International Uilleann Piping Day comes to Castlemaine with one of the most famous sets of uilleann pipes in the world.
On tour from Ireland, duo Colm Broderick on uilleann pipes and Francis Cunningham on concertina will be including Castlemaine in their schedule and performing an intimate acoustic concert on Saturday November 4.
Piper Colm Broderick has been given the honour of taking possession of a very special instrument of great historical significance in Irish traditional music. It is a set of uilleann pipes once owned by master piper Liam O’Flynn, which was also played for many years by esteemed Miltown Malbay musician Willie Clancy. Na Piobairi Uilleann (the head agency for the instrument, based in Ireland) has tasked Colm with playing and looking after this special instrument and carrying on its legacy. Colm has travelled with the instrument across Europe and the Americas giving recitals and workshops.
Award-winning concertina player Francis Cunningham is a multi All-Ireland concertina winner who has performed and taught at festivals across Ireland, Europe and America. In 2019 he released his debut album featuring 40 original compositions titled, Úrnua.
As a duo, Colm and Francis are international ambassadors of Irish traditional music. Colm from County Carlow and Francis from County Clare have played together regularly from a very young age at fleadhs, sessions, performances and more. Their music is rooted in the rich piping and concertina playing traditions of county Clare.
Joining the duo on stage will be local Irish-style multi-instrumentalists Allan Evans and Ruth Boylan. Allan has performed traditional flute and harp in Ireland, Canada and across Australia. Ruth Boylan hails from County Kildare and plays concertina, fiddle and harp.
It was important to include Castlemaine on the tour itinerary because it has become the ‘home’ of Celtic Piping Club. Each year since 2013, the club has held a three-day residential weekend in the Goldfields to explore and learn about pipes and pipe music. Over the past few years, the club has held public performances at the Old Castlemaine Goal and the Maurocco Bar.
This is Colm and Francis’ debut tour of Australia.
“Visiting Australia to play and share our passion for Irish music is a dream come true,” Colm said.
“We know that there is a large and growing community of Irish music lovers in Australia and we are very keen to get to know some of you over the month we are here.”
The concert in Castlemaine will be held at 8pm at the Ray Bradfield Room at 33 Forest Street, Castlemaine. Tickets for $25 can be purchased in advance at
www.trybooking.com/CLJMZ or with cash at the door. Youth under 18 years are free.
