Pulses of Tradition tapping into a living heritage at Triskel
IT’S been a success every year, and now the Pulses of Tradition live celebration of our musical heritage is back at Cork city’s Triskel Christchurch for the summer.
Created and produced by Brian Morrissey, and staged by Corcadorca’s Pat Kiernan, Pulses of Tradition is described as a voyage through Irish music, dance and song, with the surroundings of beautiful Christchurch adding to the atmosphere.
“There was a niche in the market, I felt, but no show in Cork,” says producer Morrissey. “I did one in Galway a few years back, which was a huge success, and now that I’m living in Cork, I thought it would work well here.
“Which it has, exceeding our wildest expectations. I knew some excellent musicians that were Cork-based and it was easy enough for me to pull a really good team together.”
It’s a good thing for tourism, too, says Morrissey, which the city is keen to promote — underlined by the fact that Cork City Council is supporting the show.
Pulses of Tradition not only embraces our cultural past, but also celebrates the contemporary, living tradition — the show looks at various forms of ‘trad’ through the ages.
Audiences are encouraged to sing along, which complements how the elements of the show are seamlessly woven together via multi-media: a cinema-size screen provides a captivating backdrop for the performers.
So, is it for tourists or for locals? “It’s for both visitors and locals. We got a fantastic reaction last year. It’s quite different to the usual. It’s much more interactive and people feel part of it. They’re brought right into the action, especially with the screen behind and the cameras, so they can see what each musician is doing,” Morrissey says.
Pulses of Tradition has a special atmosphere, and the show is a celebration of the older traditions, as well as the multi-culturalism of today’s Ireland.
“I’ve had members of the audience come up to me afterwards and say they never realised we had such a rich history,” he says.
“Our music is just as complex and alive as that in more exotic countries — India for example. And this show is focused on bands and musicians, not as background but as performers in their own right. The big screen really helps with that, since the camera can zoom in on a particular musician, and you can see exactly what he is doing, how he is making that music.”
So popular indeed has the show proved that they have had to introduce a couple of matinees during the season.
“There is a huge demand from families, as well as from those who have guests staying for the summer. And, in response to repeated requests, we are organising dance workshops prior to performances, too.”
Incidentally, Pulses of Tradition is already rated number one attraction in Cork on Trip Advisor. Isn’t it time you reconnected with your cultural heritage?
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