Coastguard Cultural Centre Tramore, November 25th @ 8pm
From “Only Our Rivers Run Free” to “The Ballad of Lidl & Aldi” with great songs and stories in-between.
Earlier this year Mickey MacConnell was given one of the highest honours the world of folk music in these islands bestows annually – the Creative Arts Award at the Fiddlers’ Green Folk Festival in Rostrevor, Co Down. In accepting the award, Mickey found himself inducted into a fairly rarefied hall of fame, including the award’s first winner ever, then Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaney, the legendary Pete Seeger, Ralph McTell and a host of other famous names.
Mickey MacConnell is the youngest member of a musical family from Bellanaleck near Enniskillen in County Fermanagh. In an attempt to get warm, he fled south and spent most of his working life as a journalist in Dublin where he slaved for the Irish Press Group and, later, The Irish Times. Despite the fact that he has been writing songs all his life – “Only Our Rivers Run Free“; was written in 1965 – it was only when he moved to Kerry about 30 years ago that he seriously devoted himself to his music. His first album “Peter Pan and Me“; was released in 1992 to critical acclaim and since then many of his songs have been recorded internationally by such artists as Christy Moore , The Wolfe Tones , Mary Black and many more including The James Last Orchestra. His album “Joined Up Writing“; features many new songs and takes a wry look at life and politics, not just in Ireland but worldwide. “Mickey MacConnell Live in JohnB Keane’s ” captures Mickey in one of his regular sessions during the summer months in JohnB Keane’s pub in Listowel. Mickey’s “Only Our Rivers Run Free” is an acknowledged modern classic, and many of his humorous and satirical songs feature prominently at singing sessions in Ireland and beyond.
The last word must go to Kieran Goss, “He writes with an honesty and a passion that I have rarely heard . . .we need more songwriters like Mickey McConnell.”
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Tickets: €10
Booking -(051) 391656 or Email: coastguardstationarts@gmail.com