East Cork music group puts out call for new members

EVERY Tuesday evening, Scoil Bhríde in Midleton comes alive to the sound of music when groups of Comhaltas Uí Mac Choille musicians gather.

Now they are looking for new members to join them.

“We’d like to increase numbers and raise awareness as to what Comhaltas is all about,” says group PRO Micheál Murphy. “Covid affected us coming together for classes, bands and sessions. Now we are up and running again, it’s all hands on deck.

A volunteer committee runs the branch. All the participants get huge pleasure out of playing together, they like entertaining and having fun.

“We are busy planning our Christmas show and we’ll be playing in Market Green on December 9 to support all those affected by the flooding in October, which is exciting.”

Comhaltas Uí Mac Choille is a valuable part of the community. The teachers like to get into the swing of things too.

Jason Turk, who is teaching the group for more than 20 years, and who is a band leader, says he finds teaching music inspiring.

“I get great pleasure from teaching the children and the teenagers,” says Jason, who lives in Cork. “It is great to be involved with up-and-coming musicians. It is great to see them evolve and watch many of them going on to become well-known established musicians. We ran a summer school last year and it was a great success. It was a great boost after Covid.”

Comhaltas Uí Mac Choille has an amazing array of instruments for the members to play; banjo, mandolin, whistle, flute, accordion, concertina, guitar and fiddle.

“We’re looking to expand in 2024,” says parent and committee member, Donal Enright. “We’re looking at introducing the uilleann pipes.”

How about some testimonials?

Ellen, 13, who plays the flute and tin whistle, says wherever you go, you can play music. “And you can travel all over the world with it.”

Saoirse, 11, who plays mandolin, whistle and fiddle, says: “I love playing music, there is great talent in the group.”

Comhaltas was founded in 1951 in Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, by a group of traditional pipers who felt the Irish musical tradition was in decline. It was initially named Cumann Ceoltóiri na hÉireann, changing to its present name in 1952.

The Comhaltas Uí Mac Choillen branch was formed in the early 1990s

“It was the brainchild of a group of like-minded individuals,” says one of the founder members, Marian Ryan, who was always a lover of Irish traditional music. 

“The first committee was formed by Tim and Ann O’Sullivan, Pat O’Meara, Ann and John Keating, Kathleen Lorden, Liam Cashman, Liam Ryan and me. The then principal of Scoil Bhríde, Sr. Claire Fox, was approached to allow us rent rooms for classes. It is great to see Comhaltas Uí Mac Choille going from strength to strength.”

Today, many consider Comhaltas to be one of Ireland’s most successful cultural groups, having trained generations of Irish to study, perform, promote and preserve traditional Irish culture.

Tens of thousands of youngsters have learned to play music or traditional instruments, while over two million people attend the sessions, concerts, festivals and workshops sponsored by Comhaltas annually.

“Scoil Bhríde is the same venue where we continue those classes that began 30-odd years ago,” Marian says.

Many hundreds of students and many teachers later, great pride is taken in the success of the Uí Mac Choille branch.

“The joy of meeting our students many years later, and hearing their stories, of them taking their music and playing in many parts of the world, is wonderful,” adds Marian, who has nieces and nephews who are All-Ireland champions.

The music plays on.

“Others now have their own children learning with us, others are now back as our present teachers.

“Irish traditional music forms a wonderful bond in friendships between parents, students and teachers, many of which last a lifetime -and that is exactly what Craobh Uí Mac Choille has done over the years.”

Playing and listening to music is uplifting.The informal sessions that strike up in the local pub or a family kitchen, where musicians play for their own pleasure and their listeners, is a beautiful thing, bringing people together.

Fleadh Cheoil gives traditional musicians a platform where they can play to an appreciative audience and where traditional music style is the criterion. The Fleadh Cheoil has grown to become a National Festival attended by traditional musicians, singers and dancers all over Ireland and overseas.

Marian adds: “Venues play an important part in any groups to continue the progress of learning and enjoyment. Therefore, after Sr Claire, Mrs Síle Murphy was also a very willing principal and helped us continue, where now Mr Séamus O’Connor, principal, is ever so helpful to us all as we use his school classrooms for our students.

“All the years up to when Covid struck, we were able to hold numerous concerts, shows and meetings in the venue of Pat and Joan O’Meara in Ballinacurra.

Again, their generosity knew no bounds over many years, and we will be forever grateful to them.

Does Marian play a musical instrument?

She laughs.b“I couldn’t play the spoons for you!”.

But, like all Comhaltas members, Marian loves the sound of music. “Playing music is a special gift,” she says.

Chairperson Emer Hayes says: “Comhaltas Uí Mac Choille has grown organically since the first year it started. “Social interaction is the essence of the group, and we want it to grow and progress.

“Building experienced musicians, gathering interest and recruiting beginners is our aim. The quality and standard of the branch continues to grow and many of our members have achieved great success in Fleadhanna Cheoil around the country.”

“Covid was challenging, and we’ve had highs and lows in membership,” adds Emer. “It killed the ethos of Comhaltas Uí Mac Choille. Now the rejuvenation is happening. It is great to see.”

The group are currently looking for experienced musicians to join their bands, and are gathering expressions of interest from beginners for their September 2024 classes. See Imokilly-Midleton Comhaltas on Facebook and Instagram.