Author: Breffni Banks

Irish singer songwriter Aoife Doyle will release the single ‘Bring You Back to Me’ on the 19th August 2022. The song features on her recent album ‘Infinitely Clear’ which received the highest accolade from the Irish Times – A 5 star review, a rare thing for even the biggest artists in the business.  ‘Bring You Back to Me’ is a groovy song full of world class brass arrangements, backing vocals and epic guitar solo.

The single is accompanied by a video shot in House of Horns Studio and Dublin 8 and features dancer Mia DiChiaro.

Mia DiChiaro (she/her) is a Dublin-based contemporary dancer, teacher, and artivist whose ideas often circulate around participatory art and climate justice.

Originally from New York, she received her dance training at the Ailey School and developed an interdisciplinary B.A. in ‘Performance and Arts Activism’ (NYU). After relocating to Ireland, she received a M.A. in ‘Contemporary Dance Performance’ (University of Limerick)

Aoife Doyle is originally from Bray, Co. Wicklow now living in Co. Clare. While she has been performing for many years, it was upon moving to the West Coast of Ireland that she found her songwriting voice.

“In Clare I had more quiet time to reflect. The lack of billboards, traffic and other superficial stimulation makes life a lot simpler. I think nature is the most primal form of creativity and living in the country and keeping a garden etc. you’re seeing the cycle of creation from seed to plant to harvest. Watching this cycle has helped me greatly to understand the nature of creativity as well as the time, attention and care you have to give to gain a fruitful harvest. And this learning has facilitated my songwriting.”

She grew up in a house steeped in traditional and folk music.

She cites a wide and varied range of musical influences including Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, Alison Krauss and Eva Cassidy, as well as Marvin Gaye, Tammy Tyrell, Joni Mitchell, Beyoncé, Declan O’Rourke, Ger Wolfe and Bjork, and echoes of this intriguing mix come through to various extents on different tracks on the album.

‘Bring You Back to Me’ was produced by the highly-regarded musician, arranger and producer Michael Buckley “one of my best musical decisions”. Doyle is joined by a stellar band on the track, featuring some of Ireland’s most in-demand musicians including vocalist Margot Daly, saxophonist Michael Buckley, trumpet player Ronan Dooney, pianist Johnny Taylor, guitarist Jack Maher, bassist Andrew Csibi and drummer Dominic Mullan.

‘Bring You Back to Me’ will be released on 19th August 2022 and is available on Bandcamp, Aoife’s website www.aoifedoyle.com and other online platforms.

Aoife was a finalist in October 2021 Irish Music Month ‘Local Hero Song Competition’ in association with Hotpress, BAI, Ruby Works, IMRO and RAAP.

Aoife’s recent singles Strength To Be Strong, Clare Sky and They Say were all track of the day on HOTPRESS MAGAZINE

Strength To Be Strong was song of the week on The ACOUSTIC YARD RADIO SHOW.

Aoife’s music has received extensive airplay on RTE Radio, Dublin City FM, BBC Radio, LCCR, Eastcoast FM, Shannonside FM, KCLR and many more.

Spotify | Instagram | AppleMusic |Facebook |  SoundCloud | Twitter |Bandcamp  | YouTube

https://www.aoifedoyle.com

Following on from the release of her critically acclaimed EP ‘Tírdhreacha Agus Fuaimdhreacha’ (Landscapes & Soundscapes), smashing subsequent single ‘Awe na Mná’ and then the thunderous ‘Sail On’, Clare Sands shares her new song ‘Keep the Flame Burning’, which features on her upcoming self-titled album coming September 28th.

Sixth generation fiddler, bilingual singer and multi-instrumentalist Clare Sands wrote ‘Keep the Flame Burning’ in the West Donegal Gaeltacht. She describes the song as an uplifting and hopeful anthem for the human spirit, to keep the flame burning for whatever it is in your heart you hold dear.

Recorded between West Cork and West Donegal, ‘Keep the Flame Burning’ meanders through the old and new. Irish and English lyrics interweave seamlessly, combining with Sands driving fiddling, percussive sea shells, and bellowing double bass, all combining to create Sands’ undeniable ‘Fearless Folk Fuinniúil’ sound.

‘Keep the Flame Burning’ is a call to the human spirit, to keep on keepin’ on no matter what. To keep those things you hold so dearly in your heart alive, whatever that may be – family, nature, love, the sea. For me in this song, it is tradition and language – embracing them, sharing them and not forgetting them’

Long lost sea-themed words in Irish collected by Manchán Magan for his project ‘Sea Tamagotchi’ also inspired this song. Words like Bristeacha (big foamy strong waves) and Calm Leadaí (a calm sea, term of endearment) were crying out to be sung.

Clare Sands and long-time collaborator ​​Liadain Ní Bhraonáin created a music video that follows an array of women on their own journeys into the sea. Inviting family, friends and two of their heroes to take part – Easkey Britton, world renowned surfer and marine social scientist, and Vanessa Dawes, visual artist and open water swimmer.

Liadain recalls “It was such an honor and joy to spend some time with all these amazing women, highlighting and celebrating their relationship to the sea. The video explores our connection to water, through the ages and through the waves – of surf, swim, freedom and fun.”

Clare’s upcoming self-titled album, due for release on September 28th, is a celebration of resilience, love and hope.

It explores tradition, the sea, and the power of women through the dark and light, love and loss, and the rise and fall.

Written & recorded over two years along the West coast from Mizen to Malin, Clare found a path where the Irish and English languages, Irish traditional, folk, and contemporary music meet. Clare’s traditional melodies, pulsating rhythms and bilingual song are interwoven with spoken word guests Manchán Magan, Bernadette Devlin McAliskey, Fiachna Ó Braonáin & Tommy Sands, and musical guests Aisling Urwin, Steve Cooney & Susan O’Neill.

“Join me on this journey, for the young and the old, brave and the bold. A Chairde, bígí liom.”

Pre-order new album : Pre-Order Clare Sands new album

Sign up to Clare’s newsletter to be the first to hear about about her album journey: Monthly Litir

After electric live performances at All Together, Body & Soul and Glastonbury, Clare Sands announces her album tour dates below…

Ireland:

Levis, West Cork – September 10th

Live at St.Lukes, Cork – October 1st

The Cobblestone, Dublin – October 6th

The Duncairn, Belfast – October 8th

Galway – October 20th

Donegal – October 21st

UK/Europe:

Manchester Folk Festival: October 13th

German Tour: October 28th – November 19th

UK Tour December

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ClareSandsCeol

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claresandsceol/

www.claresands.com

Following both a global pandemic and an acclaimed, landmark debut album, inimitable Irish Alt-Folk act Junior Brother recently returned with details of his new album “The Great Irish Famine”, out 2^nd September via multidisciplinary Irish label Strange Brew.

Today, he has shared a video for his new single “This Is My Body”.

An idiosyncratic, challenging and richly lyrical singer/ songwriter, Junior Brother is the pseudonym of Co. Kerry, Ireland singer Ronan Kealy. Chosen as The Irish Times’ Best Irish Act of 2019 and nominated for the 2019 Choice Music Prize for Album of the Year, Junior Brother has built a rabid following thanks to unmissable live shows, and music both excitingly forward-looking and anciently evocative. His strange stories unfold with reckless abandon upon a distinctive guitar and foot tambourine accompaniment, influenced as much by the avant-garde as music from the Middle Ages and his home place in rural Ireland.

In addition to earning a Choice Music Prize nomination, Junior Brother’s trailblazing debut album “Pull The Right Rope”, also saw Kealy garner two nominations at the 2019 RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards, for Best Folk Album and Best Emerging Folk Act. Similarly, vigorous approval from modern-day Irish figureheads such as the Rubberbandits and Cillian Murphy has furthered Junior Brother’s stock, the latter playing Junior Brother several times on his BBC Radio 6 Music Show. Along-side further airplay, his television performances include appearances on RTÉ’s the Tommy Tiernan show, Other Voices and the Choice Music Prize Awards night in Vicar Street.

“The Great Irish Famine” leaps boldly forward into an exciting new chapter, and into a shaken new world – staggeringly profound, brutally beautiful in its epic sweep. The new single “This Is My Body” is an intoxicating first taste of this new material. Thematically centred around self-image and the anxieties that are tied to it, the new track expertly toys with tension and release with building guitar lines and stark percussion swelling into moments of repose around Kealy’s frenetic vocals.

Speaking on the single, he says: “We relax thusly into the anxiety of self-image, and the sheer heights of absurdity we humans go to denigrate ourselves, for being utterly human. If we’re lucky, we find our soulmate, who can heighten this self-loathing in the loathing self – But a soul mate mates with soul, and that can only grow stronger as body bobs and weaves through a nourished life.”

The track is also accompanied by a stunning and surreal new video, which can be seen here:

The single follows recent album track “No Snitch”, a song of towering, bruised catharsis. Kealy’s emotive and powerful vocals fluctuate across the tracks temperamental instrumentation which is both at once tumultuous and calming.

 Speaking about the themes across the album Kealy further explains, “I was very conscious to bring each element of the debut into this follow-up, but dramatically dig ten times deeper and stretch ten times further down into each avenue”. “No Snitch” soars amidst darkly comic self-reflection (“This Is My Body”), anxious reflexes on modern living (“No Country For Young Men”), and the painful role the past plays in a nation’s present (“King Jessup’s Nine Trials”).

Both startlingly dynamic and profoundly accomplished, “The Great Irish Famine” reflects fall-out of trauma both personal and universal, national, and international, minor, and mountainous, historic, and contemporary – all uncompromisingly conveyed through the magnetic, emotionally potent vision of a one-of-a-kind artist at the top of his game.

In addition to his new release, Junior Brother is currently also set to play several shows and festivals across Ireland this year with further dates TBA. Kealy has been steadily building a fanbase around Ireland and beyond for his mesmerising live shows, winning hearts in iconic venues such as Vicar Street (Dublin), The Beacon Theatre (New York), Cork Opera House (Cork), Blackpool Opera House (UK) to name just a few. He has played support for a variety of like-minded acts such as The Proclaimers and Glen Hansard, the latter bringing him on a tour of the US East Coast in July 2019.

The full list of Junior Brother’s forthcoming dates is as follows:

21^st August – Footsbarn Theatre – Ballynabuck @ 7:00pm, Dingle
18 September – Fall Right Into Place, Claregalway Castle

24^th September – Night & Day Festival 2022 @ 7:00pm, Castlerea

28^th October – The Button Factory @ 7:30pm, Dublin

Tickets are available HERE

“The Great Irish Famine” is out 2^nd September via Strange Brew – Pre-order HERE

Produced by: Julie MacLarnon and Ronan Kealy

Mixing and Additional Production: John “Spud” Murphy

Recorded onto 2″ Tape at Analogue Catalogue Studios, Rathfriland, Co. Down. Additional recording completed in Guerrilla Sound Studios, North Strand, Dublin and Winton Mews, Rathgar, Dublin.

Follow:

Facebook | Twitter | SoundCloud |  Bandcamp | YouTube

Crowned as Ireland’s answer to the National, Columbia Mills release their brand new single ‘Momentum’ due for release this Friday, 19th August 2022.

Speaking about the track, ‘Momentum’, Fiachra Treacy said: 

“Momentum is all about keeping the mind occupied and avoiding the traps that an idle mind can set for us.  Sometimes it just takes one person to come along and lift us from that deluge, but there are dangers in having your happiness dependent on one person.  The music is upbeat to represent that momentary feeling you are hoping will last forever, gaining momentum as we go.”

On the band’s previous tracks ‘Heart Of A Nation’, ‘Addiction’ and ‘Nevada’  they have garnered huge support from the UK and Irish radio such as BBC Radio 6, Radio X, Amazing Radio, Radio Nova, 8 Radio, Indie Rocks, RTÉ 2FM, Today FM and RTÉ 2XM.

Described by John Kennedy (Radio X) as Ireland’s answer to The National. Columbia Mills are regulars at festivals such as Indiependence, Longitude, and Electric Picnic and have supported world-class acts like Ride, Public Service Broadcasting, and Palace. On top of this, they have also toured Ireland & the UK with a string of headline shows at venues such as Whelans, King Tuts, and Sebright Arms.

Columbia Mills previous two albums 2017’s A Safe Distance to Watch and 2020’s CCTV – evoked a foreboding sense of place, time, and thought. For some, the music was the aural equivalent of walking through disheveled subways, lit by flickering fluorescent lamps, in socially malnourished urban centres; for others, the music was a celebration of inclusiveness, camaraderie, experiencing solemn emotions with groups of friends, secure in the knowledge that the light at the end of the tunnel was exactly that and not a shimmering mirage. 

As album number three is set for release on 14th October this year, it officially constitutes a body of work as well as creative commitment and investment. Fiachra’s sense of Columbia Mills’ progression from their debut album onwards is rooted in self-assertiveness.

Ireland and UK tour announced for October / November 2022 

25/9 – Night and Day Festival

20/10 – London – Signature Brew Haggerston

21/10 – Birmingham – Actress & Bishop

22/10 – Manchester – Castle Hotel

25/11 – Dublin – The Academy

Columbia Mills are:

Fiachra Treacy

Ste Ward

Uisneagh Treacy

Connect with Columbia Mills: 

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Spotify | BandCamp

Rising star Lyra has been announced as the headline act for Longines Irish Champions Weekend performing on the Bulmers Secret Orchard Stage at Leopardstown Racecourse on September 10, 2022.

Longines Irish Champions Weekend is Ireland’s premier Flat racing weekend, taking place at Leopardstown Racecourse and The Curragh on September 10-11 featuring world class racing, style, entertainment, and family fun.

Lyra is a singer/songwriter from Cork whose voice and on-stage presence is truly at home on a global stage.  Her songs have been used on worldwide ad campaigns for Van Moof, Guinness, Disney+ and have featured in “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Love Island”. She was also chosen by RTÉ to ring in New Year’s Eve 2021 and 2022 with ‘New Day’ and ‘We Are Beautiful’. Lyra performed and co-wrote with Bill Whelan the closing song ‘Light me up’ for Riverdance, The Movie, which has had a worldwide release on Netflix.  Lyra is currently writing and recording her forthcoming album, meanwhile her current single with Irish DJ & Producer John Gibbons ‘Edge of Seventeen’ achieved # 1 spot on the Shazam Charts while holding a top 5 position of the Irish Breakers Chart. Her previous single ‘Lose My Mind’ featuring Shane Codd has been LYRA’s biggest success to date, spending over six months in the national airplay charts Top 100.

Lyra’s performance at Leopardstown for Longines Irish Champions Weekend is part of an annual programme of entertainment supported by Bulmers who are the Official Entertainment Partner of HRI Racecourses which is aimed at enhancing the racegoer experience. The performance at Leopardstown Racecourse will be preceded by a prestigious eight-race card featuring five Group races; the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes, the second-best race in the Longines World Thoroughbred Rankings in 2020, and the Coolmore America ‘Justify’ Matron Stakes, ranked as the world’s best fillies and mares’ race for the past number of years. There will be fun for all the family at Leopardstown Racecourse on Saturday which will feature a dedicated family fun area with Festina Lente Shetland Ponies, a Petting Zoo, Face painters, bouncing castles, indoor soft play area, outdoor playground, and HRI Juniors educational activities.

Day two of Longines Irish Champions Weekend moves to the historic venue of the Curragh Racecourse. Entertainment on the day will feature YouTube sensation Allie Sherlock, Newbridge Gospel Choir and the Artane Band. A Family Fun Day will include entertainment in the Moyglare Stud Kids Zone with a variety of exciting FREE entertainment for younger race goers throughout the afternoon with activities including face painters, Junior Jockey Club, Woolys mobile petting farm, magician, puppet show, funfair carousel, and lots more. The Curragh racecourse has been completely redeveloped and now rivals the best sporting destinations in the world. The Parade of Champions in association with Treo Eile will also take place on the day alongside an eight-race card featuring the Comer Group International Irish St Leger, the final Irish Classic of the season, the Moyglare Stud Stakes, the Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes and the Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai Flying Five Stakes.

Commenting on the announcement, Paul Dermody, CEO of HRI Racecourses said: “It’s a real treat to have such a talented artist as Lyra to perform at Leopardstown on day one of Longines Irish Champions weekend on Saturday September 10. Lyra will play immediately after racing on the Bulmers Secret Orchard stage and her unique performance will be a fantastic addition to our racing and entertainment schedule at Leopardstown, on what promises to be a premier sporting and social weekend.”

Karl Donnelly, Marketing Director of Bulmers Ireland said “Bulmers Secret Orchard has featured during nine race meetings at HRI Racecourses in 2022 so far and hosted fantastic performances by acts such as Razorlight, Gavin James, Imelda May and Lightning Seeds. We are delighted that Lyra will be performing on Day 1 of Longines Irish Champions Weekend as part of our Bulmers Secret Orchard entertainment schedule for HRI Racecourses. We expect this will continue to help build our partnership and ensure we are helping to enhance the racing fans experience”.

Leopardstown Racecourse is only 20 minutes from Dublin City Centre on the Luas Green line, with dedicated shuttle buses running from the Sandyford stop. Leopardstown is located off exit 14 or exit 15 on the M50 southbound or exit 15, M50 Northbound. Ample FREE parking is available onsite.

For Tickets and hospitality options – visit www.irishchampionsweekend.com

Advance Purchase Tickets 

• Adult Ticket: €35
• OAP/ Student Ticket: €25
• Weekend Ticket: €60

Follow on social for updates and exclusive competitions

• Facebook: @Leopardstown Racecourse
• Twitter: @Leopardstownrc
• Instagram: @LeopardstownRC

Use hashtag #LICW22

Sharon Shannon, Frances Black and Mary Coughlan are set to unite once again for a unique show bringing together their collective talents.

An Evening With Sharon Shannon, Frances Black and Mary Coughlan is a night not to be missed with tickets on sale from Cork Opera House box office.

Sharon Shannon, Frances Black and Mary Coughlan will each perform a set with their own musicians featuring many of their greatest hits. All three ladies will then join together on stage to finish the night with a truly magical finale.

The three performers are some of the most successful female artists Ireland has to offer and are no stranger to performing together having been involved in the successful Woman’s Heart albums and tours.  Womans Heart is celebrating its 30^th Anniversary in 2022.

The 3 performers appeared together on the Late Late show May 2020 where viewers donated 1.6 million euros for Pieta House.

Sharon Shannon said “I really love doing the shows with Mary and Frances.  The three of us have a strong bond of deep friendship and music and craic for over 30 years.  I’m hugely honoured to share the stage with these two iconic legends of Irish music.”

Frances Black said ”I can’t believe its 30 years since the ‘Woman’s Heart’ album was released, it only feels like yesterday.  It was a great honour for me to be part of that album and it definitely played a huge role on my life’s journey and I am very grateful for that.”

Mary Coughlan said “It has been my pleasure to share the stage over the years with Frances Black and Sharon Shannon and some wonderful musicians! I think our sense of craic and camaraderie is evident to everyone, especially when we perform some of our best known songs together at the end!”

An Evening With Sharon Shannon, Frances Black and Mary Coughlan 

Sunday 11th September 2022

Tickets are on sale now. https://tinyurl.com/n3v4curz

Dublin 5 piece Sack are set to release a special remix to commemorate the anniversary of their comeback single ‘What A Way To Live’ which was released in August of 2021, ‘What A Way To Live’ (Birds Of Olympus Rerub) was remixed by Birds Of Olympus main man John Murphy especially for the anniversary of the release which received massive nationwide airplay and great acclaim on release and also helped the band in securing a record deal with UK based Indie label Dimple Discs. The new remix will be available from Dimple Discs Bandcamp page as well as all streaming platforms on Friday August 19th.

2022, saw the reissue of the 25th anniversary remastered edition of their 1997 album ‘Butterfly Effect’ also on Dimple Discs which the Rathfarnham Castle and the OPW will hold a special event in honour of the album with Sack in conversation with host Dan Hegarty as part of their Live at Rathfarnham Castle series of events on Thursday September 29th at 7.30pm, Sack will also perform songs from the album on the night. The band are currently working on an album of new material which is scheduled for release early next year.

Sack will also be playing some UK shows later this year starting out as special guests for The Frank and Walters at their sold-out show at the infamous 100 Club in London on October 1st, followed by a headline show at The West Hampstead Arts Club, London on Thursday November 10th as well as a slot at this year’s Shiiine On Weekender Festival at Minehead that weekend.

Almost 3 years since the last gathering in full bloom at Killyon Manor, Another Love Store are delighted to be finally returning to their Manor home this weekend with a full selection of exciting & invigorating local & international artists to soundtrack the weekend of Another Love Story 2022.

“We are thrilled to welcome our carefully chosen collection of local and international artists to the Manor for Another Love Story 2022. Having sat on a number of these announcements since 2020 – we have had a number of years to consider our place in the world – on top of the customary intimate, family feel of the festival, of which we are so proud, we are especially excited to underline our commitment to providing a platform for independent artists from near and far, and presenting a coherent blend of sounds and atmospheres to perfectly soundtrack the weekend at The Manor.”

With Weekend tickets sold out, the festival have a limited number of Sunday Day tickets available. The daylong event ends at 7pm Sunday, there is no camping permitted onsite on Sunday night. Under 12’s are free to attend with adults.

And, as an extra bonus this year, to round things off ALS are teaming up with some of their favourite crews in Dublin town for a series of Pre & Post ALS events.

• Thursday Aug 18th: Luke Una & BIlly Scurry in Hen’s Teeth, 8pm.
• Sunday Aug 21st : Official ALS Afterparties
  Hang Dai : Sevensol (Kann, de) 21.00 – Late
  The Big Romance : Jonny Nash (Melody As Truth, nl) 21.00 – Late

ALS Spotify Playlist:

Sunday Day tickets available at www.anotherlovestory.ie