Traditional Irish Music - Local Traditional Sessions

Traditional Irish Music by Dingle based uilleann piper Eoin Duignan Eoin  has developed his own distinctive musical style, original in a traditional mode which ranges from the haunting slow airs to the lively percussive reels and jigs which have enchanted audiences worldwide and set them dancing wherever he has played.. more ...

Dingle Record Shop - supporting local and independent musicians. The Dingle Record Shop offers a varied selection of traditional Irish music with special emphasis on local musicians who live around the Dingle Peninsula. We also sell and stock rare, hard to buy, CDs of traditional artists as well as modern popular and contemporary music to accommodate a wide cross section of customers. more ...

Scoil Cheoil An Earraigh - Spring Music School Dingle Peninsula Welcome to the website for Scoil Cheoil an Earraigh, a traditional music school held in Ballyferriter on the Dingle Peninsula (Co. Kerry, Ireland) during February each year. more ...

DINGLE MUSIC SCHOOL Aside from its surrounding natural beauty and coastal splendour, Dingle is also well known for its traditional music.  Now you can participate in Irish music yourself in a unique and completely enjoyable way at the Dingle Music School in the heart of Dingle.  Whether you are visiting Dingle for just a day or two or planning for a longer stay, you are always welcome to call in for traditional music lessons here at the Dingle Music School. more ...

McCarthy's Pub MacCarthy's Pub is Dingle's Best Venue with the finest of music and drama on show. Our mini- theatre at the rear of the pub has staged some of Ireland's great acts. Stars like Mundy and Paddy Casey have recently played great nights in MacCarthy's. more ...

An Droichead Beag An Droichead Beag is proud to present some of the finest musicians in the country - Philip King, (harmonica).Richie Buckley (Saxaphone Player), plays with Van Morrison.  Mick Henley, (singer and guitarist),Well known Irish artists; Scullion. James Begley, (Accordian), Steve Cooney, (Guitar and Didgereedoo), Mairead Nesbitt, (Fiddle) more ...

John Benny's traditional music sessions John Benny and Éilís have brought their unique and friendly approach to Irish Traditional Music to John Benny's Pub. Among the great musicians and music that perform at our informal sessions, are singers such as Éilís, whose haunting, melodic voice is a direct connection to the traditional culture of a time past. At John Benny's, we infuse our sessions with music and song native to our peninsula. more ...

Benny O'Carroll's Ireland Benny O'Carroll's Ireland represents the best Traditional Irish Music being played in Ireland today. I am presently putting final touches to my Irish nights of blistering Irish Music in Tralee,Killarney & Dingle for 2008 which will begin at the end of april through to Mid October. more ...

Regular beginner music sessions for those wishing to learn bodhrán (irish drum) and tin whistle, other instruments by arrangement. Open daily the Dingle Music School offers popular beginner bodhrán workshops most days from 12.00 midday to 1.00pm.  Tin whistle workshop on Mondays from 11.00am to 1.00pm and the big beginner bodhrán session Saturdays from 11.00am to 1.00pm.  Plus lessons and beginner sessions for individuals and groups at any other times by arrangement.  Other instruments eg. fiddle, guitar, uillean pipes etc. catered for by arrangement.

Traditional music is alive and well in Dingle, with numerous sessions taking place throughout the year. On most evenings during the summer at least half a dozen traditional sessions take place in venues throughout the town. Traditional irish music was originally intended for dancing and on Monday nights in John Benny's comfortable pub opposite the tourist office, you can still find a traditional seisiún accompanying local dancers performing the lastest sets. Close by, the Marina Inn has a traditional Sunday session from 6.00pm to 9.00pm where anyone with an instrument is welcome to join in or sing a song. Murphy's Pub and Paudie's Bar in the same street host regular sessions from Ballads and traditional music to local and visiting entertainers and performers. Other venues include O'Flaherty's traditional pub, The Small Bridge (in Main Street) and McCarthy's amongst others. Best is to stroll the streets of Dingle around 9.30pm any evening until you find the session for you. Visitors to Ireland often wonder how so many musicians can play together without a written note in sight! And then that other important question: "How do they know when to stop?" Well, Irish music is not all about improvisation. There is a wide range of tunes that many players of traditional music will have in common and the structure of tunes is also an acquired knowledge. Most traditional tunes have two parts, some of course have more. But each part is usually played twice up to the end of the tune and then straight back to the start to begin again. A tune may be played 2-4 times like this before one member of the group, usually the one who started the tune, and with a knowing nod or glance towards the other musicians, will dive straight into the next tune, maybe in a different key. There are a few standard sets of tunes all right, but the real spontaneity of the music is that you never quite know which tune is coming next! There are many traditional musicians in Dingle and without naming any names we are fortunate to have 4 or 5 resident players of the Uillean pipes (uillean = irish for elbow) the traditional pipes of Ireland together with accordeon players, traditional flautists, tin whistle players and players of low whistles, fiddlers, 2 players of the harp, players of mandolin, bazouki and guitar and of course the bodhrán (that's "bough-ron" the irish drum played with a stick). Not to mention Dingle's many traditional and spontaneous singers. And if after enjoying a session or two in Dingle you and/or your children would like to have a go yourself you would be surprised how much you can learn, even in an hour, at the Dingle Music School in Dykegate Lane opposite the Phoenix Cinema. For more information see http://www.dinglemusicschool.com or phone John Ryan on 086 319 0438 (mobile) for details of bodhrán and tin whistle lessons and workshops etc.