Workshops

Dave Sheridan (Fiddle)

Originally from county Offaly, Dave has performed with a number of groups, including the Kilkenny based ensemble ‘Aontas’. He has toured with a number of groups including ‘The Geantraí players’ who were guests of the Chinese Embassy in Beijing in 2008.

Dave recorded his debut album with Ciarán Somers on flute and the album was mainly recorded in Brittany, France at the studio of Nicolas Quemener who accompanied them on guitar. He is also a member of the group ‘The Raw Bar Collective’ along with Conal Ó Gráda and Benny McCarthy.

Dave is an experienced Tutor and has been a frequent visitor to Féile Frank McGann. Dave knew Frank McGann well and Frank loved travelling to Carlow to visit Dave and have a ‘tune’.

Fiachna Ó Mongáin (Button Accordion)

Our Button Accordion Tutor this year is Fiachna Ó Mongáin. Fiachna, an outstanding young musician is from the western part of the county and has his own style of playing based on the great Joe Cooley. Fiachna is a graduate of UCG. One of a family steeped in the tradition, Fiachna comes from Dumha Thuama in the Erris Gaeltacht of North West Mayo. The Ó Mongáins’ music is influenced by their contemporary musicians in North Mayo. They all teach traditional music and perform widely throughout Ireland, the UK and mainland Europe. They have appeared on radio and TV programmes.

Fiachna has a simple style that is highly influenced by the playing of the legendary accordion players, Joe Cooley, Charlie Harris and Tony Mc Mahon. Fiachna has won numerous prizes and awards including Gradam Ceoltóir Óg na Bliana TG4 2007. This is Fiachna’s first year to attend Féile Frank McGann as a tutor. Fiachna is looking forward to the weekend. “I’ve heard great things and if this weekend lives up to half of what I’ve heard, it’s sure to be a great weekend.”

Seamus Ó Mongáin (Concertina)

Our Concertina Tutor this year is Séamus O Mongáin, a brother of Fiachna. Séamus, from Dumha Thuama in the Erris Gaeltacht, is a well known performer and teacher who has appeared on many radio and TV programmes including Céilí House, Geantraí and TG4’s Gradaim Cheoil.

Séamus has been playing concertina for over 20 years now. A highly regarded performer and teacher of Irish music, his style is greatly influenced by Noel Hill, Tony McMahon, Des Mulkere and many others. This is also Séamus’s first time to attend Féile Frank McGann as a tutor and, like Fiachna, is very much looking forward to the weekend.


Geraldine Cotter (Tin Whistle)

Geraldine Cotter grew up in Ennis in a very musical family. Her mother was her first teacher and many of her family are professionally involved in music. She is a sister of Eamonn, flute player and flute maker. In the 70’s she studied music in UCC. Her Irish music lecturer at the time was Micheál Ó Súilleabháin

Since leaving Cork she has written two tutors, one in 1983 ‘Traditional Irish Tin Whistle Tutor’ which was published by Ossian Publications. In 1995 she wrote the first tutor for traditional Irish piano ‘Seinn an Piano’ also published by Ossian Publications. She also contributed to ‘The Companion to Irish Traditional Music’ edited by Fintan Vallely and published by Cork University Press 1999.

As a teacher she has taught at the Willie Clancy Summer School, Blas Summer School, which is run by the Irish World Music Centre at the University of Limerick, Tocane Irish Music Festival, Rhine Valley Irish Association Whit weekend festival, Aonach Paddy O Brien, Gaelic Roots in Boston College. She taught music as a secondary teacher for over 25 years and examined for the Department of Education and Science for many years. She now teaches at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at the University of Limerick.

Geraldine has been involved in many albums as an accompanist with her brother Eamonn, Mary Mac Namara, Andrew Mac Namara, Jonn Canny and Kevin Carey, Kate Purcell and other Clare women in 'Ceol na mBan', a number of recordings with Shaskeen, Isao and Masako Moriyasu. She has recently recorded with Peadar O’Loughlin, Ronan Brown, Maeve Donnelly and Tom Cussen . She has performed with Shaskeen, Moving Cloud, the Lahawns, and the Tulla and Kilfenora Céilí Bands. She features regularly on television, radio and concert performances in Ireland and abroad.

Mick O’Brien (Flute)

Mick O'Brien plays Uilleann Pipes, whistle and flute. He has recorded with many artists over the years. His first solo album 'The May Morning Dew' (1996) was received with great critical acclaim. Mick lives in Dublin where he is a schoolteacher. Mick began his musical education in the renowned Thomas Street Pipers Club in Dublin. His father Dinny O'Brien, a traditional "box" player, was also a constant source of tunes and inspiration.

Mick recorded his first LP with his family when he was 13 years old. He later joined Na Píobairí Uilleann, an organisation founded to promote piping, where he absorbed hundreds of tunes and refined his technique. His playing can be heard on numerous recordings with artists such as The Dubliners, Frankie Gavin and the RTÉ Concert Orchestra.

Mick has toured extensively and given master classes throughout Europe and North America. His highly acclaimed solo CD of traditional Irish music; "May Morning Dew" was released in 1996.

In 2003, Mick released Kitty Lie Over along with fiddler Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh. It was named No.1 Traditional Album of 2003 by Earle Hitchner in the Irish Echo.

Joe Skelton (Tin Whistle)

Born and bred in County Galway, Joe is a multi instrumentalist - equally proficient on fiddle, flute, tin-whistle and banjo. He is a regular teacher at Summer Schools and always in demand for sessions and concerts.

Féile Frank McGann is delighted to welcome Joe to Strokestown as Tin Whistle Tutor. Joe will provide a valuable opportunity for students to enhance their skills with the assistance of his guiding hand.

Séamus O’Kane (Bodhrán)

Séamus is one of the most popular people in traditional music. Séamus is a Derry man. He has a great bodhrán style and rhythm, and is talented enough to make top quality bodhráns. He has played on many recordings including Marcas Ó Murchú's and John Wynne's recent flute CD's.

Séamus began making in 1969 but was put on the right path by Peadar Mercier of the Chieftains who took time to teach him. He has been playing since 1969 and has made recordings on LP, cassettes, CD's, videos and TV programmes.

His heroes are Peadar Mercier, Ringo McDonagh and his good friend Gino Lupari. He was a member of Roguery, the Irish folk band headed by Joe Diamond and Cliff McKenna, and has recorded on numerous traditional Irish music albums, and has been featured in several television documentaries. He plays in sessions a lot and has a great love of Irish and Scottish traditional singers.

Séamus made the last Bodhrán that Fran McGann purchased before he passed away. The Bodhrán was handed on by Frank to his son Brian and it has been brought to every Féile since the first one in 2003. Séamus is a regular visitor to Féile Frank McGann and we are always delighted to see his warm smile. His students are always glad to have another opportunity to garner some more of his experience and skills.

Suzanne Leahy (Sean nós Dancing)

Sean-nós is the oldest form of Irish dance and one of its proponents is Ennis based Limerick woman, Suzanne Leahy. A native of Herbertstown, Suzanne has been living in Clarecastle for the past couple of years and says the sean-nós style has seen something of a rebirth.

“In the last number of years it has revived and taken off. I did Irish dancing for most of my life and I really liked the sean-nós after I started it. It’s about keeping in with the music and the tunes.

“I first learned it at Willie Clancy from Mick Mulkerrin and Maireád Casey”, Suzanne said. Sean nós is far less structured than other types of Irish dance, according to Suzanne. “It goes back before traditional step dancing. In different times, people would have been having a few tunes in the kitchen and at some point someone would take off the half door and tap out the tune.”

People taking part in sean-nós dancing don’t need to learn steps in the same way as those taking part in other forms of Irish dance. “You don’t have to learn a lot of steps but you’d have to have good rhythm. Basically, it involves your own improvisation and dancing out a tune. Dancers tap out each note and there is no high kicking, it’s done low to the floor, in a small space.”

Suzanne performed step dancing with the Anthony Costello school of dancing in Limerick City and she was also a member of the Éire Óg set-dancing club in Grange, Limerick, where she taught children’s classes for a number of years. Suzanne is a Tutor at many festivals around the Country and Féile Frank McGann is delighted to welcome Suzanne, a regular visitor, back again this year.