Gerry O'connor Lecture & Concert

Fiddle player Gerry O'Connor will present the concert based on a recent publication of traditional Instrumental music from the Southeast Ulster area, “The Rose in the Gap”.

Gerry has played and recorded with Lá Lúgh and Skylark, recording four CDs on the Claddagh label. He has toured and recorded with members of all the legendary traditional music ensembles, including Planxty, Bothy Band, De Danann, Boys of the Lough and The Chieftains.

A winner of many awards, most recently he received the Bardic Award from Comhaltas Ceoltoirí Eireann for his significant contribution to the promotion of traditional Irish culture. As well as publishing this book The Rose in the Gap he has played, taught, and lectured throughout the world.

His talk will highlight the rich body of dance music, song and dance that was in circulation in Counties Louth, Armagh, Monaghan, and Cavan over 100 years ago. The influence of Scottish music and culture celebrated in this area will also be examined. A PowerPoint presentation illuminating the concert lecture will feature landscape images of the area, maps locating the music to place, and quality images of the original manuscripts from the Donnellan collection which are been made available for the first time.

Music will be played live by the author through the event.

This presentation will feature Gerry giving the background to the Gaelic Cultural revival in Ireland of the early 20th Century. He will describe the process of re-imagining this unique body of melodies from the dusty archives of University College Dublin and will perform a variety of tunes from the collection.