Spink musicians enjoy trip to Liverpool

MEMBERS of the Spink branch of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann travelled to England last month to showcase traditional Irish music.

While branch members have previously travelled to Britain, the Netherlands, France and Germany, they had arranged a trip with the Liverpool Comhaltas branch earlier in the year during the Fleadh Cheoil in Wexford.

A major fundraising effort by musicians and branch committee members as well as generous support from cllr John Joe Fennelly, Comhaltas and other supporters made it possible for 47 local musicians to travel.

They visited St Matthews Catholic Primary School in Liverpool to perform to the students there. This was followed by a poignant visit to the Hillsborough Memorial, dedicated the victims of the Hillsborough disaster.

Daniel Aylward played the slow air 'Easter Snow' on the Uilleann pipes in tribute to the 97 victims of that terrible disaster. It was notable how many Irish names were there, and how many of the victims were a similar age to Spink’s musicians.

Later that evening, Spink members played to a full house in the Irish Centre with the Liverpool Comhaltas Group, The Lowlands Ceilí Band and The Liverpool Ceilí Band.

Gerry McCann, who left Clonaslee 70 years, ago came along on the night with his fiddle and played with The Lowlands Ceilí Band, much to the delight of the audience. Freda Kilgannon from Ballyroan, who left for Liverpool when she was 16, was also present.

Spink branch secretary Maria Dunne, who is from Mayo, said that one of her highlights was when Chris Boland, chairman of Liverpool Comhaltas, sang a song about her native Mayo.