Everyone,

In anyone else is planning a trip to Ireland in the near future, I
thought you might want to know about this chance to hear Len Graham,
Mary Staunton, Donal Maguire and other fine traditional singers. God, I
wish I could go!!

If anyone from the list attends, I would appreciate reports!!

Chris Brennan
cristoir@...

South Roscommon Singers Festival

28th to 30th October 2005



Knockcroghery, Co. Roscommon



Festival Programme



Fri. 28th Oct:

8pm 'til Late: Official Opening by John Tiernan, County Manager (in
Murray's Lounge) followed by a session of Comic Songs and Storytelling


Sat. 29th Oct:

10am to 1pm: Singing Workshops in Community Centre,

as Gaeilge le Treasa ní Cheannabháin (Galway) and

in English with Helen Hayes (E. Clare) Johnny Johnston (Ballinasloe).

4pm: Junior & Senior Singing Session in O'Brien's Bar.



7pm: Dinner, Concert and



Annie McNulty Award

Presentation



in The Widow Pat's.

Guest of Honour: Len Graham.

(Admission by ticket only - Dinner, Concert and Presentation EUR25,
Concert and presentation EUR5).



Sun. 30th Oct:

11.00am: Special Mass for deceased members of South Roscommon Singers
Circle.

1.00pm: Lunch and CD Launch in the Clay Pipe.

8pm 'til Late: Super Session in Murray's Lounge





Festival Guests:


Helen Hayes (E. Clare), Treasa ní Cheannabháin (Galway), Johnny
Johnston (South Roscommon), Mary Staunton (Mayo), Sean Mone
(Armagh), Micheál Marrinan (Waterford), Rachel Garvey (Roscommon),
Brian O'Rourke (Galway), KANTA (Brittany), Donal McGuire (Drogheda),
Robbie McMahon (E. Clare), David Cunningham (Newry), Peggy McMahon
(W. Clare).



Main Sponsor: Paddy Kilduff, Precast and Building Contractor, Lecarrow.

Annie McNulty Award, sponsored by Roscommon Champion newspaper.

South Roscommon Singers Festival 2005 has received assistance from
Roscommon County Council Arts Office. S




KANTA to launch CD at Knockcroghery Singers Festival

Currently Breton based, mother and daughters Brigitte, Katell and Gladez
Kloarag, collectively known as KANTA (Breton Kan 'ta! means 'Sing
Then!') sing ballads and songs deeply rooted in the places in which they
have lived and the people they have learned from. The trio sings a
capella in Breton and Welsh as well as in French and English - and
occasional in Creole and Pidgin.

Brigitte has travelled and sung widely for the past 30 years in all
Celtic countries and neighbouring lands - informally at singing sessions
'frae Orkney down tae Dover' as well as for traditional events,
including South Roscommon Singers Circle. Katell started singing with
her mother over 10 years ago and the two are regular performers at
traditional dance events (fest-noz & bal-folk) on both sides of the
Channel. Then, three years ago, Gladez joined in during a practice and
found she enjoyed singing with her mum and sister and Kanta came into
being as the three started performing soon afterwards.

Kanta will have the Irish launching their first CD 'Home Away From Home'
(in Breton Ti pe di~Tu pe du) at the South Roscommon Singers Festival in
Knockcroghery on Sunday afternoon 30th October. They will be performing
as guests of the festival on Saturday (29th) and on Sunday afternoon
during the launch.

The insert notes and the songs featured on 'Home Away From Home' are in
four languages, i.e. Welsh, Breton, French and English, and there are a
couple of songs in Pidgin and Creole, to spice it up just that little
bit more. All songs are sung a capella - mostly three voices, but
sometimes two and there are a few solos from Katell and Brigitte.
Contact : kanta3@... or Tel : 0033 298 718 250







Roscommon Champion sponsored Annie McNulty Award - Singers Circle to
Honour Len Graham

The 2005 South Roscommon Singers Festival takes place in the village of
Knockcroghery from Friday 28 October to Sunday 30 October. The festival
will see a host of singers and storytellers from around the country as
well as from Brittany and Wales. The highlight of the festival will
again be the Annie McNulty Award, which this year goes to renowned
Ulster songster, Len Graham.

Born in County Antrim, Len Graham is steeped in the singing tradition of
his native Ulster. He has recorded twelve albums to date, including 'Do
Me Justice' and 'You Lovers All', and has previously been awarded the
Sean O'Boyle Cultural Traditions Award and the TG4 Traditional Singer of
the Year award. Len was also a member of the band Skylark. A noted
collector, he has been an important source of songs for many leading
trad artists, including Altan, De Danann, The Chieftains and Dolores Keane.

Len has been a regular guest singer at the monthly sessions of the South
Roscommon Singers Circle, in Murray's of Knockcroghery. In association
with Roscommon's Traditional Arts Forum, in recent years Len has been
involved in traditional singing initiatives in schools throughout
Roscommon. In recognition of his contribution to the development and
promotion of traditional singing in Ireland and internationally, Len
Graham has been selected for the 2005 Annie McNulty Award which is
sponsored by the Roscommon Champion newspaper.

Annie McNulty was born Annie Brigid Burke in Kilteevan, (a few miles
north of Knockcroghery) in 1887. She was a noted accordion player and
singer and emigrated to America where she formed a family group and
performed Vaudeville 'Irish Style' shows for other Irish exiles in New
York. The group enjoyed considerable success, with recording contracts
from the 1930's through to the 1950s as well as appearances on radio and
television. They remained popular until the early 1960's.

To honour the memory of Annie McNulty, the Annie McNulty Award is
presented annually, by the South Roscommon Singers Circle, to a
traditional singer who has made an exceptional contribution to the
development and promotion of traditional singing at home and abroad.
Previous recipients were Robbie McMahon and Pauline Hanly.

This year's South Roscommon Singers Festival will see a large gathering
of singers in the village of Knockcroghery and promises to be a treat
for lovers of traditional singing and storytelling. Principal sponsor
for this year's event is local man, Paddy Kilduff.





Further information on the festival is available from Declan Coyne 087
966 7029, Christina Pierse 087 280 6346, Vincent Pierse 086 311 4028,
Marina Dolan 087 225 4695 or Hughie Baxter 087 222 2543.