![Frankie Gavin and DéDannan_photo (1) Belfast Traditional Festival](https://musicindustry.news/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Belfast-TradFest-announces-St-Patrick39s-Eve-Gala-Concert-at-Belfast39s.jpg)
![Frankie Gavin and DéDannan_photo (1) Belfast Traditional Festival](https://musicindustry.news/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Belfast-TradFest-announces-St-Patrick39s-Eve-Gala-Concert-at-Belfast39s.jpg)
Belfast TradFest presents two of the best traditional acts on the planet, Frankie Gavin & Dé Dannan and Karen Matheson & Donald Shaw, for a St Patrick's Day gala concert at the Ulster Hall, Belfast on 16 March 2024.
Frankie Gavin is co-founder and leader of one of the most influential traditional groups of all time, Dé Dannan. Formed in 1975 by Frankie, Alec Finn, Johnny 'Ringo' McDonagh and Charlie Piggott, as a result of wild sessions at Hughes's Pub in Spiddal, County Galway, with Dolores Keane later joining the band, they played an influential role in the development of Modern Traditional Irish Music.
As well as performing with the cream of traditional Irish musicians and legends of other musical genres, such as Stéphane Grappelli, Yehudi Menuhuin, James Galway, Elvis Costello and The Rolling Stones; Frankie Gavin has performed for celebrity audiences, including four American presidents: JFK on his visit to Ireland in 1962, followed later by Presidents Clinton, Bush and Obama.
This new Dé Dannan line-up consists of Gavin on violin and flute, Catherine McHugh on piano, Ian Kinsella on guitar, Diarmuid Ó Meachair on melodeon and Kaitlin Cullen-Verhauz on vocals and cello. This performance at Belfast's iconic Ulster Hall is highly anticipated and is sure to be an unforgettable night.
Karen Matheson is widely recognized as one of the world's great vocalists. For more than 40 years, she has been the compelling frontwoman of Scottish supergroup Capercaillie, with whom she has charted and appeared in blockbuster films. Career highlights include sharing the stage with Pete Seeger in New York and performing at the Commonwealth Games closing ceremony in Glasgow, where her stunning performance of 'Ae fond kiss' was broadcast to a television audience of over of 600 million people. Together with long-time musical partner Donald Shaw, this duo will distill the songs and sounds of the Scottish Highlands and Islands and fill the stunning surroundings of the Ulster Hall with much-loved Scottish songs and lush piano arrangements.
Dónal O'Connor, artistic director of St Patrick's Music Weekend, says: “We hope you will join us for a delightful St Patrick's Eve celebration at Belfast's Ulster Hall, where the spirit of Ireland and Scotland comes to life through an extraordinary musical gathering. Frankie Gavin and De Dannan, masters of traditional Irish tunes, will weave a tapestry of melodies that will resonate across generations. The ethereal voice of Karen Matheson, accompanied by the musical genius of Donald Shaw, will transport you to the heart of Celtic soul. “Join us to celebrate the legacy of St. Patrick, as these extraordinary artists come together to create an unforgettable symphony of Irish and Scottish magic and an evening filled with music that speaks to the soul and echoes the proud traditions of these islands.”
This concert is part of the St Patrick's Music Weekend curated by Belfast TradFest for Belfast City Council, which also features performances by Anúna, Stockton's Wing, John Spillane, Clare Sands, Jack Warnock, Alfi, Drumlough Pipe Band and many more.
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