Over 300 Free, Live Music Events took place in celebration of Ireland’s National Music Day, 21 June
June 22, 2012
Despite the weather yeaterday, over 2,000 musicians took to the stage to host an exciting range of free live music events in unusual venues around the country as part of love:live music, Ireland’s National Music Day. love:live music was presented by Music Network in association with RTÉ lyric fm and was funded by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and The Arts Council.
Highlight events taking place around the country included:
- Lá Ceoil in Dublin - a spectacular free showcase concert in Dublin’s Meeting House Square funded by the Arts Council supporting Traditional Arts, with an outstanding line-up of musicians including Buffalo in the Castle, We Banjo 3, The Unwanted, Tarab and the world premiere of a new piece by Linda Buckley, performed by members of the RTÉ Concert Orchestra and DIT Traditional Music Ensemble, with special guests.
- Ennis Town in association with BallyO Promotions hosted ‘Clare Connections’ featuring leading names in traditional Irish Music including Lúnasa, The Kilfenora Céilí Band, The Teetotallers and special guest Maura O Connell.
- Clonmel Loves Live Music presented 4 hours of free music on the streets of Clonmel including a special live collaboration with acclaimed singer and composer Julie Feeney, extraordinarily talented violinist Cora Venus Lunny, innovative harper Laoise Kelly and the masterfully elegant and fluent guitarist Niwel Tsumbu.
- Comhaltas Ceoltóiri Éireann presented 120 traditional Irish music events throughout the country including a series of intimate live music performances in regional An Post GPOs
- Steve and Joe Wall of ‘The Walls’ – and formerly of multi-platinum Irish band The Stunning - will perform a special stripped-down acoustic set from the Roasted Brown Coffee Shop at Filmbase Café on Curved Street, Temple Bar, Dublin
- White Collar Boy performed a full live set on the 11am Heuston Dublin to Waterford train for commuters, supported by Iarnród Éireann.
- The Royal Irish Academy of Music and the OPW event ‘Park Live’, relocated to the Powerscourt Townhouse, with performances from some of Ireland's finest emerging talents from 12 noon to 3 pm.
- National Youth Orchestra of Ireland’s Brass Ensemble performed to unsuspecting passers-by from Dublin’s City Hall
- IMMA presented a sound installation by artist Garret Phelan that involves the bell-ringers of both Christ Church Cathedral and St Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin city centre, which was heard from 9.00 to 9.25 pm.
