Music Close Up: Foxrock Folk Club

" Imagine my astonishment and excitement to discover that the many recordings of the live performances at the Foxrock Folk Club had been lovingly kept and cared for, and are now a cultural treasure trove of Ireland in the 1960s & '70s that can be shared with the world". - Melanie O'Reilly

The Foxrock Folk Club documentary will be repeated on Tuesday, 5th, Wednesday 6th, and Thursday 7th January 2009, at 10pm.

Singer Melanie O'Reilly takes a musical journey back to her youth and The Foxrock Folk Club for some unique recordings of Irish folk, jazz and blues artists - as well as poets - at the beginning of their careers.

Inspired by the late Lar Cassidy, whose vision was to have a meeting place of the arts "for all the people" it was rooted in the local community and was a coming together of renowned musicians and poets, as well as local artists.

Uniquely organised by a co-operative, which comprised of Clodagh O'Reilly, Jer Kearney, Pete Sheehan, Rick Cullen, Kevin McCann, among others, the club not only had the blessing of the local parish priest, Fr Dermot O'Neill, but also attracted such legendary names as Ronnie Drew, Luke Kelly, The Chieftains, Louis Stewart, Butler Fox Jazz Band, Donal Lunny, Andy Irvine, Al O Donnell, Neil Toibin, Brendan Kennelly, Peter Fallon/Tara Telephone, Horslips and others.

To Melanie's surprise and delight, she discovered that not only are there never been heard before live recordings of the performances, but also great memories and stories from the artists themselves, while she was recently in conversation with them.

For comments on the series, please email musicradio@rte.ie

For information on the Foxrock Folk Club Project, visit
http://www.foxrockfolkclubproject.blogspot.com/

Click on a date to listen to the show

Programme 1: 16th April 2009

The Pavees, Luke Kelly,We Four,Brian Fry, Al O Donnell,Tony Drennan, Butler Fox Jazz Band

Programme 2: 23rd April 2009

Luke Kelly, The Chieftains, Andy Irvine, Donal Lunny,Charlie Delaney,Louis Stewart trio (with Jim Mc Kay , Pete Ainscough), Niall Toibin- performing Brendan Behan, Peter Fallon

Programme 3: 30th April 2009

The Chieftains, Ronnie Drew, A O Donnell, Horslips, Johnny Norris, Louis Stewart ( with Mike Nolan, Jim Mc Kay, Dick Buckley, Pete Ainscough, Ken Stewart), Brendan Kennelly (poetry), Sonny Condell, Jim McCann, Supply Demand & Curve, Kulivant Sedhev

Programme 4: 17th March 2010

FOXROCK FOLK CLUB 40th Anniversary Concert

Pavilion Theatre, Thanks to Concert Co-ordinator -Jeremy Kearney, and all the FFC Co-operative, Bren, Una, Clo, Pete, Rick, Ray,Kevin.

INTRO -Melanie O'Reilly, into Second INTRO -Carol Jordan

1.ED DEANE and DERMOT STOKES: The Honey Tree
2.AL O'DONNELL: Ballad of James Connolly
3.PETER FALLON: Spring song
4.ALISON O'DONNELL: Silent Sleep
5.ROCK FOX and GERRY LYNCH: All of me
6.JOHNNY NORRIS and GERRY DOYLE: Nobody wants you...
7.MELANIE O'REILLY & MYLES DRENNAN: Diamond Rocks
8.MELANIE O'REILLY, & CLODAGH O'REILLY, & Myles Drennan: Basin Street Blues
9.TÍR na nÓG: Time is like a promise
10.LOUIS STEWART with Myles Drennan & Dave Redmond: I Should Care