Sliabh Luachra launches music trail

The 2014 Sliabh Luachra Music Trail, celebrating the traditional musical style of the area, will be launched on Friday by Arts Minister, Jimmy Deenihan, TD, at Ballydesmond Community Centre. The aim is a year-round calendar of events, encompassing festivals and venues throughout the region.

The inaugural concert, in association with Kanturk Arts Festival, is on March 15. The concert will feature fiddler, Matt Cranitch, accordionist, Jackie Daly, flautist, Con Fada Ó Drisceoil, the TG4 ‘young musician of the year,’ Bryan O’Leary, and singer, Conal Ó Gráda, who will be the MC.

Sliabh Luachra, which straddles northwest Cork and east Kerry, occupies a unique position in traditional music. Cranitch says its music is defined by its “heart and soul. It has a particular repertoire of tunes, such as the polka and slides, in particular, and some jigs that you won’t find in other parts of the country. The method of playing the instruments, and the style of the music, is different to what you’ll find elsewhere. A useful parallel for people is the question of language and dialect. West Kerry or Munster Irish is a lot different to Donegal Irish. In a similar way, Sliabh Luachra music has its own accent, dialect and vocabulary — what is called a repertoire of tunes. It’s also very powerful. It’s both extroverted and introverted. It’s music for the heart and mind.”