Live Music Now Northern Ireland commissions traditional musicians Conor Lamb and Deirdre Galway to write a piece of music for Limavady.
Live Music Now Northern Ireland has commissioned two of Northern Ireland’s most exciting young traditional musicians to write a piece of music in tribute to the people and places of Limavady. Conor Lamb and Deirdre Galway, founding members of Réalta, are taking inspiration from the area’s history, folklore, landscape and most importantly its people.
The resulting piece will be premiered at the Roe Valley Arts and Cultural Centre on Friday 28 April (tickets here), and will then be toured to schools, day centres, care homes and community centres as part of Live Music Now’s outreach programme. The project is funded through Bank of Ireland Begin Together Arts Fund in partnership with Business to Arts and Arts Council of Northern Ireland’s Rural Grant.
National Director, Alice Lewis explains:
‘Conor and Deirdre have been working with Live Music Now for several years and have developed a close affinity with Limavady. Through a variety of projects they have played in care homes, day centres, schools and community centres over the last four or five years. The idea of commissioning a piece of music came about as a way of marking what the community has come through over the last three years, and more generally to celebrate and pay tribute to this beautiful area.
Limavady has a rich musical heritage, from the harpist O’Hampsey and Jane Ross’s Danny Boy, right up to Stendhal Festival and the Danny Boy Blues festival. The area’s fascinating history, mythology and beautiful landscape, not to mention the warmth of the local people, make for a truly inspirational mix.
Deirdre, who plays guitar and Conor, who plays uilleann pipes and whistle, are engaging with local groups as part of the creative process of composition, including the Steinbeck festival, the Art Club and trad groups. The resulting piece will be performed for the first time with their full band, Réalta on Friday 28 April at the town’s arts centre.
Conor Lamb (uilleann pipes/whistles) and Deirdre Galway (guitar/vocals) are founding members of Réalta and Music in the Glen. They have released three critically acclaimed studio albums and toured throughout Europe, America and Asia -highlights include Oulu Irish Fest (Finland), Milwaukee Irish Fest (USA), Temple Bar Trad (Dublin), and Sori (South Korea). They also work with Disney Cruise Line and guide the Belfast Trad Trail. As exponents of Ireland’s living tradition they perform in the community with Live Music Now, pass on traditional repertoire teaching online and in-person, and compose new music in the old style.