Host: John Keogh
Special guests: Peter Adler, Henry McCullough, Ditch Cassidy, Brian Harris, Noel Bridgeman, Frank Boylan, Jimmy Faulkner and James Delaney Musical Director: Anto Drennan

Event conceived and managed by: Terry Connaughton

Showbands inevitably spring to mind when most people think of popular music in Ireland in the 1960s. But away from the imposing ugly dancehalls, where neatly groomed line-ups blandly covered the chart hits of the day, lay an altogether more alternative scene. If you paid a visit to a suburban tennis club on a Saturday night or stumbled down the slippery stairs to the subterranean No. 5 Club on Harcourt Street, you would have come across a booming underground movement that thrilled

Irish kids with a fervent heady mixture of soul, R&B, beat and rock ’n’ roll. A dynamic, lively and youthful music scene rapidly developed in Dublin during the mid-1960s, jolted into lifeby the earth-shattering impact of The Beatles, Rolling Stones and other R&B and Merseybeat groups. Kids picked up guitars, banged on drums, hollered into microphones and became part of a musical era that has been almost forgotten in the history of Irish rock and pop. To celebrate this unique scene, some of the finest musicians of that time will revisit one of their spiritual homes — Mount Pleasant Tennis Club — for a very special one-off performance.

Musical director for the evening will be Anto Drennan and the show will be hosted by John Keogh Keogh, pianist with the Greenbeats, the trailblazers that were most responsible for kicking off the whole beat scene in Ireland. Joining him on stage will be one of Ireland’s finest rock guitarists, Brian Harris Harris, who played with The Creatures, a hugely popular act that toured the USA in 1966 after tasting

domestic success with their controversial single Turn Out The Light. Ireland’s answer to James Brown, the legendary Ditch Cassidy will be on hand to belt out a selection of his ground-shaking soul classics. Noel Bridgeman Bridgeman, of progressive rock pioneers Skid Row, will take the drummer’s stool for the night.

Travelling from slightly further afield to re-unite with their pop contemporaries for the evening are two of the beat scene’s most fondly remembered characters — blues maestro Henry McCullough McCullough, erstwhile guitarist with soul band The People (which subsequently developed into psychedelic popsters, The Eire Apparent), and ultra-hip man of cool, Peter eter A Adler dler dler, who strutted devilishly around stages in dark shades with Bluesville, The Action and the Next-in- Line. A memorable evening is guaranteed for all.

Text by Daragh O’Halloran, author of Green Beat: The Forgotten Era of Irish Rock Rock, to be published in November 2006 by Brehon P Press

'Traditional Music Night,' once again featuring Ciaran Tourish, best known as the nimble fingered fiddler from Altan, one of East Donegal's most celebrated musical exports, recognised by fellow musicians worldwide as an unusually gifted player. To be singled out amid the hotbed of traditional music in Donegal, is no small accomplishment. Tourish grew up surrounded by Irish traditional music's best.

He will be joined by legendary guitarist Arty McGlynn, the great Sean’Og Potts on pipes and Jim Higgins. Last year as a very special guest Ciaran was accompanied by the marvellous Paul Brady and he tells us that this year he will be joined by another distinguished performer.

Featuring:
The Cullenswood Singers, the DSO Chamber Group and Charles Pearson

Programme: DSO Chamber Group
- Serenade No. 13 Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
- A selection from Mozart's Chamber
repertoire

Cullenswood Singers, accompanied by
Charles P Pearson earson
- Ave Verum
- Laudate Dominum KV 339 - Mass in C Major (Great Credo Mass) KV 257

2006 marks the 250th anniversary of Mozart's birth and the Ranelagh Arts Festival will honour this musical genius with a performance by the Cullenswood Singers, accompanied by organist Charles Pearson and featuring the DSO Chamber Group.

The Cullenswood Singers were formed in 1997 by Ranelagh musician Liobhán Boylan. The choir has performed in various venues, including Knock, St. Ann's Church in Dawson Street, the Fleadh Cheoil in Ballina, the Sligo Choral Festival and the Ranelagh Arts Festival 2005. The choir sings a range of classical, modern and sacred choral music. The choir's annual Christmas Carol Concert in Beechwood Church is one of the highlights of Christmas festivities in the Ranelagh area.
The DSO Chamber Group is made up of members of the Dublin Symphony Orchestra (DSO). The DSO was established in 1967 and has performed extensively throughout Ireland.

Charles Pearson is one of the most sought-after organists in Dublin. He has performed throughout the country and made a number of recordings with the Palestrina Choir.

Fí an dúchais choitinn: Caint agus taispeánadh le Gary Hastings agus Brian Mullen

Tá a fhios ag go leor daoine gurb ionann fonn don amhrán Carrickfergus agus do Do bhí Bean Uasal. Níl ansin ach sampla amháin den dóigh a bhfuil traidisiúin cheoil agus amhránaíochta na hÉireann, sa dá theanga, fite le chéile le fada an lá. Bhéarfaidh Gary Hastings agus Brian Mullen léargas suaithinseach sultmhar dúinn ar an mhuintearas seo. Is Feirsteach é an Canónach Gary Hastings, Reachtaire Chathair na Mart, cáil air mar fhliúiteadóir tradisiúnta, taighde déanta aige ar cheol na nOráisteach agus na Ribíneach. Tá aithne ar Bhrian Mullen ó Dhoire mar chraoltóir agus DJ, agus mar amhránaí tradisiúnta. Tá eolas fairsing aige ar thraidisiúin cheoil i nÉirinn agus thar lear.

Our entwined heritage: A talk and demonstration by Gary Hastings and Brian Mullen

The musical culture of this island is a complex interweaving of Scottish, Welsh, English and Gaelic influences, not to mention American and continental Europe. Ulster’s turbulent history complicates the whole business even more. Gary Hastings and Brian Mullen explore the layers of musicality in the north of Ireland, usually hidden beneath simplistic Orange and Green masks.

Brian is a well-known traditional singer and songcollector, as well as being a presenter with the BBC. Gary is the Church of Ireland Rector in Westport and a traditional flute player. Their talk will be illustrated with live music and song in English and Irish. They will speak mainly in Irish, but will provide the necessary links in English for those whose Irish is rusty.

A Chinese-Irish Karaoke Night, hosted by Zhang Ning – otherwise known as Andy – one of the best-known Chinese people in Ranelagh and a big hit with the patrons of Birchall's and Smyth's pubs!