Geraldine O'Callaghan, Conal Ó Gráda & Máire Ní Chéilleachair

Concert at Cúl na Sméar Hall, 8:30pm on Saturday, the 15th of November 2008

On Saturday the 15th November the Comeragh branch of Comhaltas held the first concert of the new season to a full house in Cúl na Sméar Hall. The performers on the night, from the Sliabh Luachra area of Cork, were Conal Ó Gráda, Geraldine O'Callaghan, and Máire Ní Chéilleachair. Geraldine, who is the advanced fiddle teacher at Cúl na Sméar, is lead fiddler with the 2007 All-Ireland winning Allow Ceilí Band. She has completed an MA under Micheál Ó Súilleabháin at Limerick University and regularly performs and gives master classes around Ireland and other European countries. Conal, whose main instrument is the concert flute is one of Ireland's best known musicians, from one of Cork's best known musical families. He is sought after both as teacher and performer and lectures for both BA and MA courses at UCC and UL. His recently launched CD, "Cnoc Buí" has received huge acclaim. Máire is a well known member of the Cork Singers Club and has won All-Ireland titles in both Irish and English at Fleadh Ceoil na hÉireann and has won numerous awards at the Oireachtas. Her CD "Guth ar Fán" was released in 1999. The hall at Cúil na Sméar has gained a reputation as a wonderful acoustic venue and as usual the feet were wildly tapping to an excellent show by these talented musicians.