Stars to shine at village fest

Two household stars of the stage for decades are set to entertain at an upcoming festival weekend in the village of Birdhill.

Organisers of the Tidy Village Committee Trad Fest have confirmed that PJ Murrihy and Seán Ó Sé will perform in a marquee at this year's festival in the village taking place on Friday to Sunday, August 15-17.

The programme includes a seven-a-side soccer match on Friday afternoon at Birdhill AFC Grounds and a barbecue later at the Cooper's in the village and social dancing in the marquee. On Saturday evening there is a busking competition, dancing workshop in the marquee, poetry and storytelling in the marquee and a Rambling House session.

A busy schedule on Sunday gets underway mid-afternoon with a hurling match in the Longhouse Field, followed by a Guided Historical Walk of Birdhill Village, the Annual Dog Show, with Treasure Hunt, Games and art for children, ice cream and lots of fun for all with a Trad Session in the marquee to round off. Star attractions over the weekend are PJ Murrihy and Seán Ó Sé. PJ Murrihy comes from Mullagh, County Clare, and when not working on his own farm in Clare where he breeds Wagyu cattle he has been touring Ireland with his own band for decades since he first came to national prominence in the late 1980s with a song called Pat Murphy’s Meadow, which remained in the top 30 Irish Charts for eight weeks. He learned many of his songs from his mother and uncles and as a musician went on tour for a time with the Kilfenora Céilí Band, with whom he made two albums, and then teamed up with accordionist Seamus Shannon for 12 years, specialising in Irish traditional and country songs and dance music.

His memorable songs recorded include My Father’s House, The Old Trashing Mill, Should I Fall Behind (a duet with Isla Grant) and The Land of the Gael. Among his most successful has been his own composition, There’s Life in the Auld Dog Yet, and many of his compositions have been recorded by prominent artists including, Big Tom, Daniel O’Donnell, Foster and Allen, Michael English, Brendan Shine, Margo, Declan Nerney and Patrick Feeney.

A retired school teacher from Ballylickey, Co Cork, Seán Ó Sé, who was born almost 89 years ago, has spent many decades of the past three quarters of a century touring all corners of Ireland and far beyond singing in Irish and English as a solo artist and with his own band.

He came to prominence as a singer in the 1960s with Seán Ó Riada's group Ceoltóirí Chualann and later toured internationally with Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann.

Most associated with the comic song ‘An Poc ar Buile’ (‘The Angry Goat’), of which became a surprise hit single in 1962 when Ó Sé recorded it for Gael Linn, he sang with Ó Riada on several radio and television programmes, most notably Fleadh Cheoil an Radio and featured on many of Ó Riada’s recordings including Ó Riada sa Gaiety and the film music of Rhapsody of a River and Kennedy’s Ireland.

In recent years he has toured in Moscow, Shanghai and Havana with Comhaltas and has recently returned from visits to Milan and Cape Breton.

More details and timetable of events in next week's issue.