Reeling down the years, all 45 of them
Reeling down the years, all 45 of them
Cork Folk Festival marks a milestone this year with a new book by William Hammond, exploring the memories and music of forty-five years of the festival.
Forty-five years of organising anything that involves more than two people is both an ordeal and a minor miracle, and you certainly get an appreciation for the magicians of moving parts when perusing a newly-published book which chronicles nearly 50 years of Cork Folk Festival.
Since 1979, the festival has been bringing trad heavyweights and session players to the banks of the Lee for one weekend a year and Cork Folk Festival 1979-2024: Reeling Down the Years documents all the box players, fiddlers, flutists, dancers and singers that make the Folk Festival happen.
Willie Hammond, co-director of the festival and author of the new book, is understandably a busy man this week, but when I eventually got the Fermoy man on the phone he was as unhurried as a slow air. He’s been round the block and some when it comes to the folk fest, having been attending it since year one.
“Do I remember all of it?” Willie asked. “No,” he said laughing, but he’s done a mighty job of documenting it in Reeling Down the Years.
The seven years of researching the book and the five years to write it has helped with recalling some of the many highlights.
“Every year is memorable, but there was some fantastic concerts. Even the non trad stuff, Billy Bragg or Real Sounds of Africa,” Willie said reeling off magic nights in pubs and concert halls around Cork.
There were also trad legends such as Belfast man Seán Maguire “on fiddle up in the Country Club with the Murphy brothers,” he said, before recounting when a record-breaking 8,000 set dancers descended on the streets of Cork for the Ceilí Mór in 2005 during the city’s reign as the Capital of Culture.
While the book documents the festival in detail, Willie also notes how events in Cork over the four decades have influenced the festival.
“The closure of Dunlops and Ford in Cork, it was basically like all the tech companies in Cork closing down,’” William said, recalling how it decimated livelihoods.
The Folk Fest organisers responded by reducing prices and putting on free gigs in an effort to lift spirits.
In many ways, Willie is probably the best-placed person to write the book and this coming Saturday in the City Library will see the official launch of the book.
“Lord Mayor Dan Boyle is going to launch it and there’ll be music and a little bit of guff,” William said extending an invite to me (and readers).
As to this year’s highlights: there’s a lecture on magic of fiddle player Dennis Murphy tonight in UCC and local favourites North Cregg play An Spailpín Fánach on Friday night, but that’s sold out Willie said.
“Another highlight is a Phoenix revival, or reunion or revisiting,” Willie said, talking about the central place the Phoenix Bar had in Irish music circles in Cork in the 70s.
The musicians that played there were some of the first session musicians in Cork according to Willie, explaining how Tom Dineen was instrumental in building a session scene in the pub on Union Quay.
Over the year the Phoenix helped launch and form a lashing of folk groups including The Phoenix Céilí Band, The Lee Valley String Band, Coppinger Stang, The Four Star Trio, Stokers Lodge, The Steam Packet Co. and the duo of Jackie Daly and Séamus Creagh.
“We’re just kind going back there seeing what memories will bring up.”
Asked if he’ll be playing, Willie said he “might squeeze in a tune here or there”, but he won’t be advertising it, before highlighting the Sunday night concert in the Opera House which features Frankie Gavin and De Dannan with special guests Molly O’ Mahony and Dave Murphy.
There’s still a few tickets for that one Willie said.
Always be selling. And playing.
Cork Folk Festival kicks off tonight and runs until Sunday October 6. Check out the line-up of gigs, ceilís, concerts and workshops here.
The 45th Cork Folk Festival highlights
Paul Brady, one of Ireland’s greatest singer song writers, returns to the Folk Fest with a concert at the Opera House on Saturday night at 8pm. Tickets and more info here.
This one's for the musicians: Two of the finest musicians in the country, Jackie Daly and Matt Cranitch, will hold a Sliabh Luachra tunes workshop in the MTU School of Music on Saturday 5 at 11am. Tickets and more info here.
The Phoenix Bar Revisited takes place at the Triskel Christchurch on Saturday 5 at 3.30pm with Jackie Daly, Jimmy Crowley, Eoin Ó Riabhaigh, Colm Murphy & Conal Ó Grada, Mick Daly & Tana O Brien plus Fred Willis, Pat ‘Herring’ Ahern, Ger Shine (Coppinger Stang). Tickets and more info here.
An Spailpín Fánach is official unofficial home of the festival and there;’s always a strong lineup of concerts upstairs in the South Main Street bar throughout the festival. Two to catch include the flute concert at 2pm on Saturday 5 featuring Tony McCarthy, Aoife Granville, Eamonn Cotter, Fintan Vallely.
The following day, Sunday 6, at 8.30pm an Spailpín will host a box/concertina concert with Jack Talty, Éabha Ní Mhurchu, Cliona Halley, Aidan Coffey, Paddy Egan, Ruby Falvey. Tickets and more info here.
