TONY CORCORAN

Tony Corcoran  was born into an Irish family in Maudsley, near Preston in Lancashire. His grandfather emigrated back in the late 1800′s from the village of Glen Hast, County Mayo in the West of Ireland. Lots of Irish people came over then to work in the Lancashire Woolen Mills, particularly after the famine of 1879 which affected the West coast fairly harshly.

“Every Sunday night our home was transformed into a ‘ceili house’. My mother played the piano and a fellow would arrive with a melodeon to accompany our singing. There were lots of fiddles hanging in the house, left behind by my Grandfather and my uncle Dominic, who emigrated to America. They’d all played in the North West Mayo tradition as pioneered by Eamonn Walsh. So naturally I took up the fiddle when I was 8 years old.  I’d have to get the bus at 7.30 a.m for an 8.30 fiddle  lesson but there was no bus back to my village until 1.30 in the afternoon, so I’d go over to wait at my Granny Corcoran’s .Granny played the melodeon and mandolin so she’d mischeviously prod me about what I’d learned at my ‘violin lessons’ and then she’d entice me to play a few tunes like Resin the Bow or The Geese in the Bog to ensure I was learning the real tradition!”

BENNY GRAHAM

Benny Graham served his musical apprenticeship in the folksong clubs of North East England.
Clubs like Birtley, run by the Elliott family, and Newcastle Folksong and Ballad (which featured among it’s regulars the High Level Ranters and Lou Killen) were at the forefront of the British folk revival. There was no better place in the late 60′s for a young singer to develop a love of the vast musical culture of the North East which takes in rural songs, irish songs and tunes, tyneside music hall and the culture which grew from the heavy industries of coal, steel and ship building.

Having worked as a solo performer for several years Benny then formed a three part harmony band – Pegleg Ferret -touring both the UK and the continent.

In recent years he has expanded into dance music both as a player and dance caller, working alongside the likes of Tony Corcoran, the High Level Ranters, Joint Stock and several other bands.

PAUL HETHERINGTON

Fine accompaniments a speciality.. either on piano or guitar. Paul has been a well known face on theTyneside music scene for a good while and until recently played in Deacon Jones and The Sinners. Repentance brings him into Irish Music with the Tony Corcoran Band.

The Ceili Band for all occasions.

Phone 01207 238267/ 0191 268 3100

Mobile 07973 870155 / 07752 630657

E.Mail benny@bennygraham.com

http://www.tonycorcoran.co.uk/index.html

 The Emigrant Support DFA, Culture Ireland, Irish Youth Foundation and Ireland Fund GB, with-out who’s help we would be unable to bring the diverse and traditional Irish culture that Tyneside has enjoyed and benifitted from.

Funding LOGOS 2012

Newcastle City Council Lord Mayor Geoff O'Brien opens the St. Patrick's Day celebrations on the Shamrock Stage

Healy-O’Donnell Dancers with fiddle player Tony CorcoranHealy-O’Donnell Dancers

JENNIFER and Hazel are twin sisters from the Orkneys who, over the last 20 years of performing traditional folk music together, have travelled the world.

They are not identical and appear to have contrasting personalities. Jennifer plays the fiddle and introduces most of the tunes while Hazel accompanies on guitar and piano.

Over two sets they play a selection of traditional tunes and their own material. Many of their self-penned tunes have a jazzy feel with Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappeilli influences.

Jennifer shares with the audience such gentle and amusing observations about the Orkney Islands, I now want to visit. She mocks the Shetlands but performs Shetland tunes with warmth and passion.

The audience couldn’t keep still and were tapping their feet to the jigs and reels all night, with only a few breaks for slower, haunting pieces.

The twins clearly have a close bond, frequently establishing eye contact before key changes.

 

Both are outstanding musicians, Jennifer perhaps getting more attention because she plays the lead and is a former winner of the BBC Young Tradition Award but Hazel’s guitar sparkles and she plays the piano with tremendous verve.

The sisters run a school for traditional musicians in Kirkwall and I expect and hope that future generations will be performing Wrigley Sisters’ music.

Martin Ellis

Read More http://www.journallive.co.uk/culture-newcastle/music-in-newcastle/2012/04/16/review-the-wrigley-sisters-tyneside-irish-centre-61634-30765543/#ixzz1sD1cOBDc

RESEARCH ON FAMILIES OF IRISH DESCENT

Can you help?

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THE STUDY

The Tyneside Irish community forms a major part of the regional identity of the North East but this is not always recognised and you can help change this.

To fill the gap, the Economic and Social Research Council has funded my PhD project at Newcastle University – to look at what it means to be a man of Irish descent, living on Tyneside in everyday life.

Do you feel Irish?

If so, I would like to know more about your experiences of being from a family of Irish descent living on Tyneside. I am looking for Granddads, Dads and Sons as well as Uncles, Brothers, Cousins and Nephews… to come forward to tell their stories.

How have things changed for you over time?

Have men in your family experienced life differently for different reasons?

If you find yourself asking/answering any of these questions please get in touch.

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Taking part – What is involved?

I will arrange to meet you either at your home, your workplace, or a more social setting; the choice is yours. This meeting will be an informal discussion about who you are and why you or your family feel Irish? There would be the option to then meet with more of your family members and if you and they wish to be involved, your stories will form part of my project.

I will use a digital tape recorder in our formal discussions to make sure I can accurately detail your stories. Everything you tell me will be in complete confidence and you will have the chance to check that what has been recorded is correct. You can of course withdraw from the project at any time and any data you do not want to be includedwill not be stored and will be destroyed.

If you are interested in taking part, you could either phone, email or write to me at the addresses below. Thank you for your time.

Researcher

Michael Richardson – PhD

5^th Floor, Daysh Building, Newcastle University, NE1 7RU

Tel: 07980 151559

Email: m.j.richardson1@ncl.ac.uk

                            http://www.tynesideirish.com/2012/02/09/irish-men-on-tyneside-research-on-families-of-irish-descent-can-you-help/

Join us on NE1fm for the best  Irish community based show in the North East. You will be entertained  by such greats as Christy Moore, Damien Dempsey, Cara Dillon and the wonderful Frank Harte.

 The show is in collaboration with The Tyneside Irish Centre and  reflects the stunning array of cultural and musical talent that the centre has brought to Tyneside over the past 30 years.

Resident hosts Jim Bennet, Fiona Clelland and Tommy McClements would  love to hear what you think about the show or any musical tastes you’d like to be represented.  So why not phone in or text during our next  NE1Irish show this Wednesday 5pm til 7pm. Contact us on 0191 240 1025 or text 60300 (NE1+Your message)

If you live in the Newcastle area you can tune on fm 102.5 or for any where else in the region log on to

http://www.ne1fm.net/listen/

I do hope you can join us next week.

jim.bennet@ne1fm.net 

http://www.facebook.com/groups/395521203795482/

Kris Drever and Eamon Coyne at the Tyneside Irish Centre, Newcastle.

This was the launch of a new venue for traditional folk music, the Gallowgate Lounge at the Tyneside Irish Centre. It has been developed with small intimate acoustic  gigs in mind and I can report that there are good sight-lines and a decent PA system. Scottish folk star Kris Drever has played Tyneside a number of times over the last couple of years, performing solo and with Lau, the highly-admired Scottish folk ensemble.

Eamon Coyne is an Irish Tenor banjo player who doubles up on acoustic guitar. He has been based in scotland for many years. The concert started with the duo both playing guitar with an instrumental piece followed by De Dannan’s The Call and The Answer. The evening continued in a laid-back relaxed fashion.

Coyne commented that it was the quietest audience that he had ever encountered in an Irish club. In the second set Coyne’s banjo took centre stage with The Guns of the Magnificent 7, beautifully controlled and restrained. Obviously they are two old friends who enjoy playing together. They ended the concert with a couple of tunes from their Honk Toot Suite album, then returned to play a couple of jigs for the encore.

I thoroughly enjoyed it and will no doubt be back for more.  Martin Ellis – The Journal   

Thank you all who attended the Kris Drever and Eamon Coyne night, it was a special evening and the start of what looks to be a very exciting new accoustic and folk venue in Newcastle. The next gig will be the wonderful duo The Wrigley Sisters born and raised in the northern Scottish Orkney Islands, the twins began performing together – Jennifer on fiddle, Hazel on guitar and piano – when barely into their teens. A decade or so later and their fan-base has stretched around the world. This should prove to be another stunning night.

THE WRIGLEY SISTERS – 12th April,  8pm, £10/£8

Next session starts Sunday 12th Feb @ 1.30 til 3.30