Liz ‘Eilis’ Coleman – Fiddle
Liz Coleman is one of Irelands leading young fiddlers. She is a graduate of ‘Ceoltoír’ the traditional Irish music course directed by
Paul McGrattan through Ballyfermot Senior College. She has performed traditional music all her life including tours of Ireland,
Europe and the US with various ensembles.
She has appeared at Festivals including Ennis Tradfest and l’Orient Inter Celtic Festival, Brittany. She is currently a member of the
Galway based group Nabac.
Mick ‘Micheál’ Dunne – Banjo
Mick Dunne has been performing traditional music all his life and has inherited a rich musical tradition. All of his family play
traditional music and are well known musicians in the Drogheda area. Whilst music is not Mick’s profession, he performs regularly
in Drogheda where he works and lives.
Aidan ‘Nardo’ Dunphy – Drums and percussion
Aidan Dunphy is a highly sought after drummer and percussionist best known for his work with acclaimed Irish singer-songwriter
Declan O’Rourke. Aidan recorded many of the drum and percussion parts on Declan’s platinum selling debut album ‘Since Kyabram’
and toured the album with Declan. He has played with many other artists across many musical genres including Roesy,
Maeve Dunphy, Arty McGlynn and Ian Smith.
Pádraic ‘Don’t call me Paddy’ Ó’Beírn – poetry/lyrics, harmony vocals
Pádraic Ó’Beírn is a writer, poet and lyricist with extensive experience across all fields. He has worked as a Scriptwriter for RTE
Drama Department in script development and seasonal programmes. In 1991 he produced and wrote the textual content for the
innovative ‘Hispano Celtic Suite’ which was produced by Eitilt Dance Theatre Company in Galway. He directed the children’s drama
'Russian Tales' for the same company at the Galway Arts Festival.
He has had short story work published in New Writing 3 Minerva London and IT magazine and has had numerous articles published
in the Irish Times.
As a lyricist he has co-written and recorded songs with artists including Fil Campbell, Mark Oliver, Mickey Harte, Tim Ambler,
Celine Caroll, Susan McKeown and Dave Flynn.
Brian ‘Toolbox’ O’Toole – Bass Guitar
Brian Ó’Toole is one of the most in-demand session bassists in Ireland. He is a member of the trad fusion group Djembe and has
performed and recorded with the acclaimed Uilleann piper Tommy Byrne in his group ‘The Big Jig’s’. He has also performed and
recorded with a number of top Irish Singer-Songwriters, including Paddy Casey, Roesy and Maeve Dunphy. He toured Ireland with
the legendary Four Tops in 2002 and most recently worked with the young ballad singer George Murphy.
Ciarán ‘Bill’ Swift – Steel String Acoustic Guitar
Ciarán Swift is also a graduate of the ‘Ceoltoír’ course. He has performed traditional Irish music throughout the world from Thailand
to Scandanavia and regularly performs in Ireland with groups including the Rattlin Rogues and the Houley Grail. He is heavily in
demand as a traditional session accompanist and singer. In 2003 he produced his debut CD ‘In the Moment’.
The following people are not involved in the regular live set-up, but they contributed considerably to Draíocht
Manus Lunny - Sound Engineer, Bodhrán (First recording sessions)
Manus Lunny is one of the top accompanists, arrangers and producers working in traditional Irish and Scottish music today. He is
renowned for his innovative work with Capercaille, Donald Shaw and Michael McGoldrick for whom he produced the CD ‘Morning Rory’.
He has worked with many of the top traditional musicians in the world and has produced and engineered many acclaimed recordings.
www.capercaille.com
Paul Thomas – Sound Engineer (subsequent recording sessions, mixing and mastering)
Paul Thomas is one of Ireland leading sound engineers particularly known for being the sound engineer for the first three
albums by U2 alongside work with Thin Lizzy. Paul has recorded many traditional Irish musicians including Clannad, Planxty,
Charlie Lennon, Seán Smyth, Noel Hill and Tony Linnane.
Band links
Thought I’d include links to some of my favourite bands, unfortunately most of my favourite bands don’t exist anymore so they don’t have websites, but here are some who do still exist!
www.neworderonline.com - A great website about New Order, one of my favourite bands
www.thestrokes.com - My favourite band of recent years. Sure they're a bit retro but they have a unique sound and write great pop/rock songs. I saw them live at Alexandra Palace, London a couple of years ago and they were great.
www.ironmaiden.co.uk - I have to include the site of my favourite metal band. Maiden have been around for years and without them I probably wouldn't have picked up a guitar. They are still a great live band and make The Darkness look like the cheap imitation they are! Why bother going to see an 'ironic' band like the Darkness when you can still see the original thing. Maiden have always been aware of the irony of what they do, amps up to 11, mullets, swords and sorcery, giant puppets and dwarves! You don't get that at a Darkness show now do you? I saw Maiden in London recently and the mosh pit was like a battle scene from the Lord of The Rings! Up the Irons!
www.metallica.com - Still the heaviest band around, Metallica went through a dodgy period in the mid-90's but have since reclaimed their throne as the great thrash metal band around. I saw them in London recently too and they played a set mostly culled from their 1980's output which reminded me just how good they really are.
I may have gone all classical, trad and jazz but I’m really a rocker at heart! |
