine’s Hummingbird to the classic Scots ballad The Selkie. I like either to do songs that haven’t been covered much before, he says, or folky standards that are open to a different interpretation. I try to steer clear of that kind of typical folk-singer sound, and put my own mark on things. Kris also plays with The Kate Rusby Band and Session A9 and in 2005 joined forces with Aidan O’Rourke and Martin Green to form the trio LAU.

TYNESIDE IRISH CENTRE

43 GALLOWGATE, NE1 4SG   TEL 0191 2610384

     www.tynesideirish.com Email: tyneirishcentre@btconnect.com

ENTERTAINMENT IN FEBRUARY 2012

SAT 4^TH               FRANK COLWELL’S COUNTRY & IRISH SHOW – 8.30 FREE

 SUN 5^TH               IRISH SOCIAL NIGHT – DANCING & BINGO – 8.00 PM FREE

 SAT 11^TH             LIAM TURNER – GREAT IRISH VOCALIST – 8.30 PM FREE

 SUN 12^TH             CHRIS O’MALLEY & KEEP IT COUNTRY – 8.00PM – £3.00

 SAT 18^TH             NORTHUMBERLAND FAYRE – 8.30 PM FREE

 SUN 19TH           THE RYANS IRISH BAND – 8.00 PM  £3.00

 SAT 25^TH             STEVE MALONEY – 8.30 PM FREE

 SUN 26^TH             MICHAEL COYNE, TOP IRISH SINGER & ACCORDION MASTER

                             8.00 PM – £3.00

 FRIDAY 2^ND MARCH SPECIAL SHOW – “ECHOES OF ERIN”

TWENTY OF IRELAND’S CHAMPION MUSICIANS, SINGERS AND DANCERS ON TOUR.  TICKETS £7.50/£5 concessions.

 SUN 4^TH MARCH      CEILI FOR THE LITTLE SISTERS

 SAT 17^TH MARCH – ST PATRICK’S DAY

 10.30 – MASS AT ST MICHAEL’S

 MUSIC IN THE CENTRE FROM 3.00 PM – LIAM TURNER,

ALAN KELLY & TRADITIONAL SESSION

 7.30 PM    ST PATRICK’S DANCE WITH TONY CORCORAN BAND

TICKETS £5/£4.

Fri 16th -  Tony Corcoran Warm-up session musicians and singers are invited to join in to sing or play. getting in tune for the big day. FREE

Sat 17th – St Patricks Day Mass at St Michaels, Westmorland Road. – 10.30am

12.00pm  Tyneside Irish Centre (members only) Traditional Music Session in New Gallowgate Lounge (all day)

3.00pm-6.00pm Liam Turner in bar lounge

7.00pm-9.00pm Alan Kelly in bar lounge

7.30pm- 11.30pm St Patricks Dance & Concert Tony Corcoran, Dancers and Special Guests. Tickets £4/£3

Sun 18th – Service of Remembrance and Laying of the Shamrock Wreath, Tyneside Irish Brigade at Eldon War Memorial.

12.00pm-3.00pm Shamrock Stage at Greys Monument, Irish Traditional Music and Dancers.

7.30pm Tyneside Irish Centre National Day Reception, Invitation Only

8.00pm Chris O Malley and his Band all Ireland accordion champion £3

Next session starts Sunday 12th Feb @ 1.30 til 3.30