HOT SHOTS FIRED UP FOR FESTIVAL
Hot Shots fired up for festival
Folk
By Neil Johnston
THE Ulster American Folk Park near Omagh is to go ahead with this year's Appalachian and Bluegrass Music Festival.
The popular festival, now in its seventh year, gets under way tomorrow and continues until Sunday.
John Walsh, head of museum services, said that in the aftermath of the Omagh bombing atrocity, it had been a very difficult decision to make.
"But after talking to a lot of people in the area, we felt that it was best to run with the event.
"It will be a little more low key than usual, but we hope it will help in the process of normalisation that we all hope can take place, bearing in mind always the deep scars that exist here now."
Once again, the festival, which is now established as Ireland's premier bluegrass event, will feature some of the best American performers of a music which has its roots in the traditional tunes which Irish emigrants brought with them across the Atlantic.
Topping the bill are the Tar Heel Hot Shots, an old time all string band from Durham, North Carolina, in which the award winning fiddle playing of Larry Jackson is a special feature.
Also from North Carolina are a group of clog dancers, the Bailey Mountain Cloggers, and from Austin, Texas, come the Two High Stringband.
Some of Ireland's leading blue-grass specialists will also be there, including the Clem O'Brien Band from Co. Carlow, the Rough Deal Stringband from Dublin, Appalachian Strings from Belfast and Omagh's own Knotty String Band.
There will be two main evening concerts tomorrow and Saturday, and on both Saturday and Sunday afternoons informal sessions will take place round the various park buildings. For full ticket details, phone 01662-256330.
And now, advance notice that on Saturday, September 19 there will be a one day course of Uilleann pipe tuition at the Ulster Folk Museum, Cultra.
The teachers are three of Ireland's top pipers, Gay McKeon, Sean Potts and Ciaran O'Malley, who will give a concert afterwards.
Classes will be graded for players of all abilities. To enrol, phone Maureen Paige (tel Belfast 428428).
At St Patrick's Trian, Armagh, on Saturday, there will be a recital by the harp playing family duo Patricia Daly and her daughter Mary (1.30 pm).
Folk
By Neil Johnston
THE Ulster American Folk Park near Omagh is to go ahead with this year's Appalachian and Bluegrass Music Festival.
The popular festival, now in its seventh year, gets under way tomorrow and continues until Sunday.
John Walsh, head of museum services, said that in the aftermath of the Omagh bombing atrocity, it had been a very difficult decision to make.
"But after talking to a lot of people in the area, we felt that it was best to run with the event.
"It will be a little more low key than usual, but we hope it will help in the process of normalisation that we all hope can take place, bearing in mind always the deep scars that exist here now."
Once again, the festival, which is now established as Ireland's premier bluegrass event, will feature some of the best American performers of a music which has its roots in the traditional tunes which Irish emigrants brought with them across the Atlantic.
Topping the bill are the Tar Heel Hot Shots, an old time all string band from Durham, North Carolina, in which the award winning fiddle playing of Larry Jackson is a special feature.
Also from North Carolina are a group of clog dancers, the Bailey Mountain Cloggers, and from Austin, Texas, come the Two High Stringband.
Some of Ireland's leading blue-grass specialists will also be there, including the Clem O'Brien Band from Co. Carlow, the Rough Deal Stringband from Dublin, Appalachian Strings from Belfast and Omagh's own Knotty String Band.
There will be two main evening concerts tomorrow and Saturday, and on both Saturday and Sunday afternoons informal sessions will take place round the various park buildings. For full ticket details, phone 01662-256330.
And now, advance notice that on Saturday, September 19 there will be a one day course of Uilleann pipe tuition at the Ulster Folk Museum, Cultra.
The teachers are three of Ireland's top pipers, Gay McKeon, Sean Potts and Ciaran O'Malley, who will give a concert afterwards.
Classes will be graded for players of all abilities. To enrol, phone Maureen Paige (tel Belfast 428428).
At St Patrick's Trian, Armagh, on Saturday, there will be a recital by the harp playing family duo Patricia Daly and her daughter Mary (1.30 pm).
Further Information
Publisher: BELFAST TELEGRAPH
Ref: BT/0358
Published Date: 03-Sep-98
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