Comhaltas Live 628 628.01 In jubilant form with an encore of Reels for a delighted audience after being declared All-Ireland Champions for 2018, Blackwater Céilí Band from CCÉ, Clogher Valley, Co. Tyrone, play a selection of Reels – “The Duke of Leinster” and “The Humours of Ballyconnell”. Band members are – Fiddles: Ursula McAdam, Lydia Warnock, Eugene McKenna and Rosie Ferguson; Flutes: Michael Coney and James McCaffrey; Piano Accordion: Ryan Hackett; Button Accordion: Michael Curran; Piano: Mark McCrystal and on Drums George McAdam. 628.02 Alannah Reid with a lovely ‘traditional’ introduction to her newly-composed Slide – “Snakes and ladders” – followed by another Slide – “Siney’s”. Recorded in the Bloomfield Hotel, Mullingar on 12th March 2022. Sincere thanks to Joe Connaire and Colette Glynn for their amazing work in organising a wonderful day’s recording of artistes from all over Co. Westmeath for Comhaltas Live. Some have already been featured in Comhaltas Live and further items will be included in upcoming programmes. Joe, Colette and their colleagues are putting enormous work into preparing for what, no doubt, will be an outstanding Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2022 in Mullingar. 628.03 Scoil Éigse Tutors at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2018 in Drogheda, L/R Cian Kearns, Niamh O’ Sullivan, Muireann Banks, Dean Warner and Marie Walsh, play 3 Reels – “Lafferty’s”, “The lady on the island” and “Connemara stockings”. 628.04 Taking 1st place in 15-18 Trios competition at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2018, Michael and Joe Kelly and Charlie Clause from CCÉ, Mike Rafferty-Joe Madden, New Jersey, USA, play a Hornpipe – “The faithful friend”. 628.05 3 Reels from Whistle player Leona McKenna from Multyfarnham, Co. Westmeath,with accompaniment by Jackie O’ Meara. Recorded in the Bloomfield Hotel, Mullingar, on 12th March 2022. The Reels are “Finbar O’ Dwyer’s”, “The bag of spuds” and “Toss the feathers’. 628.06 Dáire Ó Maoildeirg on Uileann Pipes with one of our very old Slow airs – “An Buachaill Caol Dubh”. Daire is from CCÉ, Craobh Seán Treacy, Dublin. Recorded in Cultúrlann na hÉireann, Monkstown, Dublin, on 5th March 2022. 628.07 3 Reels – “Not safe with a razor”, “The palm tree” and “Jimmy’s return” – played by Eileen Gannon, Pádraig Rynne and Tara Breen, at the Scoil Éigse Tutors’ Concert at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2018. They learned the first Reel from the playing of Liz Carroll and Billy McComiskey. 628.08 From Japan, the Toyotaro Céilí Band play a Hornpipe – “The Birds’ Hornpipe” – in Senior Céilí Bands Competition at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2018. Band members are – Fiddles: Tomoya Aoki,Taro Nagata and Emiri Gondo; Flutes: Kozo Toyota and Sayaka Saito; Accordion: Honami Kimura; Concertina: Maki Yoshida; Banjo: Shota Saito; Piano: Takashi Fujihara and on Drums Genya Ishizaki. 628.09 Some lovely selections – Slip Jigs, a newly-composed Barndance, and Reels – from ‘Ceiliúradh Ashling’ the Tribute Concert to the late Ashling Murphy in Cultúrlann na hÉireann on 26th February 2022. This item from the Concert is by members of Macalla na hÉireann who had toured Britain in 2017 and included Ashling on fiddle. For this performance Ashling’s place is filled by her sister Amy on concertina. The Slip Jigs – “Humours of Ballymanus” and “Ryans” – are danced by Leona Bowe and Ciara Horan. The musicians then play a Barndance – “My wife at last” composed by James Hogan, a staunch member of Ashling’s music community. The group finish with 2 Reels – “The drunken tinker” and “The Salamanca”. The musicians are L/R David Vesey, Pronsias Ó Cathasaigh, Gareth Maguire, Vince Jordan, John McCann, Cillian de Róiste, Amy Murphy (Ashling’s sister), Davóg Freyne, Shane Scanlon, Fionnuala Donlon, Tadhg Mulligan and Muireann Ní Luasa. Another item from the Concert is in Comhaltas Live 627.1 and further items will be included in upcoming Comhaltas Live programmes. The Concert, which was attended by Government Ministers Catherine Martin and Jack Chambers, also featured several special items and tributes as well as the Comhaltas National Folk Orchestra of which Ashling was also a member. 628.10 Sisters Lottie (on pipes) and Courtney Cullen (fiddle) from Wicklow with Matthew Hurrell O’ Connor on guitar, play 2 Jigs – “The Humours of Ballyloughlin” (sometimes called “The Hurlers’ March”) and “Club Céilí”. Recorded in Cultúrlann na hÉireann, Dublin on 9th November 2021. 628.11 Holder of 3 All-Ireland Senior Titles in Button Accordion, Flute and Tin Whistle, Deirdre Collis plays 3 Reels – “The Leitrim Lilter”, “The Chattering Magpie” and “Ronnie Cooper’s”, with guitar accompaniment by her husband Sylvie. Recorded in their native Ballymote CCÉ, Co. Sligo on 9th October 2021. 628.12 At the Scoil Éigse Tutors’ Concert at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2018, George McAdam, on banjo and Colm Slattery on button accordion play 3 Reels – “The old wooden bridge”“(V. Broderick), “Limestone Rock” and a version of “The Maids of Castlebar”. 628.13 A flute solo by multi-instrumentalist Barry Conaty with 2 Jigs – “The Collier’s Jig” (a version of the Reel) and “The Munster Jig”. Barry is from Ballyhaise, Co. Cavan. Recorded in Cultúrlann na hÉireann, Dublin on 8th January 2022. 628.14 Dublin piper James Mahon with a lovely rendition of one of our very old and rarely heard Set-Dances – “Madam Bonaparte”. Recorded in Cultúrlann na hÉireann, Monkstown, Dublin on 9th November 2021. 628.15 Flute player Emma O’ Brien with 2 Jigs – “Wellington’s Advance” and “The frost is all over”. From Castletown Geoghegan Comhaltas in Co. Westmeath, Emma is accompanied on keyboard by Enda Seery. Recorded on 12th March 2022 in the Bloomfield Hotel in Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, with wonderful organisational support by Joe Connaire and Colette Glynn. Incidentally, Joe and Colette are deeply involved in preparing Mullingar for Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2022 which promises to be one of the greatest Fleadhs since the first Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann was held there in 1951.