> Tickets for all concerts are available from the following locations
> Feile Oriel Office, Teach an Mhargaidh, (Market House) Tel: 047-38162.
> O2 Store, Glaslough St. Tel: 047 -84333
> O2 Store, Virginia, Co. Cavan. Tel: 049 8548300
> Westenra Hotel, Monaghan. Tel: 047 74400

> Please have your credit card details ready. No surcharges or booking fees.

The line up will be Niall Vallely (concertina), Donal O'Connor (fiddle), Brian Morrisey (bodhrán), Seán Óg Graham (guitar)

Niall Vallely Niall Vallely has established himself as one of the most original and distinctive voices in Irish traditional music. A former member of Cork-based band Nomos, he has been acclaimed throughout the world as one of Ireland's greatest concertina players. Niall began learning the concertina at the age of seven, taught by his parents Brian and Eithne Vallely, founders of the Armagh Pipers' Club, and over the years he has developed a unique approach to playing the instrument. In 1990, while studying for a BMus degree in University College Cork, Niall formed the group Nomos who went on to become internationally recognised as one of the most important Irish bands of recent times. They recorded two critically acclaimed albums “I Won’t Be Afraid Anymore” and “Set You Free”, before splitting up in 2000. During this time he was also involved in various musical projects with composer/pianist Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin.

In 1992 Niall was featured on the highly acclaimed BBC/RTE television series 'A River of Sound', and had a track included on the Virgin album and BBC video that accompanied the series. In the intervening years Niall has found himself performing in a solo capacity and with musicians such as Karan Casey, Tim O’Brien, Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin, Paddy Keenan, Mel Mercier, among others. In 1999 he released his debut solo album, “Beyond Words”, and in 2003 “Callan Bridge” with his brother Cillian on uilleann pipes. His most recent collaboration has been with the Asturian band Tejedor and Dublin born whistle player Cormac Breatnach in the Ireland/Asturias project which premiered at the Kilkenny Arts Festival 2008. Over the past few years Niall has also been spending a lot of time writing new music. In 2007 he was commissioned by the BBC to compose music for a major TV series on the Flight of the Earls. The resulting piece for traditional musicians and chamber orchestra was then premiered at the Grand Opera House in Belfast as part of the Belfast Festival at Queens and had a subsequent performance at the Irish College in Louvain, Belgium, as part of their Flight of the Earls celebrations. In 2008 he composed an electro-acoustic piece entitled “Rakish” based on the classic 1947 recording of travelling piper Johnny Doran which was premiered at the William Kennedy Piping Festival in Armagh. Niall recently premiered “The Red Tree”, a new work for concertina and string orchestra commissioned by RTÉ lyric fm and the Cork Folk Festival. Niall has also produced a CD-Rom concertina tutorial and has given masterclasses throughout Ireland, the US and Europe as well as regularly teaching in the Music Departments of University College Cork and the University of Limerick.

For the Feile Oriel performance Niall will be joined by:

Donal O’Connor
Son of the celebrated fiddler Gerry O’Connor (Skylark, Kinvara) and renowned singer Eithne Ní Uallacháin (Lá Lugh), Dónal O’Connor has inherited a great musical legacy of at least five generations of fiddle playing and countless generations of traditional singing. Highly regarded as a fiddle player, Dónal’s playing was described recently by the press as “…..immaculate…” “...electrifying...” and “…borne out of naked talent and consummate professionalism…” - The Irish Times. He has toured Europe and the USA extensively from a young age as both a lead and backing instrumentalist with a number of bands including Lá Lugh. Currently living in Belfast in the North of Ireland, Dónal is part of an extremely vibrant music scene and is regarded as “One of the outstanding players of his generation” - J.B. Vallely. Recent collaborations have included tours of Ireland and Europe with Mike Mc Goldrick (Capercaillie, Flook, Lunasa), live festival performance with Karan Casey, T.V. performances with the legendary Sligo Flute player Seamus Tansey and recording work with Máire Brennan of Clannad. Despite a hectic schedule of gigs Dónal has found some time to record a duet album with Belfast piper John McSherry and has co-produced Gerry O’Connor’s long awaited solo album Journeyman, which was released in October 2004 to great critical acclaim.

Brian Morrissey
Originally hailing from Nenagh in Co. Tipperary, Brian Morrissey is recognized as one of Ireland’s most original bodhrán and banjo players. He is currently living and teaching in Cork. He previously lectured and tutored in Irish Traditional Music at the Irish World Academy of Music & Dance, University of Limerick from 2001-2006. He plays regularly with the Tommie Cunniffe Trio, Buille (Niall & Caoimhin Vallely and Paul Meehan), Folk/Jazz group Carmina, The Vallely Brothers Big Band, singer/songwriter Eoin Coughlan, solo piano player Caoimhin Vallely & occasionally with Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin, North Cregg and others. His playing can be heard on the recently released albums from Tommie Cunniffe - "Unbuttoned", Buille - "Buille" and “Buille 2”, Lisa Hake - "Tree Over Sea", Carmina - "Crescent City" and Caoimhin Vallely (piano) - "Strayaway".

Seán Óg Graham
From Portglenone, Co. Antrim, Seán Óg Graham is one of Ireland’s most dynamic young button accordion players. He has achieved numerous All-Ireland titles and is also a gifted, self-taught guitarist. He has several television appearances to his credit, and has appeared as guest soloist with the Irish Harp Orchestra, the Canadian Youth Orchestra and Alan Kelly’s ‘Celtic Legends’ show. He has recorded with various Irish musicians and recently he has been accompanying Solas members Winifred Horan and Mick McAuley at their ‘Serenade’ concerts in Ireland and Europe. He is also a talented composer and a wide range of influences is evident in his music writing. Seán Óg is a graduate of the Limerick based Irish World Academy of Music.

Band Website:
www.crowvalleymusic.com
www.karancasey.com
www.buille.com

Venue:

Club na Féile (Festival club)
Westenra Hotel - www.westenrahotel.com
Every night from 12-2am

Admission: €15

For ticket sales contact :
themarkethouse@eircom.net

For information telephone
Feile Oriel Office: 00 353 47 38162

About Brian Finnegan, Ed Boyd and John Joe Kelly

Brian Finnegan, Ed Boyd and John Joe Kelly Brian Finnegan, Ed Boyd and John Joe Kelly, front man and legendary rhythm section from possibly the most revered band ever to have thrilled the folk scene, `Flook`, join forces for a short tour of Ireland to promote Finnegan`s new album, `The Ravishing Genius Of Bones`. These three have an alchemy that is wonderfully hypnotic, the perfect balance between grace and power, sunlight and shade - a uniqely thrilling union. Brian has been hard at work putting the finishing touches to this new collection of music that is a finely woven mix of traditional and original material, and his appearance at Feile Oriel with his former Flook bandmates will see them debut music from that album. www.myspace.com/briantfinnegan www.myspace.com/kanmusic www.flook.co.uk 

Tickets on sale @ Westenra, Teach an Mhargaidh, O2 store Glaslough Streeet.

Club na Féile (Festival club)
Westenra Hotel - www.westenrahotel.com
Every night from 00.00-02.00

Admission: €15

For ticket sales contact :
themarkethouse@eircom.net

For information telephone
Feile Oriel Office: 00 353 47 38162

Tickets on sale @ Westenra, Teach an Mhargaidh, O2 store Glaslough Streeet.

About Beoga

After a barn storming perfomance by Beoga at Feile Oriel in 2009, we are delighted to welcome Beoga back for Feile Oriel 2010. Beoga (Irish word for ‘lively’) are a five-piece traditional band based in County Antrim, Ireland. The band was drawn together after ‘jamming’ in a ferocious music session at the All-Ireland Fleadh in August 2002. Their unique sound features the twin duelling accordians of Seán Óg Graham and Damian McKee, along with four times All-Ireland bodhrán champion Eamon Murray and pianist Liam Bradley. In 2005, Beoga were nominated by Irish Music Magazine for the best traditional newcomer’s award. With the addition of one of Ireland’s premier young singers, Niamh Dunne, Beoga are confirming their reputation as one of the most exciting acts to emerge from Ireland in recent years.