Rea hails Irish trad scene

Hollywood star Stephen Rea today paid tribute to Ireland's thriving traditional music scene saying it defines the nation in an ever-shrinking world.

The Belfast-born actor, patron of this year's Temple Bar Trad Festival, said the tradition is alive and vibrant and an important part of culture which celebrates Ireland's national heritage.

Launching the programme for the five-day celebration of Irish music, Rea said Dublin city's legacy of great traditional musicians means it more than deserves its right to showcase and celebrate native music and culture.

More than 200 musicians will descend on heart of capital's cultural quarter for the Temple Bar Trad Festival, which kicks off on Wednesday, January 23.

The event features a host of traditional live concerts, pub sessions, children's events, a festival club, street performances and workshops.

"I have always had an interest in traditional music and it is an honour to be patron of the festival," said Rea.

"Unfortunately, I'm filming in London and Paris at the moment and won't be around during the festival, but I'm hoping that if I get home I'll get in to see some of the stuff, particularly some of the old 'greybeards' I know.

"There is so much amazing stuff on during it that I would love to get back for it."

Rea has had some of Ireland's most talented musicians like Donal Lunny, Andy Irvine, Paul Brady, Michael O'Suileabhain and Noel Hill among his friends.

"As a listener, it is a big part of my life," he continued. "It's a thrill to know these musicians and to have had some of them playing in my house.

"It was a huge huge privilege which is kind of unique to Irish people, that they just show up and play as part of a social thing. They don't make you feel like they're doing you a favour. It's the most natural thing in the world and that's why it's alive.

"Our language, music and culture are what define us in an ever-shrinking world and they truly belong to all citizens of the state."

Rea believes traditional music is experiencing a renaissance, with increasing numbers of young children and teenagers taking up instruments and enjoying music and song.

"Every generation has to reinstate the tradition and has to assert a new voice," he continued.

"It's a live tradition and that's what is the most thrilling thing about it. That's why the trad festival is so good, because it is so alive and it should be alive in Temple Bar as much as anywhere else.

"When you think of Tommy Potts the fiddle player, Sean Potts the tin whistle player, and Sean Og Potts the piper, all of these guys are from the centre of Dublin so it has been a home for traditional music so why not bring it back again.

"It's not a ghettoised thing anymore, it's completely open, with people from all over the world who you think don't have the right to have an understanding of Irish music all playing away. It's wonderful."

Highlights during the festival include concerts from acclaimed bands At First Light, Grada, Clan Ranald and the recently formed Mozaik, featuring Lunny and Irvine.

There will also be performances by some outstanding traditional singers from the Irish and Scots Gaelic tradition, while Ireland's most accomplished instrumentalists Tommy and Siobhan Peoples, Jackie Daly, Niamh Ní Charra, John Wynne and John McEvoy and Breda and Claire Keville will also entertain fans.

A gala concert will be held in the Olympia Theatre on Sunday 27th.

Now in its third year, festival general manager Martin Harte said his ultimate aim is to have the Temple Bar festival as big a Celtic Connections.

He said Rea was the perfect choice as this year's patron and follows in the footsteps of Brendan Gleeson last year and Nicholas Carolan, presenter and director of Irish Traditional Music Archive, in 2006.

"When I think of Irish culture I think of Stephen Rea and a lot of other people do, he is an Irish cultural icon," said Mr Harte.

"Stephen is also a very modest and decent guy and has already been incredibly generous with his time.

"When we had the first Temple Bar Trad festival it was the first Irish music festival in Dublin in over 20 years so it is great to get the support from such big names to raise the profile."