2025 Gallery
Cape Clear, 29 August – 1 September
Another great weekend was had by all seven of us on Cape Clear, a beautiful island off the west coast of Cork. We sang to our hearts content in Cotters Bar on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights and where we were joined too by several other singers and performers to ensure that there were three lively nights full of chat, singing and banter. It was great too that our host Mary O'Driscoll sang some lovely tunes each night and we also enjoyed listening to Danny who graciously performed on Sunday night.
The two formal performances were the Saturday afternoon concert in Seipéal Naomh Ciarán, where Margaret O'Driscoll also contributed with reading a selection of compositions from her recently published collection of poetry, Dancing Around the Handbag. We were back in Seipéal Naomh Ciarán for Sunday mass to sing some songs appropriate for the venue and the occasion (the months mind mass for 98-year old islander, Denis Daly), which was facilitated by Fr Des. The weather too was reasonable, despite being windy with lumpy seas, and was pleasant enough for some of the crew to take the plunge in the harbour. Once again we are grateful to Mary and Ciarán O'Driscoll for inviting us and for their hospitality and company over the weekend.
22 August 2025
Richie Power organised a fantastic series of summer concerts over the summer in St Mary's Church of Ireland in Dungravan, a wonderful venue with superb acoustics and ideal for musical events. We were delighted to perform there on Friday 22nd August for a lovely evening of music and song. Richie and friends (Gay Brazil on dabbro guitar and Brendan Clancy on fiddle and base) sang, including some of Richie's own compositions, and we roared out a few shanties. We all got together at the end to round of the evening with The Wild Colonial Boy, Drunken Sailor and Country Roads. Wonderful and much appreciated by the audience!
1–3 August
We had a fantastic time at the Sails and Sounds Festival in Portaferry on the shores of Strangford Lough. The festival goes from strength to strength every year and it was very enjoyable. Thanks to Moira and the committee for inviting us.
21 June
It was great to be a part of the Summer Solstice evening of songs and stories in Kilkieran Cottage Barn, a repurposed venue behind the Dizzy Goat Restaurant, Castletown (near Piltown in County Kilkenny). There were several performers, apart from ourselves, including the singers Phila Grace, Niall Toner and Andrea Booth, Kevin Power and Phila Garce and the story tellers Watty Dunphy, Paney Bartley, Marie Walsh, Pilot Conway, Veronica Geoghegan Sweeney, Tom McCarthy and Walter Power. Many thanks to Ade for inviting us, for her hospitality and refreshments. A wonderful evening, no doubt.
20 June
We were delighted to sing a few songs on the Plaza in Waterford on Friday evening in a community event organised by The Friends of the River Suir in celebration of that mighty river flowing beside us nearby, and in glorious weather too.
12 May
We had a great time at the Singer's Club in Dungarvan
25–27th January
The country was battered by storms over the last few days, beginning with Storm Éowyn, a very powerful system from the Atlantic driven by exceptionally strong winds. There was widespread damage around Ireland with power outages and travel disruption. Storm Herminia followed two days later, and, while not as bad or as destructive, it made life difficult for repair crews and for communities impacted by Éowyn. With such powerful winds, the seas were high offshore and mighty waves battered coastlines. Luckily, there little or no flooding due to neap tides. Nevertheless, there were dramatic nearshore views of the turbulent conditions, with not a tall ship or a shantyman in sight
All aboard
