*Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann West London Branch Annual Report 2009/10* ============================================== *Seisiún* The main event where members meet is at our seisiún, 8.30 – 11 p.m. on the second Friday of each month at the Irish Cultural Centre, Blacks Road, Hammersmith, London W6 9DT. Entry is free and members of the public are welcome. Our sessions have generally been well-attended by performers (musicians, singers, poets and story-tellers) and audience. Many are students of well-established teachers like Marian Gill and Sharon Kelly, who are both long-standing members of this Branch; and Brendan Mulkere and Colette Keaveney. Thank you to our members who regularly support our sessions, including Máire Ní Ceallaigh and the Turner family, who run the raffle, which is a major source of branch income. Thank you also to the families from other Branches who have supported our seisiúin e.g. the McAuliffe and the Nevin families of East London. Throughout the year our Chairman, Aidan Burke, has anchored the seisiún and continued to pass on his expertise and encouragement. He and the rest of us have enjoyed supporting and playing at other branches too. Congratulations to members who supported Comhaltas by playing in the local, national and All Ireland fleadhanna. Among these were Michael Ardill, Aaron Gallagher and Liam Nolan (pictured L to R with Aidan Burke – see recent photos); and Etaoin Rowe pictured in Cavan – see recent photos.) *All Britain Fleadh in Scotland 2010* Position | Category | Name | ————-|—————————————————————–|—————————–| 1 st | BOSCA CEOIL / BUTTON ACCORDIAN U/12 | Aaron Gallagher | 1st | BOSCA CEOIL / BUTTON ACCORDIAN 12-15 |Rose O’ Grady | 3rd | FEADÓG MHÓR / FLUTE U/12 |Aaron Gallagher 1st |FEADÓG / WHISTLE U/12 |Aaron Gallagher 1st |Mouth Organ U/12 |Aaron Gallagher 2nd |Flute Slow Airs U12 |Aaron Gallagher 2nd |Whistle Slow Airs – fionn Mhalla Feadóg, Faoi 12 |Aaron Gallagher 1st |FEADÓG MHÓR / FLUTE 12-15 |Hannah Irwin 1st |Flute Slow Airs – Fionn Mhalla Feadóg Mhór, 12-15 |Hannah Irwin 2nd |FEADÓG MHÓR / FLUTE12-15 |Etaoin Rowe 3rd |FEADÓG / WHISTLE |Etaoin Rowe 2nd |Mouth Organ, 12-15 |Etaoin Rowe 2nd |Flute Slow Airs – Fionn Mhalla Feadóg Mhór, 12-15 |Etaoin Rowe 1st |Whistle Slow Airs – fionn Mhalla Feadóg, 12-15 |Etaoin Rowe 1st |Songs in English (Ladies)-Amhráin Bhearla (Mná) 12-15 |Etaoin Rowe 1st |Lilting – Portaireacht, 12-15 |Etaoin Rowe 3rd |Fiddle Slow Air – Foinn Mhalla Veidhlín, 12-15 |Rose O’ Grady 1st |Uilleann Pipes, 12-15 |Saoirse Ní Machail 2nd |Uilleann Pipes, 12-15 |Esmé Prior 3rd |Harp, 12-15 |Ella Rose Bradley 1st |Mouth Organ, 12-15 |Edward Gaughan 1st |Banjo U12 |Liam Nolan 2nd |Banjo, O18 |Eddie McKeon 1st |Mandolin U12 |Michael Ardill 3rd |Mandolin, 12-15 |Gabriel McKeon 3rd |Bodhrán, 15-18 |Jack Boyle 2nd |Céilí Band Drums – Drummaí Céilí, Faoi 12 |Jack Garvin 2nd |Duets – Ceol Beirte, Faoi 12 |Aaron Gallagher & Michael Ardill 2nd |Duets – Ceol Beirte, 12-15 |Edward Gaughan & Rose O’Grady 1st |Trio – Ceol Trír, 12-15 |Gabriel McKeon, Rose O’Grady & Edward Gaughan 2nd |Céilí Band – Buíon Cheoil Chéilí, Faoi 12 |Tír na nÓg 1st |Céilí Band – Buíon Cheoil Chéilí, 12-15 |Tír na nÓg 3rd |Céilí Band – Buíon Cheoil Chéilí, 15-18 |Tír na nÓg *Marian Gill’s Port Mor Armagh exchange* The 2010/11 year began with a bang as members of our branch welcomed visitors from the Port Mor branch in Armagh as part of an annual exchange, organised by Marian Gill. Marian and her students combined with Port Mor to put on a superb concert of music, song and dance in St Agnes church hall, Cricklewood on Saturday 23rd October. The event was well-supported, including by Mr & Mrs Michael and Christine Nevin. Michael is Chairman of the London and Southern Region of Comhaltas. Port Mor members have been so generous in the past looking after us in Ireland and Marian’s troupe certainly repaid the complement. Food and drink flowed in generous quantities. The icing on the cake was the launch of a double CD by Port Mor and West London, celebrating our links. It is aptly entitled “A few tunes amongst friends” and was made and produced locally – including the art work – by the members and friends of Port Mor and Marian’s group. They funded the project themselves and can be justly proud of their joint work. In the sleeve notes Vince Jordan, Chairman of Comhaltas in Britain, congratulates them all. The full production run of 500 CD s have gone. In November Marian said “Such an achievement & such a shock! It’s gone all over the world, from America to Australia & New Zealand & even Serbia. The best thing of all is the positive feedback we’ve had. Everyone has loved it & said how nice it is to hear some good, old-fashioned traditional music. It was even played on Shannonside radio last week. We’re putting West London on the map.” The email address for any queries is [email protected] *Sharon Kelly* Sharon took some time off from teaching to have her second child, Luke. Congratulations to her and her husband, Michael. She is now back teaching the after school club on Tuesdays in St Joseph’s, Belmont, Harrow; and back to band practice Wednesday evenings in Kenton Methodist Church, Harrow. That’s enough for the time being! Sharon’s students, Tír na nÓg Céilí Band pictured here, won the 12-15 title at the All Britain 2010: Erin Fowler, Annie Nestor, Orla Kevane, Edward Gaughan, Aaron Gallagher, Stephen Moran, Hannah Irwin, Mareesa Bradley, Gabriel McKeon, Soirse Ni Machill. Sharon plans to enter 2 ceili bands next year. As she says, “Hopefully they still know their tunes! yea right!! Will bring the boys with me.” Good luck to them. Sharon’s students did so well in their summer exams: 28 distinctions, 21 Merits and 4 passes in a mixture of Premliminary, grade 2, 4,6 and 8 exams of The London College Of Music, Thames Valley University. Report by: James McDonald, West London Secretary; and Thomas Beaumont, Regional Secretary.