THE CORONAS

Offer up condolences to Sabrina Carpenter for taking her No 1 slot!

‘The superior quality of the songwriting is what matters most here.’ – Album of The Week, Irish Mail on Sunday

‘It’s jam-packed with rugged songs, straight-from-the-heart conviction and true-life emotion, all woven together superbly by producer George Murphy.’ – 8/10 Hot Press

Today The Coronas celebrate the rare feat of four number ones in a row, with their eighth studio album Thoughts & Observations soaring to the top of the Irish album charts one week after its release. An achievement not accomplished by many bands, the hard-working trio are ecstatic at the news and want to send a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to all their loyal fans.

“We’d like to send our condolences to Sabrina Carpenter. For the last 5 weeks her album has been number one in 250 countries but today Ms Carpenter is waking up to the news that this week it’s only 249. The people of Ireland have spoken Sabrina, and, for one week only, they’ve chosen 3 hairy, 30-something year-old indie-rockers from Terenure to take the mantle!

In all seriousness, this is really cool, thanks to everyone who got the album and a special thank you to our manager Jim and all the Coronas family for all their hard work” Danny, Knoxy & Conor.

Written in Dingle, County Kerry and recorded in Eastcote Studios in London, Thoughts & Observations is a powerful, melodic record which takes an incisive look at life, relationships and art. Although technically a three-piece, with Danny O’Reilly on vocals, piano and guitar, Graham Knox on bass and Conor Egan on drums, the band embraced the talents of their touring supergroup on this album with Lar Kaye (All Tvvins) on guitar, Cian MacSweeney (True Tides) on saxophone and Roisin O on backing vocals. Produced by Grammy award-winning, long-time collaborator, George Murphy (Mumford and Sons, The Specials, Ellie Goulding) Thoughts & Observations is at times anthemic, at times delicate, but always authentic and full of emotion.

Since the album’s release, it has garnered a huge response from fans at the mini-tour of launch shows they have undertaken in partnership with Golden Discs. From Dublin to Wexford, via Kilkenny, Limerick, Galway and Cork, the reaction to the new material has been amazing.

The Coronas are heading back to US and Australia before they return to play five sold-out shows in December in the 3Olympia, a firm tradition on Coronas fans’ Christmas calendars. If you’re lucky enough you might catch them in the INEC in Killarney on 28 December; the perfect way to finish off the year.

See The Coronas live:

Wed. 13 Nov                             Gramercy Theatre, New York

Thurs. 14 Nov                           Brighton Music Hall, Boston

Thurs. 21 Nov                           Croxton Bandroom, Melbourne

Fri. 22 Nov                                Selina’s Sydney

Sat. 23 Nov                               Magnet House, Perth

12, 13, 14, 15 & 17 Dec             3Olympia, Dublin – *SOLD OUT*

Sat. 28 Dec                               INEC, Killarney Kerry

www.thecoronas.net

RYAN MCMULLAN

Releases his debut album Redesign on 1 November

Writing songs and then touring the world with them: that’s the dream for any singer-songwriter. And for many years that was the dream that Ryan McMullan was chasing. The Portaferry native is blessed with a voice that can shift effortlessly between the ethereal and the guttural, and a prodigious songwriting talent to match. Since the early days of his career he garnered significant attention from industry heavyweights, including Ed Sheeran, who called Ryan’s voice a ‘rare jewel’, and Gary Lightbody of Snow Patrol, who likened his voice to that of an angel. From playing in stadiums supporting Ed Sheeran, to a string of hit singles, and selling out headline tours throughout the UK and Europe, Ryan’s rise was nothing short of extraordinary.

Having taken some time off to focus on his mental health, Ryan is back and is finally ready to share with us his long-awaited debut album Redesign.

‘It’s funny because the album is called Redesign, and it feels like it has been redesigning itself since 2019. I’m very happy with where it is today and where I am also. In 2022, having just come out of a pandemic, I wasn’t ready to tour and release music again, and I think the pressure of having a lot of people who had invested in me and who were depending on me kept me from allowing myself to acknowledge the fact that I wasn’t OK. For me, it was very overwhelming to be confined to your home for over a year and then to be expected to come back touring as if nothing had changed. I ultimately had to redefine a lot of things in my career, such as expectations, partners, perceptions and even just purpose. And truthfully, Redesign makes more sense and has more purpose now than ever before. In retrospect, love is forever in my mind when writing songs, and in this instance, it was about finding love, losing it, loving myself, allowing others to love me and even the sting that love leaves behind. It can be a very cruel mistress, but if it was good enough for the Beatles, then it’s certainly good enough for me.’

Ryan marks the release of Redesign with a small run of sold-out November shows, as well as a few pre-release listening parties all over Ireland, in some of the finest pubs the land has to offer. The full UK and Irish shows are on sale Oct 4th.

Pub crawl

21 Oct              Simpson’s Bar, Tul Na Rí, Donegal

22 Oct              Dolan’s, Limerick

23 Oct             Mike The Pies, Listowel, Kerry

25 Oct              Levis Corner House, Ballydehob, Cork

28 Oct             Matt Molloy’s, Westport, Mayo

30 Oct              Spirit Store, Dundalk

31 Oct              Strand Bar, Strandhill, Sligo

See Ryan Live

3 Nov               Workman’s Club, Dublin            SOLD OUT

4 Nov               Empire Music Hall, Belfast         SOLD OUT

5 Nov                SWG3 Poetry Club, Glasgow       SOLD OUT

7 Nov               The Waiting Room, London        SOLD OUT

6 April              La Belle Angele, Edinburgh


7 April              Bodega, Nottingham


8 April              Band On The Wall, Manchester


10 April             The Garage, London


11 April             Mama Roux, Birmingham


12 April             Thekla, Bristol                                                     

14 April             Cyprus Avenue, Cork


15 April             Monroe’s, Galway


17 April             3Olympia, Dublin


18 April            Millenium Forum, Derry


22 April             The Telegraph Building, Belfast

OASIS ANNOUNCE THEIR FIRST UK AND IRELAND SHOWS IN SIXTEEN YEARS

TICKETS GO ON SALE FROM SATURDAY, AUGUST 31ST at 8am

Oasis today end years of feverish speculation with the confirmation of a long awaited run of UK and Ireland shows forming the domestic leg of their OASIS LIVE 25 world tour. Oasis will hit Cardiff, Manchester, London, Edinburgh and Dublin in the summer of 2025. Their only shows in Europe next year, this will be one of the biggest live moments and hottest tickets of the decade.

The Oasis live experience is unlike anything else. The roar that greets them as they step on stage. A set full of wall-to-wall classics. The spine-tingling sensation of being in a crowd singing back every word. And especially the charisma, spark and intensity that only comes when Liam and Noel Gallagher are on-stage together.

The brothers have flourished with their own projects since the band split in 2009, with ten UK #1 albums between them as well as countless festival headline sets and stadium and arena shows. But Oasis is something else. There has been no great revelatory moment that has ignited the reunion – just the gradual realisation that the time is right. Yet the timing must be a subconscious influence. This Thursday represents thirty years to the day since their electrifying debut album ‘Definitely Maybe’ was released, while 2025 will see the equally essential second record ‘(What’s The Story) Morning Glory?’ reach that same anniversary.

Oasis commented,

“The guns have fallen silent.

The stars have aligned.

The great wait is over.

Come see.

It will not be televised.”

Plans are underway for OASIS LIVE ’25 to go to other continents outside of Europe later next year.

Oasis’s legend has only been amplified in their absence. The classics that Liam and Noel have played in their solo shows have inspired phenomenal public demand for the band to make a long-awaited return, while the ‘Knebworth 1996’ film provided a taste of their exhilarating live performances to a whole new generation. They remain a huge draw in the streaming era, with 21.5 million monthly listeners at Spotify alone and a total of 12 billion streams to date. This Friday will also see the release of the Deluxe 30th Anniversary Edition of ‘Definitely Maybe’, which is available to pre-order here.

Tickets for the UK dates go on sale from 9am on Saturday, August 31st and will be available from www.ticketmaster.co.uk, www.gigsandtours.com and www.seetickets.com. Dublin tickets will be available from 8am that same day from www.ticketmaster.ie. The shows are:

JULY 2025

4th – Cardiff, Principality Stadium

5th – Cardiff, Principality Stadium

11th – Manchester, Heaton Park

12th – Manchester, Heaton Park

19th – Manchester, Heaton Park

20th – Manchester, Heaton Park

25th – London, Wembley Stadium

26th – London, Wembley Stadium

AUGUST 2025

2nd – London, Wembley Stadium

3rd – London, Wembley Stadium

8th – Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium

9th – Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium

16th – Dublin, Croke Park

17th – Dublin, Croke Park

A quick recap of the Oasis story. Formed in Manchester, the band quickly became one of the biggest cultural phenomenons of the era as ‘Definitely Maybe’ became the fastest-selling debut album in British history – and has since reached 17 x Platinum in recognition of 5 million+ domestic sales. All seven of their studio albums went straight to #1, as did their 2010 compilation ‘Time Flies…’. Their catalogue of features eight #1 singles, from ‘Some Might Say’ to ‘The Importance of Being Idle’, as well as another fifteen Top 10 hits.

That huge following translated to the live arena, most famously playing to 125,000 people each night during two shows at Knebworth. Other big moments included two headline sets at Glastonbury in 1995 and 2004; huge homecoming shows at Manchester City’s Maine Road stadium; and a run of Wembley Stadium gigs which were documented in the live album ‘Familiar To Millions’.

Their accolades have included six BRIT Awards, including the Outstanding Contribution to British Music, two Ivor Novellos, and seventeen NME Awards.

Oasis’ Classic Debut Single ‘Supersonic’ Celebrates 30^th Anniversary

Version Of ‘Supersonic (Live at the Limelight, Belfast 4th September ‘94)’

Limited Edition Physical Single Formats – Replica of Original 1994 CD Single & Individually Numbered Pearl Coloured 7” Vinyl – Out Now

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the classic debut single ‘Supersonic’ this week (originally released on 11th April 1994), Oasis have today unveiled an essential early live recording of the song. Listen here and watch the new lyric video.  Limited edition physical single formats are also released to commemorate this landmark date – a replica of the original 1994 CD Single (including the white label demo version of ‘Columbia’) and an individually numbered pearl coloured 7” vinyl – out now on Big Brother Recordings. The single is also available in Spatial Audio on Apple Music here.

The kinetic live version of ‘Supersonic’ was recorded at the Limelight, Belfast on 4th September 1994, perfectly capturing the moment when Oasis were one of the most exciting new bands and poised on the brink of era-defining crossover success. Earlier that week, their seminal debut album ‘Definitely Maybe’ had been released (29^th August 1994) and shortly before taking to the stage in Belfast, the band discovered the album had reached Number 1 in the UK Official Album Chart. The fans who had travelled from all over Northern Ireland witnessed an unforgettable gig that would go down in local folklore.

David Neely was General Manager and booker at the venue in 1994 and recalls the night of Oasis’ gig – “They took the stage in the Limelight, Belfast on Sunday 4th September.  It was a sell out 500 people at the gig and tickets only £6.75!  The Sunday of the week the debut album was released, the Limelight show was the right venue, for the right band at the right time.  I remember around 6.30pm (in the dark days before mobile phones) that a call came into the office from Radio One, saying the band had just went to Number 1 in the album charts.  It was a show that is now claimed by thousands that they were there – simply a show that is legendary in these parts.”

Delivering a set full of attitude, earsplitting feedback and stone cold classics-in-waiting, the Manchester five piece transcended their early potential and fans’ feverish expectations. Oasis were about to become one of the defining cultural forces of British Music.

News of activity to celebrate the 30^th anniversary of ‘Definitely Maybe’ to follow in the coming weeks.

‘Supersonic’ CD single tracklist:

1. Supersonic
2. Take Me Away
3. I Will Believe (Live)
4. Columbia (White Label Demo)

‘Supersonic’ 7” single tracklist:          

1. Supersonic
2. Take Me Away

Award-winning Dizzy Deliveries confirmed for a new series on RTÉjr from Monday 15 April

Award-winning smash hit children’s TV series Dizzy Deliveries is back, with season two premiering on 15^th April on RTÉjr with all episodes available to view on the RTÉ Player from this date. After the phenomenal response to the first series, the captivating world of Dizzy Deliveries returns with brand new episodes full of adventures, fun and laughter.

Dizzy Deliveries is the first TV show to use the key word signing system Lámh. It recently won a prestigious Clio award at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Lámh is used by children and adults with Down syndrome, autism, and communication difficulties to support their communication and self-expression. As the drama unfolds in each episode Lámh signs are brought to life, as Joe, our erstwhile delivery man hilariously attempts to deliver his packages. Featuring children who use Lámh, they assist Joe in his chaotic and funny adventures. Dizzy Deliveries helps audiences to add Lámh to their own vocabulary in a fun and immersive way.

Series two will contain thirteen episodes, directed by BAFTA award-winning writer and director Nia Ceidiog (whose credits include Fireman Sam and Something Special with Mr. Tumbles for Cbeebies) with theme music from Maria Doyle Kennedy and Kieran Kennedy. This season features some great cameos from famous Irish faces including singer-songwriter Mundy, chef JP McMahon, Special Olympics gold medalist Timothy Morahan, and horticulturalist Diarmuid Gavin.

Series 1 of Dizzy Deliveries broke new ground in Irish broadcasting. It quickly became a beloved fixture on the TV schedule and the most-watched RTÉjr commission on the RTÉ Player. Young viewers adored the show, in particular the families of loved ones with intellectual disabilities and communication needs. Importantly, the show also engaged children who don’t have those needs but who are fans of Joe and his robot sidekick Ozzy and his boss Aisling.

Dizzy Deliveries is produced by the award-winning production company Macalla Teoranta, responsible for Home School Hub as well as several awarding-winning feature films from Róise & Frank to Ireland’s entry into the 2020 Oscars, Arracht.  Jointly funded by Coimisiún na Meán and RTÉ the series was shortlisted for a Royal Television Society award in 2023.

Speaking ahead of the new series, Suzanne Kelly, Group Head of Children’s and Young People’s content at RTÉ said: “RTÉjr is thrilled to be part of the exhilarating and important journey of Dizzy Deliveries. As we embark on Season 2’s premiere on RTÉjr & RTÉ Player, I am reminded of the profound impact our show has had. From helping to break down barriers to igniting new avenues of communication through Lámh signing, every episode is a testament to the power of inclusion and possibility. It’s Public Service television at its very best as Joe, Aisling, Ozzy and of course the real stars, the kids, spread laughter, learning and joy.  We are proud to play a part in supporting this talented production team who bring Dizzy Deliveries 2 to our screens.”

Mary Cullen, Manager of Lámh said of “Dizzy Deliveries TV show with Lámh signing has been a dream come true for families, children who use Lámh and everyone in their communities! It’s a massive hit with families, schools, pre-schools and everyone, who all love learning Lámh signs in a fun way with Joe, Aisling, Ozzy and friends.”

Families who use Lámh signs at home have told us how so many people are watching Dizzy Deliveries and are using Lámh signs now at school, at pre-school, playing sports and in the community, which helps with fun, friendship and inclusion for everyone.

Dizzy Deliveries Series 2 will give us more adventures, more excitement and more Lámh signing, we can’t wait!”

Brand New Studio Album ‘Inevitable Incredible’

Released 3rd May on Stylus Records through Ignition Records Ltd

Listen to the Album’s Title Track Here

‘Inevitable Incredible’ Will Be Available On Heavyweight LP, CD and Digital Formats-Pre-order Here

Kelly Jones has today announced details of his brand-new studio album ‘Inevitable Incredible’, released on Stylus Records through Ignition Records Ltd on 3rd May.  View the album trailer here.

The news is accompanied by the unveiling of the eponymous title track. Listen here now.

The beautifully sparse and emotive first song ‘Inevitable Incredible’ is released today. Listen here. The song marks a bold stylistic shift for Kelly Jones, long established as one of the UK’s most prolific, successful, and beloved singers and songwriters. Setting the scene for the accompanying album, his voice is instantly recognisable yet on this album, Kelly shows a tenderness and vulnerability highlighting a breadth and depth vocally that is sometimes overshadowed by his familiar rock anthems of Stereophonics. The piano-led, cinematic and widescreen soundscapes are something new and bold for Jones. It’s a song that shows a songwriter pushing himself out of his comfort zone and with a vulnerability not often associated with a major artist a quarter of a century into such a hugely successful and storied career.

‘Inevitable Incredible’ sees Kelly writing primarily on the piano for the first time between October and December of 2022. After three months of wrestling haunting melodies from his piano and writing emotional, soul searching and always brutally honest lyrics into his notebook, Kelly found himself with an album’s worth of material. Material he never set out to create, but knew he needed to see through to completion, and complete quickly to capture the raw essence of what he’d created. He disembarked to the beautiful, secluded expanses of Ocean Sound studio in Norway, tucked away on a tiny remote island in the North Sea. With just his studio engineer and backline technician with him, the stunning stillness of the surroundings and vast expanses of wilderness, informed a six-day recording session that perfectly captured the emotional depths and soul searching that was born from those late-night piano sessions.

Over its eight songs, ‘Inevitable Incredible’ takes the listener on an engrossing journey that gives an intimate insight into an artist who is not content to rest on his laurels.

Speaking of ‘Inevitable Incredible’ Jones says: ‘The remote surroundings of the island studio allowed the songs to come to life and breathe, no distractions, it was such a new experience. There were no expectations for how the songs should sound. Just let the emotion and vulnerability I put into writing those songs come to life. The weather could change in a minute and there was little to no contact with the outside world. All this influenced how the songs came to be. It was a truly cathartic experience. I feel like I left it all out there on these songs.’

Over the last 25 years, Jones’ band Stereophonics have been a mainstay on radio and arena stages, writing anthems that are etched into the heartlands of the public’s consciousness like few others. Following on from 2022’s chart-topping album ‘Oochya!’ – Stereophonics’ 8th UK Number One album and accompanying sold-out stadium and arena tour that included 2 sold out nights at Cardiff’s 60,000 capacity Principality Stadium, Jones shifted gears again with the recent UK success of his Americana-influenced album Far From Saints. The project, comprising of Jones with Dwight Baker and Patty Lynn of The Wind and The Wave, received critical and commercial success last year, debuting in the top 5 on the UK Official Albums Chart whilst topping the specialist UK Official Americana and Country Artists Albums Charts. And now with ‘Inevitable Incredible’, Jones shows his continued evolution as an artist, able to adapt and steer his songwriting talents in manners that complement and broaden his body of work.

‘Inevitable Incredible’ is available from May 3rd via Stylus Records through Ignition Records Ltd, available on heavyweight LP, CD and digital formats. Pre-order here .

Rock Against Homelessness in aid of Focus Ireland

Corinne Bailey Rae, Toshín, Aimée, The White Horse Guitar Club and Isaac Butler

3Olympia Theatre on Sunday 26 May

Sponsored by Cadbury, Arachas Insurance and Hard Rock Café

The Sunday Independent’s Rock Against Homelessness in aid of Focus Ireland returns for its ninth year on May 26th in the 3Olympia with Grammy Award winner Corinne Bailey as headline act. The gig will also feature a glittering array of talent including Toshín, Aimée, The White Horse Guitar Club and Isaac Butler and the evening will be once again MCed by Laura Whitmore.

Corinne Bailey Rae is fresh from her hugely successful and highly acclaimed fourth album Black Rainbows released in September 2023. Inspired by her visits to the Stony Island Arts Bank in Chicago, the 10-track collection is a testament not only to the stimulating power the Stony Island Arts Bank collection has but also the depth of Bailey Rae’s gifts as a songwriter and vocalist. With rave reviews from NME, The New York Times and Mojo, Black Rainbows is a career highlight. Corinne says, ‘I am proud to be headlining Rock Against Homelessness 2024 to help support Focus Ireland’s work challenging homelessness and changing lives.’

Rising Irish artist Aimée has been busy carving out her niche in the pop arena. Her debut EP Confessions shot to the number one spot in the iTunes pop album chart and her single “Bulletproof”, written in response to online bullies, proved that hers was a voice committed to championing causes close to her heart, and led to a battle for the top spot in the iTunes chart with Billie Eilish.

Toshín, led by the powerful voice of Tosin Bankole, is a vibrant 6-piece band who take their inspiration from a variety of music spanning from early Motown to modern soul and R&B. Their debut EP Get Your Life was released in 2019, and was followed by a nationwide Irish tour and key festival performances. Since then, Toshín’s profile has been steadily on the rise and shows no signs of stopping.

The eleven men who make up The White Horse Guitar Club took to the stage in the intimate room upstairs in The White Horse to perform a repertoire shaped by 10 years on the road together. The finest Americana fused with Irish roots, the resulting music is the culmination of hours upon hours spent together playing and touring and celebration of a friendship cemented over those 10 years.

Singer-songwriter Isaac Butler has spent the last 2 years building his profile through music releases, live gigs and playing the Irish festival. His songs have collectively received over a million streams on Spotify and the young Dubliner is tipped for great things.

The Sunday Independent’s annual charity concert Rock Against Homelessness has been one of the musical highlights of the year since its inception and this year promises to be no different. 

Sponsored by Cadbury, Arachas and Hard Rock Café in Temple Bar, with 2FM as media partners, Rock Against Homelessness has seen household names headline, including Glen Hansard and The Boomtown Rats in 2017, Imelda May and Dermot Kennedy in 2018, Fontaines DC in 2020, Pillow Queens and Aslan in 2021, and Kojaque and Damien Dempsey in 2022.  

Focus Ireland CEO Pat Dennigan said: “Sadly the homelessness crisis has deepened again as 13,531 people are now homeless and shockingly this includes over 4,000 children. The number of people homeless has shot up 15% in the last year. However, the situation would be a lot worse again without the hard work of Focus Ireland and other organisations. Rock Against Homelessness helps us to achieve our goals and for this we are grateful.”

Tickets €30.00 from 3Olympia Theatre Box Office / www.ticketmaster.ie

Online bookings are subject to 12.5% service charge.

Music for Galway Presents

A new international cello festival on the edge of Europe.

Galway, Ireland: May 18 – 26, 2024

Stars of the cello and classical world announced for Galway include Eimear Noone (Irish, conductor and composer), Alban Gerhardt (German, cello), Camille Thomas (Franco-Belgian, cello), Nicolas Altstaedt (German-French, cello), Jakob Koranyi (Swedish, cello), Karmit Fadael (Dutch-Israeli, composer), Rachel Croash (Irish, soprano), Daria van den Bercken (Dutch-Russian, piano), Bogdan Sofei (Romanian-Irish, violin), Killian White (Irish, cello), Natalie Clein (British, cello), the National Symphony Orchestra, Irish Chamber Orchestra, Cello Ireland and many more.

Yesterday, February 20, 2024, Music for Galway have announced the full programme for Cellissimo, a new international cello festival on the edge of Europe, running across Galway city and county from Saturday May 18 to Sunday May 26 inclusive. Featuring hundreds of artists, composers, musicians, performers, and speakers, Cellissimo will gather the leading lights of the cello, classical and contemporary scene for nine incredible days and nights of music, song, and story in the West of Ireland. With thousands due to visit Galway over the festival run, Cellissimo will be a dynamic, inclusive, accessible celebration, appealing to both classical aficionados and first timers alike, striking a chord with Irish and international music audiences.

Cellissimo will also be a forum for the exploration of the power of music and the arts to drive understanding and influence behavioural change around the shared global challenges of the climate crisis, migration, and sustainability, with two distinctive programmes deeply embedded in the festival’s DNA: The collaborative community project Galway Bay is Calling, funded by the Creative Climate Action fund, an initiative of Creative Ireland, led by Music for Galway in partnership with Galway Atlantaquaria and Atlantic Technological University; and Songs of Travel, a three year, transnational Creative Europe Cooperation Project, ideated by Music for Galway CEO Anna Lardi, led by Music for Galway, in partnership with Fairplay Chamber Music, Sweden; Valdres Sommersymfoni, Norway; Piano Biënnale, The Netherlands and Austrian game development studio Causa Creations.

Galway Bay is Calling will be the afternoon opening event of Cellissimo on Saturday May 18, with Galway-born, Florence–based cellist, composer, and singer Naomi Berrill and more than one hundred singers, musicians, and performers from Galway Jam Circle, Voice of Galway, and Galway Camerata.

Opening night will see the commencement of the festival-long performance and discussion programme Songs of Travel. The Journey Begins will feature keynote speaker, former President of Ireland, Chair of the Elders and climate justice advocate Mary Robinson and the National Symphony Orchestra with a star-studded cast including cellists Alban Gerhardt and Jakob Koranyi and Cellissimo Artistic Director Finghin Collins on piano. The evening will host the debut of a new work for cello, piano and orchestra by composer Djuro Zivkovic, the first of five world premieres commissioned through Songs of Travel, each of which will be performed for the first time ever at Cellissimo. Other composers, artists, musicians, and speakers taking part in Songs of Travel events throughout the festival include Elaine Agnew, Lasse Thoresen, Hawar Tawfiq, Karmit Fadael, Killian White, Stephanie Dufresne, Rachel Croash, Alex Petcu, Macdara Ó Seireadain, Adedotun Adekeye, Pol Ó Conghaile and many more.

Elsewhere on theCellissimo programme, audiences will enjoy the National Symphony Orchestra in the hometown debut of world acclaimed Galway conductor and composer Eimear Noone, with the incredible Adrian Mantu of the ConTempo Quartet; The Story of a Cello with the Irish Chamber Orchestra and Franco-Belgian cello sensation Camille Thomas; a chamber concert with German–French cellist Nicolas Altstaedt and friends; the Bach Plus series – six newly commissioned cello pieces by six Irish composers to accompany Bach’s six cello suites –  which will be performed at St. Nicholas Collegiate Church in the city during the day, and then at locations across the county in the evening, including Campbell’s Tavern, Ballynahinch Castle, Claregalway Castle and more. 

Also on the bill, Classic Hour at Town Hall Theatre, a three-part series of classic favourites for cello and piano featuring Alban Gerhardt with Hugh Tinney, Killian White with Daria van den Bercken, and Natalie Clein with Music for Galway and Cellissimo Artistic Director Finghin Collins. 

For more than 40 years, nurturing emerging talent has been at the heart of the work of Music for Galway. The Cellissimo Ambassador programme grew out of the Galway Cello project, an instrument commissioned for the first, albeit virtual, edition of Cellissimo in 2020. Mullingar cellist Catherine Cotter has been keeper of the Galway Cello for three years and returns to Galway to lead the Cellissimo Ambassador Evening. During this event, a promising young cellist will be named the new Cellissimo Ambassador and will take charge of the Galway Cello for the next three years. Separately, Cellissimo will welcome eight rising cello stars from across Europe who will take part in a series of exceptional Masterclasses, along with a Student Showcase Concert and pop-up events across Galway.

In a Music for Galway co—production with the award-winning young people’s theatre company Branar, The Song of the Trees will be a firm favourite with families at the Town Hall Theatre. A new and original performance piece, combining live music and storytelling, The Song of the Trees will be narrated by Little John Nee, with Neil Martin on cello, devised and directed by Marc MacLochlainn.

The Cellissimo Spectacular will see Cello Ireland, the eight international cello students and amateur cellists of all ages and abilities take to the Leisureland stage for an incredible programme, with international stars including soprano Claudia Boyle and cellists Nicolas Altstaedt, Adrian Mantu, and Catherine Cotter.

The Inishbofin Cello Trail closes the festival  on Sunday May 26, with gathered revellers travelling by bus from Galway city to Cleggan, with a stop off at Kylemore Abbey, before taking the ferry to the breathtaking Inishbofin Island for a musical journey of discovery and a feast of local food.

The place for all to gather in the evening will be the Festival Club at HYDE, a series of nightly trad sessions curated and led by Galway musician Michael Chang. The floor will be open to visiting cellists, musicians, and performers, and the results will be one-of-a-kind musical moments.

Sustainability is at the heart of Cellissimo, with the festival team working towards achieving sustainable operation. This includes the encouragement and facilitation of artists and participants to sustainably travel to Ireland and Galway by sail and rail where possible, realised through generous partnerships with both Irish Ferries and Irish Rail, Cellissimo Sustainable Travel Partners. Cellissimo calls on all audiences to consider sustainable travel in their festival plans.

Explore the full programme of events and purchase tickets now at cellissimo.ie

Cellissimo is made possible by our Funders Creative Europe Cooperation Project Fund, The Arts Council of Ireland, the Creative Climate Action fund, an initiative from the Creative Ireland , funded by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, in collaboration with the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications and Galway City Council; Sponsored by Dunard Fund USA, AIB Community Fund, Lifes2good Foundation, Optique Opticians, Techrete, Tigh Neachtain, KPMG, MJ Conroy; Sustainable Travel Partners Irish Rail and Irish Ferries; National Media Partners The Irish Times, RTÉ Supporting the Arts, and Lyric FM; Local Media Partners Galway Bay FM, Galway Advertiser, Galway City Tribune, Connacht Tribune; Accommodation and Venue Partners HYDE Hotel, Park House Hotel, The Connacht Hotel, The Hardiman Hotel, University of Galway, Atlantic Technological University, Town Hall Theatre, St. Nicholas Collegiate Church, Galway Arts Centre; Sustainability Partner iSupply; Mental Health Partner Minding Creative Minds; Generous Supporters Sheridan’s Cheesemongers, Diginet and Inishbofin Ferry and the many patrons and friends who support Music for Galway throughout the year.

Releases new single ‘Atone’ on 1 March

Padraig Jack releases new single ‘Atone’ on 1^st March, the second single to be taken from his upcoming sophomore album. ‘Atone’ is Padraig Jack’s first release featuring original member of The Waterboys and current Saw Doctor, Anthony Thistlethwaite. The song features Jack’s typically thought-provoking lyrics which emphasise the importance of listening to other people’s point of view especially those you disagree with, while the tune is highlighted with a catchy sax riff.

Padraig and Anthony first met when Padraig opened for The Saw Doctors in 2018 and have been working together on Padraig’s new album since summer 2023. Padraig explains, ‘I grew up listening to The Waterboys and The Saw Doctors. There’s even something of a family connection as my dad was involved in bringing The Waterboys to Aran in 1988. It’s an honour to be working with Anthony on my album.’

Padraig Jack (O Flaithearta) was born into a musical family from the Aran islands. His dad is the songwriter Barry Ronan and he is the nephew of the Irish poet and Aosdána member Mary O’Malley. A native of Inis Mór which has produced writers Liam O’Flaithearta, Máirtín Ó Direáin and Breandán Ó hEithir, Padraig is proudly bilingual both as a conversationalist and a songwriter.

Jack’s songwriting heroes include James Taylor, Enya, Van Morrison, Shane McGowan, Sinead O’Connor, and Richard Thompson. He seeks to develop his own songwriting style in the Irish language also. With plaudits from industry legends like Mike Scott, Sharon Shannon and Miles Hunt, and laudatory reviews from the likes of Hot Press, Padraig Jack has already made his mark on the Irish music scene.

Padraig kicked off 2024 with a run of shows with Miles Hunt in the UK before playing a sold-out show at Dublin TradFest in the Pepper Canister Church and a tour of Wales with Welsh language artist Meinir Gwilym. His current tour takes in dates in England and all over Ireland, including a Paddy’s Day gig at Kilkenny TradFest with a full band featuring Anto Thistlethwaite.

Wed. 6 March    MTU Gallery, Cork w. Greenshine. Seachtain na Gaeilge     Show 1.00pm / Free show

Fri. 8 March       Butter Market, Kenmare w. Greenshine.                           Show 8.00pm / Tickets €26.50

Fri. 15 March     Joe Wattys, Árainn for Seachtain na Gaeilge                     Show 8.00pm / Free show

Sun. 17 March   Parade Stage, TradFest, Kilkenny – Full Band *                   Show 3.00pm / Free Show

Sat. 23 March    Town Hall, Gort – Trio *                                                  Show 8.00pm /Tickets €20

Sun. 24 March   Coughlans, Cork w. David Hope, SAL                                 Show 7.30pm / Tickets €15

Fri. 29 March     Coynes Unplugged, Cill Chiaran Conamara                         Show 8.00pm / Tickets €20

*Anto Thistlethwaite

www.padraigjack.com