Acclaimed fiddle player Zoë Conway has performed across the globe, both as a solo artist and playing with acts such as Riverdance, Damien Rice, Rodrigo y Gabriella, Lisa Hannigan, Nick Cave and Lou Reed.
She has toured worldwide and has appeared in many prestigious concert venues, including Carnegie Hall, New York, The Kremlin Palace, Moscow and The National Concert Hall.
Zoë tours regularly with her husband, John Mc Intyre on guitar, and the duo have been described by the BBC as "simply one of the best folk duos on the planet", and we find it hard to disagree. They perform with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra and David Brophy on Thursday 16 August at The Dome, Drogheda, as part of this year's Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann.
Film
Enjoyed seeing The Guard again on RTÉ recently. Written by John Michael Mc Donagh and starring the strangely likeable Brendan Gleeson, it is a dark and violent comedy about corruption in An Garda Siochána in Connemara. It's also the most successful independent Irish film of all time.
Music
It's quite incredible as a touring Irish musician to see the reach of traditional Irish music across the world. I've played with many people from far flung countries who only play traditional Irish music! Despite this, I'd say that most Irish people haven't been to a real trad session. Find a good session near you and go along and you'll be blown away. A good place to start is The Cobblestone in Smithfield for great sessions every day. The Spirit Store in Dundalk is also lovely on a Sunday afternoon - just don't fall off the pier.
Book
Since having children, I am much more emotional than I used to be! I can hardly read any fiction or true stories without turning into a blubbering mess, so now I stick to factual books! The children are forever asking questions like, how far away is the moon and how big is the Earth, so I'm reading A Short History Of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson, which is teaching me loads of cool facts that I can impress them with like, ‘People who are directly in a meteor’s path will not be killed by the impact. The compressed air in the path will heat up to 60,000 degrees Celsius, making them instantly vanish.’ They love that stuff.
Theatre
Translations by Brian Friel. I loved seeing this at The Abbey a few years ago and enjoyed being involved in the soundtrack by Conor Linehan. Brian Friel had an immense awareness of the beauty of language and Translations is a real celebration of cultural uniqueness.
TV
Oh, it has to be Room to Improve. The fun of watching Dermot Bannon drawing something wrong and overspending by €50,000 every episode, and yet succeeding and creating a gorgeous place in the end - it's addictive!
Concert
The last concert I attended was the finale concert of Willie Clancy Summer School in the old community hall in Miltown Malbay, Co. Clare. It was quite moving as it was the last concert before the beautiful old hall is being knocked down and a new arts centre built. The legendary Cor Cúil Aoidh, led by Peadar Ó Riada, finished an amazing evening of traditional music and dance. It was wonderful. And I have to mention another massive traditional music event, Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, which will take place in Drogheda, in my wee county from 12th to 19th August. I am so thrilled to be playing two concerts as part of it - one on the 12th with myself, John Mc Intyre, Julie Fowlis and Éamon Doorley performing all new compositions and songs inspired by Irish and Scots Gaelic poetry. Myself and John then have the honour of performing with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra in the Dome in Drogheda on the 16th August and then on the 17th again in the National Concert Hall!
Art
I love pottery and we have lots at home. After a stressful day, I've been known to just watch people making pots on YouTube for ages. My favourite pieces are some mugs we got from Ciarán O’Conboirne of Celtic Clay Pottery in Omeath. I love my tea and the mugs look and feel so nice. I love that they are from just down the road. I did a couple of pottery courses with Ciarán, and now I'm hooked!
Radio/Podcast
Before we head out on tour in Germany, I'll download lots of Irish radio to keep me company in the car. My favourite is Down To Business with Bobby Kerr. I love hearing Irish entrepreneurs chatting about how they came up with their ideas, how they often have global impact, and about the uniquely Irish way things happen through random connections. I love those stories!
I got to visit the Clontarf Baths and i am the first person to actually get into the water since the redevelopment; tune in on Saturday to hear more #DTB @NewstalkFM pic.twitter.com/CxsfJg8ET9
— Bobby Kerr (@bobbykerr) March 29, 2018
Tech
I only allow the children to play educational games on my phone, (they haven't noticed yet) but one app they love is Toc and Roll which is a composition app for kids. They pick different instruments and layer them on top of each other, and can sing into it too. Then they very proudly show me their ‘compositions’!
The Next Big Thing
As a non-alcoholic drinker, I have been wishing for years that bars and restaurants would start offering proper grown up drinks, and now they are! And stop giving me dirty looks when I order tea. Go to Ballymaloe House, Cork, for the best lemonade or elderflower drink, or try Saba in Clarendon Street for mint, lime, elderflower syrup, nettle syrup and homemade grapefruit soda. Nom...
Zoë Conway and John Mc Intyre, with special guests Bill Whelan, Mick O’Brien and Dónal Lunny, perform with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra and David Brophy on Thursday 16 August, The Dome, Drogheda, as part of Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, and on Friday 17 August at the National Concert Hall - more details here.
