From: Karen Ryan [k.ryan_at_virgin_dot_net]

Sent: 24 March 2011 10:36

Subject: Trad Gathering at Royal Festival Hall Sat 7 May/ Unsung Heroes Award/ Register your Irishness in the census - 27 March

Included in this email:

• Dates for the Diary, Festival of Britain Folk weekend – The Trad Gathering will be playing on Saturday 7^th May (informal session at 11am, concert at 1pm and more)
• Camden’s Unsung Heroes – thanks to anyone who may have nominated me
• Register your Irishness in the next census on 27^th March - if we are seen in big numbers, we must be catered for (this applies to arts funding for our events among other things)
• Keenan’s session on Friday nights
• Article about great traditional singer from the Irish traveller community - Thomas McCarthy in the Guardian
• Lovely review of Return to Camden Town Festival 2010 by Alex Monaghon
• Dates for the diary at Hammersmith: 21^st April – Mairtín O’Connor, Cathal Hayden and Séamie O’Dowd/ Sunday 8^th May – Lúnasa
• Date for the diary: Thurs 28 April – Liz Carroll and John Doyle at King’s Place
• New music classes in Morley College, South London
• Auld Triangle sessions on Sunday nights
• Sunday 3^rd April – Workshops and Concert featuring Darragh Morgan (fiddle) and Brian OhUiginn (pipes) at The Tabernacle

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Date for the Diary:

Festival of Britain Folk weekend – The Trad Gathering will be playing on Saturday 7^th May 2011 (11am: informal session/ 1pm: lunchtime concert performing ‘Recollections of Camden Town’ and more) see: http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/find/dance-performance/tickets/cultura-obscura-the-lunchtime-gathering-58608 . It will be great to have as many Irish music fans there as possible to cheer on these brilliant young musicians.

Thanks to The Trad Gathering members who have already contacted me about their availability for this weekend – would be great to hear back from more of you now that the date and timing has been narrowed down. Please let me know asap if you need music sent to you – I will send out rehearsal dates shortly J Make sure you bring all your family and friends.

Camden Unsung Heroes Award

I am very excited as I've just learnt that I have been chosen as a winner of one of Camden's 'Unsung Heroes Awards'. The presentation will be made by the Mayor of Camden on Monday night at the Roundhouse!! Thankyou very much to whoever nominated me :-) Karen x (nice way to celebrate my birthday!)

The Irish community in Britain is running a national campaign to encourage as many Irish and people of Irish descent to register their Irish ethnicity in the upcoming Census, taking place on the 27 March 2011.  We're doing this to combat underrepresentation of the Irish in official figures.

You can play a critical role in making this happen. For the moment we're building a database of supporters who identify with their Irish roots.  We're calling on you to sign up to the campaign and invite your friends, contacts and colleagues to sign up too.  This will give the campaign the right support it needs to be the success we all want it to be.

Please help by joining the campaign, where you also can find out more about it, at www.howirishareyou.com

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Regular Friday night session at Keenan’s with Paddy Egan (concertina) and Peter McAlinden (keyboard)

From 9pm

89 Colney Hatch Lane, Muswell Hill, London N10 1LR

(near the junction with Sutton Road - in amongst the parade of shops which includes the Post Office and the new stripy library)

Buses 134 and 43 (both are a 10 minute journey from Highgate tube - Northern Line)

Message from James McDonald:

Hi everybody,

Just thought you might be interested to read an article on Thomas in the Guardians Film & Music supplement today.

Here's the link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/mar/10/thomas-mccarthy-irish-traveller-songs

Feel free to sign in and leave a comment if you feel inspired!

All the best,

James.

Here’s a lovely review of last year’s Return to Camden Town Festival, written by Alex Monaghon for ‘Folkworld’ http://www.folkworld.eu/44/e/camden.html . Thanks Alex J

Date for the diary:

As part of the ‘Fiddles on Fire’ Festival at King’s Place, 90 York Way, London N1

Liz Carroll and John Doyle play a concert on Thursday 28^th April 2011

See: http://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on-book-tickets/music/liz-carroll-john-doyle

Also on the days following, Sam Proctor will be giving Irish fiddle workshops

Irish Cultural Centre, Hammersmith Dates for the diary:

Thursday 21^st April – Mairtín O’Connor, Cathal Hayden and Séamie O’Dowd

Sunday 8^th May – Lúnasa

For tickets and other info, see: http://www.irishculturalcentre.co.uk/?q=event/music

Message from Jacquelyn Hynes re new music classes in South London.

Folk On Fridays at Morley College 7.30 to 9.30 Come and join! Learn Irish traditional jigs, reels, slides, hornpipes airs and music from the British Isles in a very friendly fun atmosphere. Basic instrumental ability but no prior knowledge of Folk or traditional music required. All instruments/levels of ability welcome. Suitable for adult learners. Folk on Fridays also incoprorates visits to The Irish Cultural Centre and occasional folk events in London.

Classes are already in progress, but new students eagerly welcomed as a mistake in advertising by the College (accidental omission from their prospectus and website!) has resulted in low enrolment numbers – if you’re thinking about joining a class come along soon to boost numbers and ensure this one keeps going.

http://www.morleycollege.ac.uk

http://www.myspace.com/jacquelynhynes

Here's what’s coming up at Lewisham Irish Centre:

* Traditional Irish Music Sessions
Start Sunday 13 February 2011 2 - 5pm
Musicians welcome 2nd Sunday of every month 2pm - 5pm
Free Admission .  Licensed bar

2a Davenport Road London SE6 2AZ
Call Chris Corbett: 020 8695 6264 or
email: info_at_lewishamirish_dot_org_dot_uk

If you haven't already, please come and join us on facebook - search for 'Return to Camden Town Events' and click 'like' OR click on the following link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Return-to-Camden-Town-Events/104823076234568 to keep up to date with all that's going on.  Photos from the 2008/ 09 and 10 Festivals have recently been uploaded!  Come and have a look.

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Weekly sessions at the Auld Triangle

Every Sunday at 8pm (unless there's an Arsenal match), session hosted by:

Gary Connolly (accordion), Sinead Linane (fiddle), James Carty (flute) and Reg Hall (keyboard).

Come down and show your support for some great music!

The Auld Triangle, 52 St Thomas's Road (corner of Plimsoll Road), London N4 2QW.  Tel. 020 7354 2869

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Sunday 3^rd April  (2pm workshops.  5pm concert).

Traditional Irish music and more from Darragh Morgan (fiddle) and Brian O hUiginn (pipes) in collaboration with Tunde Jegede (kora).

Also Appalachian music with Rattle on the Stovepipe and Billy Hill.

The Tabernacle, 35 Powis Square, London W11 2AY

www.carnivalvillage.org.uk/all-events/tabernacle-folk-2

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Karen Ryan

Director, Return to Camden Town events
www.returntocamden.org
www.facebook.com/pages/Return-to-Camden-Town-Events/104823076234568

Founder member, The London Lasses and Pete Quinn
www.londonlasses.net
www.facebook.com/people/London-Lasses/1390234814