Flutes and fiddles everywhere, if it’s music you want you should go to Riches of Clare! The 2015 ‘Riches of Clare’ free lunchtime concert series will get off to a musical start on May 18th in the County Museum, Ennis.

This Clare Arts Office initiative is hosting fifty six traditional musicians in fourteen concerts, throughout the second half of May, June and July in Ennis. The concert series features traditional musicians from or based in County Clare with an occasional visitor!

The usual residency in the Clare Museum, Ennis begins during the Fleadh Nua festival and continues each Wednesday afternoon during June and July. There will also be a special concert this year in Teach Ceoil, Kilrush to coincide with the Clare Fleadh, and in Feakle Communtiy Hall as part of the Feakle Festival.

'As in previous years, we are expecting standing room only in the Museum for the concerts taking place during the Fleadh' says Mike Butler, who co-ordinates the series on behalf of the Arts Office.

Musicians performing in this year’s series will include Tim Collins, Josephine Marsh and Edel Fox to name but a few.

The Riches of Clare is now well established on the Clare traditional music calendar with audience members regularly traveling from afar to listen to the music and to meet the musicians. According to Siobhán Mulcahy, County Arts Officer, “As always, local musicians have been enthusiastic and obliging with their participation in each and every concert. The series really belongs to the musicians and the audiences”. Admission to all concerts in the series is free of charge, as the concerts are supported by the Arts Office of Clare County Council and the Arts Council.

More information on the series is available on www.richesofclare.com and this year the coordinators are continuing to provide a free text reminder service. To sign up for these reminders, which will inform you of the musicians playing in that day’s concert, simply text RICHES to 087-4199293. Updates can also be received online or through the Riches of Clare Facebook page, where some sound and video clips of previous concerts can be viewed.

There is a capacity limit of 75 per concert - please note that doors will close when this limit is reached. Seats will be allocated on a first come, first serve basis.

2015 series
Riches of Clare @ Fleadh Nua
Clare Museum, Ennis

May 18th Anne Marie McCormack, Niamh O'Dea, Martin Dermody, James Duddy
May 19th James Devitt, Christy Barry, Conor McCarthy, Johnny Faulkner
May 20th Finola Ryan, Liam Ryan, Neil O'Loghlen, Eoin O'Neill
May 21st David Sanders, Elaine Hogan, Martin Glynn, Alan Wallace
May 22nd Dave Harper, Conor Keane, Johnny Ringo McDonagh, Kevin Finnucane

2015 series
Riches of Clare @ Wednesday sessions
Clare Museum, Ennis

May 27th Tim Collins, Eamonn Cotter, Eimear Howley, Pat Marsh
June 3rd Josephine Marsh, Mick Kinsella, Tommy Carew, Declan Corey
June 10th John Kelly, Sheila Garry, Brian Mooney, Aoibheann Murphy
June 17th Edel Fox, Neill Byrne, Tommy Fitzharris, Colm O'Caoimh
June 24th Kieran Kissane, Kieran Hehir, Seanie McGrath, John Moloney
July 1st Nuala Hehir, Yvonne Griffin, Shane Green, Deirdre Scanlan
July 15th Marcus Moloney, Murt Ryan, Carmel O'Dea, Cyril O'Donoghue
July 22nd Pat Lynch, John Lynch, Marie Quigney, Siobhan O'Donoghue
July 29th Francis Cunningham, Eimear Coughlan, Anne Rynne, Marian Curtin

County Fleadh, Kilrush – Teach Ceoil
Sunday June 14th Sean Vaughan, James Cullinan, Felim Collins, Paul O'Driscoll
Feakle Festival – Community Hall
Monday August 10th Eileen O'Brien, Geraldine Cotter, Andrew McNamara, Mary McNamara

For further information contact the Clare Arts Office at arts@clarelibrary.ie or 065-6899091, or Mike Butler 087 6258726.