Céilí House Archive 2005

January 1st: Listen to the show
What better way to start the year on Ceili House than at the home of Antoin and Bernie McGabhann in Baltrasna Co. Meath. The house will be heaving with about 40 of the finest traditional musicians, singers and dancers for the annual hooley. Always a highlight, this is as close as it gets to the traditional Irish house dance. Not to be missed. Roll on 2005 !!!

January 8th: Listen to the show
Tonight's Ceili House comes from the parish hall of Camross, Co. Laois inthe foothills of the Slieve Bloom Mountains. The Music and song is from thearea and the local branch of Comhaltas launches a new CD called "Drive 'er on"

January 15th: Listen to the show

January 22nd: Listen to the show
Tonight's Ceili House comes from the north Clare Village of Corifin for the launch of this year's Corofin Traditional music festival which takes place in early March and we hear details of the forthcoming event. There's top class music and song from local musicians and singers with Padraic O'Reilly as musical director.

January 29th: Listen to the show
Cuisle is the name of the winning group in the 2004 Siansa competition sponsored by Gael Linn and Radio na Gaeltachta.
Kieran meets the group on tonight's Ceili House who recorded the programme in The Cobblestone in Dublin.

February 5th: Listen to the show
Last year President Mary McAleese invited many traditional musicians and singers to Áras an Úachtaran to acknowledge their input into the preservation and promotion of the tradition. Tonight Kieran meets some of those who attended including Paddy O'Donoghue of the Tulla Ceili Band and Gerry Lynch of the Kilfenora who talk about the halcyon days of the great rivalry of the two bands. Accordeon player John Regan was there among the guests and many others too.

February 12th: Listen to the show
St. Peregrines GAA Club in Dublin run a very successful set dancing night in their Clubhouse. Kieran visits there for a lively programme with box player Paudie O'Connor, fiddler Aoife Ni Chaoimh and friends with singer Gerry O Reilly.

February 19th: Listen to the show
Fuinneamh is the name of a young group of musicians and singers from Co. Wicklow. Their mentor is John McNamara, formerly of the Green Linnett Ceili Band. Ceili House travels to The Hollywood Inn in Co. Wicklow for a night with Fuinneamh and John tells us about their background.

February 26th: Listen to the show
Tonight Ceili House celebrates the start of this year's Echoes of Erin tour to Britain. As the group rehearsed with musical director Siobhan Ni Chonnarain recently, Kieran met them and recorded some of their music. There's also a tribute to the late Donncha O'Muinneachain, stepdancer, charity fundraiser and gentleman who died suddenly recently.

March 5th: Listen to the show
Tonight's Ceili House was recorded in the Drumlane Inn, Miltown, Co. Cavan with local musicians and singers including The Killishandra session group. There's also news of the upcoming Nyah sessions which take place in C o. Cavan thriughout the month of March.

March 12th: Listen to the show
The Gathering is now one of the major traditional music festivals in Co. Kerry. It celebrates the great and the good of Kerry music and song and there's usually a host of well known performers from around the world in Killarney for the festival. This year the launch of the Homecoming was hels in Scartaglen, Co. Kerry with Donie Nolan and friends and a gang of Sliabh Luachra's finest. Ceili House was there to record the proceedings.

March 19th: Listen to the show
The students of DCU's Trad Soc. gather for tonight's Ceili House during this year's seachtain na Gaeilge. Banjo player Muireann Banks leads a group of some of our finest young musicians and singers in this week's programme programme.

March 26th: Listen to the show
As Co. Longford is featured prominently in this weeks Radio schedule, Kieran travels to Smith's Bar in Newtowncashel, Co. Longford for a programme with the popular traditional group "Rig the Jig" and friends including a wonderful father and son piping duet Peter and Noel Carberry.

April 2nd
Programme cancelled due to the death of His Holiness Pope John Paul II

April 9th: Listen to the show
Late last year Ceili House went to Spellmans in Ballaghadereen, Co. Roscommon for a wonderful night with The Border Collies. Tonight the programme returns to the Co. Roscommon venue for a session with the local musicians and singers who play there regularly.

April 16th: Listen to the show
Tonight's Programme comes from Mannions in Balla, Co. Mayo. The pub, situated on the main street has been hosting a regular traditional session for the last ten years. Music, song and chat from a host of local performers led by Tom Lyons.

April 23rd: Listen to the show
The students of Marino College, Dublin, take the stage for tonight's Ceili House led by lecturer and flute player Maire Nuinseann.

April 30th: Listen to the show
Tonight's Ceili House is from the University of Limerick with the first year BA students in traditional music. Among the musicians are Ronan O'Flaithearta on Fiddle, Matt Griffin on Banjo, and Brid Hill on Concertina.

May/ June 2005
From LetterKenny in Donegal and from England.. Manchester, Leeds, London, Birmingham and more...

May 7th: Listen to the show
Tonight's Ceili House is from The Welcome Pub, Manchester where, every Wed. night there's a traditional music session with some of the best known names in traditional music from the UK. Fiddle player Dessie Donnelly heads a wonderful line-up which includes Michael McGoldrick, Grace Kelly, Edel Donnellan Sean Regan and a host of others.

May 14th: Listen to the show
The Oireachtas is on in Letterkenny this weekend. Kieran travels to the Donegal town for a live programme featuring some of the winners from this year's competitions. Letterkenny is also to host Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann in August and we meet some of the local Comhaltas branch and hear about preparations for the annual Feast of Irish traditional music, song and dance.

May 21st: Listen to the show
Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann in Leeds launch their new CD on tonight's Ceili House. Recorded recently at the Leeds Irish Center, expect a wonderfully entertaining night with local musicians and singers led by the Leeds Ceili Band and Michael Tennyson.

May 28th: Listen to the show
Tonight's Ceili House is from The Old Triangle in Finnsbury Park, London with Reg Hall and friends. The band is aptly named The Old Triangle Band.

June 4th
No Ceili House this week due to coverage of International Soccer.

June 11th: Listen to the show
Brendan Mulkere gathers a group of pupils and former pupils in the Hillingdon Irish Centre in London for tonight's Ceili House. Brendan, originally from Co. Clare, who has a great reputation for teaching Irish traditional music in the London area for many years is a fine fiddle player himself.

June 18th: Listen to the show
Ceili House continues its trip to England and it's back to Manchester for tonight's Ceili House where Michelle O'Leary brings together a group of young musicians and singers at the Cheetham Hill Irish Centre.

June 25th: Listen to the show
The Sruleen Ceili Band have been taking part in the All Ireland Senior Ceili Band Competition for a number of years and they fly the flag for the Birmingham area in Britain. They assemble at the Irish Centre in Digbeth, Birmingham for tonight's programme.

July 2nd: Listen to the show
After a wonderful trip to England in April where Ceili House recorded in Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester and London, tonight we feature music and song from the four cities not previously heard on the programme.

July 9th: Listen to the show

August 27th: Listen to the show
Ceili House back on the road for the Fleadh in Letterkenny, Co. Donegal. Ceili House will broadcast live from the Gig Rig in Letterkenny at Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann. There's music and song from the fiddlers of Donegal and performances from some of this year's newly crowned young All Ireland Champions.

September 3rd: Listen to the show
On tonight's Ceili House Kieran Hanrahan meets some of the many musicians and singers who travelled to Letterkenny in Co. Donegal for this year's All Ireland Fleadh. The sessions, the teachers concert, the singers club and much more...

September 10th: Listen to the show
It's the eve of this year's All Ireland senior Hurling final and Ceili House samples the atmosphere with performers from both Cork and Galway.

September 17th: Listen to the show.
On tonight's Ceili House we feature the music and song of the Frank McGann All Stars, recorded in Strokestown, Co. Roscommon ahead of this year's Feile Frank McGann. We also hear details of the upcoming event.

September 24th: Listen to the show
It's that time of the year again when the All Ireland Football finals take place in Croke Park. On the eve of the match Ceili House meets some of the musicians and singers from Tyrone and Kerry and we hear some opinion on Sunday's big game.

October 1st: Listen to the show
Tonight's Ceili House is the first of two from the All Ireland Senior Ceili Band competition recorded at the Fleadh in Letterkenny, Co. Donegal. Kieran metts the band leaders backstage just before they play. Expect some outstanding music and a little tension too.

October 8th: Listen to the show
Part 2 of this year's Senior Ceili Band finals. The tension mounts for the Naomh Padraig Ceili Band from Co. Meath who defend their title. We'll have the resule at the end of tonights programme.

October 15th: Listen to the show
Tonight's Ceili House was recorded at Culturlann na hEireann in Monkstown, Co. Dublin. It features the Echoes of Eireann tour group from Comhaltas who recently headed off for an extensive tour of the United States.

October 22nd: Listen to the show
The Seamus Ennis Cultural centre in the Naul, Co. Dublin is the venue for tonight's Ceili House. The music and song is from the winners of this year's Siansa competition for young musicians sponsored by Radio na Gaeltacht and Gael Linn. The winners are from Dublin and Meath under the name "Na Mothuchain". We'll also have a song from competition organiser Niamh de Burca who recently released her debut CD.

October 29th: Listen to the show
Ceili House travels to the Killeady Community Centre in Co. Limerick for a night of traditional music and song with local musicians and singers led by Con Herbert.

November 5th: Listen to the show
On tonight's Ceili House Kieran travels to the community hall in Ballycommon, Co. Tipperary and meets local Accordion player Ned Kelly, who has gathered a host of local and visiting musicians and singers. They recently recorded a live CD in aid of the local hospice movement and are preparing to launch the recording in the next couple of weeks.

November 12th: Listen to the show
Cork is the European capital of Culture this year and the Arts fest is in full swing. Ceili House visits the Beamish Brewery where the Arts Fest Ceili Band and friends have gathered for a night of music, song and a little chat too.

November 19th: Listen to the show
Hanny Mac's, in Farren, Co. Cork hosts a regular weekly session. Banjo player Liam Forde brings together a group of local musicians and singers for a lively session on tonight's Ceili House.

November 26th: Listen to the show
Coole Park, just outside Gort in Co. Galway, is an historic place. On tonight's Ceili House we hear of plans to develop the house into a Cultural centre. There's music and song from a group of local musicians and singers, including the newly formed Oranmore Ceili Band who played at this year's senior band competition at the fleadh in Letterkenny.

December 3rd: Listen to the show
Ceili House is in Co. Galway again this week for a programme with Ceoltoiri an Doirin from Ballindereen who launch a celebratory CD of local music and song.

December 10th: Listen to the show
On Ceili House this Saturday night Kieran celebrates his first ten years as presenter of the flagship programme. He presented the show first, in the Autumn of 1995 and since then he's travelled the roads of every county in Ireland, across England and the United States in search of the best of Irish traditional music and song.

To mark the occasion RTE Radio has produced a twenty track CD of the first ten years. The music and song from that CD is featured on tonight's Ceili House.

December 17th: Listen to the show
Tonight's Ceili House is from the Grand hotel in Fermoy Co. Cork where piper Jimmy Morrison has gathered together a group of local musicians and singers who'll be joined by others from around the country.

December 24th: Listen to the show
CÉILÍ NA NOLLAG
Céilí Na Nollag ón mBradán Feasa Ráth Cairn, Co. na Mí le hEamon Ó Donnachadha, a chairde agus a chlann.

Sean-nós singer and flute player Eamon Ó Donnachadha, who recently won the prestigious Corn UÍ Riada at an tOireachtas in Cork, is joined by a host of friends and family for a night of music, song, dance, chat and memories of Christmas past around the fireside at An Bradán Feasa in Co. Meath.

December 31st: Listen to the show
Tonight we end the year in style on Ceili House with a visit to the Freemount Heritage Centre, Freemount, Co. Cork. The music and song is played by the Allow Ceili Band who were 3rd at this year's All Ireland Senior Ceili Band competition at Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann in Letterkenny. 2005 was an exciting year for this new band and they look forward to 2006.Kieran talks to some local people about the traditions of the area at this time of year.A good lively programme to end what has been a great year on Ceili House.