New Year Trad: An evening of Traditional Irish Music & Song
Sunday 4th January 6.45pm - 8.30pm
FREE EVENT
The Foundation, Otley Road, Leeds, LS16 7NR
Start the year with an early evening of Traditional Irish Music.
Kevin Mullowney (guitar and vocals), Des Hurley (button accordion and fiddle)
Irish Traditional Music meets Gypsy Jazz
Friday 12th December 7.30pm
Tickets £14
Marsden Mechanics, Peel St, Huddersfield HD7 6BW
In collaboration with Marsden Mechanics as part of our 'Neighours!' project.
The Irish Arts Foundation presents a special night where Traditional Irish Music meets Gypsy Jazz. At its centre are two exceptional violinists, Des Hurley and Susannah Simmons. Des brings the soulful pulse of the Irish fiddle tradition, rich with history and spontaneity, while Susannah offers the fiery elegance of Gypsy Jazz, full of energy and flair. Together, they weave a conversation that is both playful and profound, celebrating two distinct musical worlds as they meet in harmony. An evening of outstanding musicianship, cultural exchange and shared joy awaits all who join us for this unique performance.
‘Samhain’ International Uilleann Piping Day
Friday 31st October 7pm - 9pm
FREE EVENT
The Terminus, Stonegate Road, Leeds LS6 4HY
Hosted by Cormac Keating and Conor MacMahon
‘Samhain’ marks the end of the harvest season and beginning of winter or the "darker half" of the year. Funding has been secured from the Leeds City Council Cultural Investment Programme to deliver our new project, ‘The Wheel of the Year’ to provide a programme of community Irish Arts participatory and performance workshops across Leeds.
‘The Wheel of the Year’ is the celtic calendar and focuses on the cyclical change of seasons evenly spaced throughout the year, celebrating the transition of the sun throughout the seasons combined with the solstices and equinoxes. Lughnasadh (Aug 1st), Samhain (Oct 31st), Imbolc (Feb 1st) and Bealtaine (May 1st).
An Evening of Traditional Irish Music
Friday 19th Sept 7:00pm - 8:30pm
FREE EVENT
The New George, 2-4 Commercial Rd, Kirkstall, Leeds LS5 3AQ
Hosted by Patrick Ruane (Piano Accordian) and Kevin Hurley (Flute)
All musicians welcome
Lughnasadh: An evening of Traditional Irish Music & Song
Sunday 3rd August 6:45pm
FREE EVENT
The Foundation, Otley Rd, Adel, Leeds LS16 7NR
Kevin Mullowney (Guitar & Vocals) & Des Hurley ( Button Accordion & Fiddle)
'Lughnasadh' is a celtic festival marking the beginning of the harvest season. Traditionally, it is held on 1 August, or about halfway between the summer solstice and autumn equinox.
‘The Wheel of the Year’ is the celtic calendar and focuses on the cyclical change of seasons evenly spaced throughout the year, celebrating the transition of the sun throughout the seasons combined with the solstices and equinoxes. Lughnasadh (Aug 1st), Samhain,(Oct 31st), Imbolc (Feb 1st) and Bealtaine (May 1st).
We will also be working directly with a number of community groups to celebrate 'Lughnasadh'.
'Out in the World:' Ireland's LGBTQ+ Diaspora
Wed 4 Jun 2025 - Wed 9 Jul 2025
FREE EVENT
Left Bank Leeds, Cardigan Road, Leeds LS6 1LJ
In collaboration with Leeds Irish Health & Homes.
Across the generations, Irish LGBTQ+ people have emigrated and found opportunities to live and love openly. Yet this journey was rarely a simple transition from an oppressive island to a liberal wider world. Irish LGBTQ+ emigrants often faced prejudice abroad. The island of Ireland, once a place of shame and silence, could also become a welcoming site of return. This exhibition, on loan from the Irish Embassy in London, highlights twelve stories from the largely untold history of Ireland’s LGBTQ+ diaspora.
Across six themes – exclusion, community, love, defiance, solidarity and return- the exhibition also features an artwork by award winning Irish designer and multi-disciplinary artist Richard Malone.
The Weaving
Sunday 8th June 7:30pm
Hyde Park Book Club, Leeds, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds LS6 1BL
The Weaving is Méabh Begley (accordion, vocals) and Owen Spafford (fiddle) and Cait Ni Riain (piano, vocals). This trio brings together the rich musical traditions of three counties Kerry, Tipperary and Yorkshire, their three regions of origin. Their music is imbued with the driving rhythms of the Gaeltacht of West Kerry where they first met; fierce dance music and raw harmonies inspired by a deep understanding of their musical inheritance. The trio have performed across Ireland, France and the UK in venues such as The National Concert Hall, Paris Centre Culturel Irlandais and Sidmouth Folk Festival.
After a sold out performance at Feakle Festival alongside Martin Hayes and extensive UK and Ireland tours 'The Weaving' look forward to releasing their debut album drawn from the rich musical wellspring of the West Kerry Gaeltacht.
Exploring the Musical Traditions of County Leitrim & County Fermanagh
Throughout 2025
ONLINE PRESENTATION
Supported by Arts Council England, the project also includes stories from the North Leitrim Leeds-Irish diaspora.
Available online now.
Exploring the Musical Traditions of County Cork & County Kerry
Throughout 2025
ONLINE PRESENTATION
The project explores the musical traditions of County Cork and County Kerry in the south-west of Ireland, in particular the music of the ‘Sliabh Luachra’ area.
‘Sliabh Luachra’ (pronounced Sleeve Loucra) is the mountainous region along the Cork/Kerry border in the province of Munster straddling the county boundaries of Cork and Kerry.
The name ‘Sliabh Luachra’ means "a mountain of rushes". Supported by Arts Council England, the project also includes musical stories from the Cork & Kerry Leeds-Irish diaspora.
Available online now.
The Leeds Irish Music Programme
All shows now available online
FREE RADIO BROADCAST
East Leeds FM, Old Seacroft Chapel, 1081 York Road, Leeds LS14 6JB
In addition to exploring different traditional Irish music historical regional influences and themes, the four programmes during Irish History Month 2021 caught up with local Irish organisations Leeds CCE (Irish Musicians Association), Leeds Irish Health & Homes, The Leeds St Patrick’s Day Committee and Leeds Irish Centre. East Leeds FM have up a standalone radio show page on the Chapel FM website for the series to listen back to all the programmes.
www.chapelfm.co.uk
What's On 2016
What's On 2018