Search Results for 'Paul Brady'

CONNEMARA TRAD/folk singers The Brennan Sisters will perform three concerts this weekend - in Tourmakeady, Moycullen, and Galway city.

PAUL BRADY has been one of Ireland’s most outstanding songwriters of the past 40 years, a position only really challenged by Van Morrison and Phil Lynnot.

“I have found my voice,” sings Maria Doyle Kennedy on ‘The Silence’, a track from her beguiling new album, Sing. And what a voice - sometimes melancholic, other times joyful, always passionate - elemental folk shot through with a potent soulful impulse.

Local performers Amie Stone and Des Egan have been approached by a music producer from Las Vegas. The singers have been asked to perform at a hotel in the American city.

On one of the busiest weekends in the 60x30 season there were some top class performances and results for Mayo’s handballers, who secured three All-Ireland titles and a place in the senior singles decider this weekend. The excellently appointed Williamstown court was packed for the two senior doubles semi-finals and ladies senior singles final last Saturday, and all three matches lived up to expectations. Dessie Keegan and Joe McCann were first up as they faced legendary 40x20 champion Paul Brady and long-time partner Michael Finnegan, in a somewhat unique pairing. Keegan and McCann beat the duo two years ago to claim their one and only senior doubles title in the 40x20. Keegan and McCann started at a blistering pace, with McCann in particular on top form, and with the Cavan men struggling to come to terms with the power and killing ability of the Mayo duo the opening game was won impressively 21 aces to 9. In the second Keegan and McCann looked to close out the contest as they led 13 aces to 3 at one stage. However a determined fight back from Brady and Finnegan soon had matters level at 14 aces all. The Mayo duo should have pushed on from there but they let matters slip further and lost this game 21-16. Any concerns that the Mayo camp might have had in the deciding third were swiftly allayed as Keegan and McCann once again found their feet and they ran out comfortable enough winners, 21 aces to 10, to book a place in Saturday’s final. The second semi-final was a also a thrilling affair and it saw Wexford duo Gavin Buggy and Colin Keeling get the better of Kilkenny’s Michael Ducksy Walsh and Michael Clifford on a 21-18, 18-21, 21-4 scoreline.

TONIGHT, THE Crane Bar welcomes a special performer who will be well known to many of us for varying reasons. While Maria Doyle Kennedy has starred in some of the most popular films and television series of the past two decades, tonight this multifaceted talent will bring her musical gifts to an enthralled Galway audience. Since breaking onto our screens playing Natalie in The Commitments in 1991, Maria has gone on to feature in The General as well as prominent roles in television series such as The Tudors and Dexter, not forgetting the “great honour” of appearing in an episode of Father Ted.

It was a busy and hugely successful week for both Mayo men’s and ladies’ senior doubles handballers. Last Friday evening at Mullingar Dessie Keegan and Joe McCann defeated Kilkenny duo Nicholas and Ger Anthony 21-14, 21-17. Two days later they made the trip to the same venue to take one the 2009 All-Ireland senior doubles champions and the duo that denied them a first title, Eoin Kennedy and Egin Jensen, in the quarter-finals. The Ballaghaderreen club men put in one of their finest performances to date to secure the semi-final spot in a somewhat one-sided contest. The Mayo duo won the opener 21 aces to 4, a scoreline few would have believed possible a year or two ago, and they led 9 aces to 1 in the second. Kennedy and Jensen did mount a spirited comeback but it was short lived as Keegan and a rejuvenated McCann closed out this game on a 21 aces to 14 scoreline. While the result was by no means a shock, beating the senior doubles champions of two years ago still ranks a fine scalp. However if that result surprised some it was nothing in comparison to the second quarter-final which saw reigning All-Ireland champions, Meath duo Tom Sheridan and Brian Carroll, dumped out of the championship by the hugely impressive Paul Brady and Michael Finnegan of Cavan in a thrilling contest on a 21-14, 21-15 scoreline. Keegan and McCann now meet the Cavan men in the semi-final in three weeks’ time. Next up for Keegan is a singles quarter-final meeting with Ducksy Walsh at Abbeylara this Saturday at 2pm, and judging by his current form the Mayo man would be expected to progress.

TÍR NA nÓg, the folk-rock duo of Sonny Condell and Leo O’Kelly, are touring again, and make a welcome return to Galway to play Monroe’s Live on Sunday May 22.

ANNE BRENNAN of Connemara’s The Brennan Sisters will launch her debut solo album with a gig in The Forge, Moycullen, tomorrow at 8pm.

GALWAY BASED singer-songwriter Sarah Lynch launches her much-anticipated debut album Letter To Friends next Tuesday at 8pm with an intimate gig live at her home-away-from-home, the Druid Theatre.