Michael Rooney On Tour With June Mccormack & Niamh De Burca

[draiochtmusic]

Music Network Presents

And to Land’s End…

 

Niamh De Búrca (voice)

Michael Rooney (harp, concertina)

June McCormack (flute)

 

On Tour in Ireland 17-27 January, 2007

17th January Sligo (Model and Niland, 8 pm )

Thursday 18 January Listowel (St. John’s Theatre, 8 pm ),

Friday 19 January Ballyvourney (Ionad Cultúrtha, 8.30 pm),

Saturday 20 January Thurles (The Source Arts Centre

22 January Castlebar (Linenhall Arts Centre, 8 pm ),

23 January Dublin (The Coach House, Dublin Castle, 8 pm ),

25 January Ratoath (Ratoath Community Centre, 8 pm ), 26th January Castleblayney (Iontas, 8:30pm )

Saturday 27 January Wexford (Wexford Arts Centre, 8.30 pm).

 

 

“Everything about Land's End radiates exquisite taste, exemplary tempo, sensitivity within sinew, and soulful originality,” Irish Echo

 

 

This tour unites the mercurial talents of husband-and-wife team Michael Rooney and June McCormack, also known as Draíocht, with the unique singing of Niamh de Búrca, described by Altan’s Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh as “one of Irish music’s best-kept secrets”. Combining their rich musical repertoires, they can be heard on a Music Network tour of Ireland from 17 – 27 January 2007. Music Network tours provide a wonderful opportunity to see some of the world’s foremost music ensembles at affordable prices in venues around Ireland and are presented in association with The Irish Times and RTÉ lyric fm. Music Network is revenue funded by the Arts Council. Further information from Music Network at (01) 671 9429 or www.musicnetwork.ie.

 

The combination of harp and flute are a perfect foil for the shimmering beauty of Niamh de Búrca’s voice, but when Michael and June kick up their heels these instruments give flight to sprightly reels, jigs and hornpipes. The tour showcases tunes from Draíocht’s highly acclaimed CD, Land’s End (2006), including several written by Michael, a prolific composer who has been dubbed the “new O'Carolan”.

 

Niamh de Búrca has sung with the groups Fionnuisce and Grianán and in the stage show, ‘Ragús’, as well as performing regularly with guitarist Mark Kelly and piper Mick O’Brien. Michael Rooney has composed five major suites of music in the past decade, including an Aifreann na Gaeilge. In 2006 he published a book entitled 'Harp Tunes', which contains twenty three of his compositions. June McCormack won the senior flute competition at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in 1998, and, in the same year, was voted the TG4 Young Traditional Musician of the Year. June recently published an Irish flute tutorial entitled 'Fliúit'.

 

www.musicnetwork.ie