Tradition Now: John Francis Flynn

7.00pm: Cahalen Morrison - The Studio
7.30pm: John Francis Flynn - Main Stage
9.15pm: Helen Diamond - Kevin Barry Recital Room
9.30pm: Niamh Bury - The Studio

Explore the new in the tradition as NCH opens across all its venues for a night of the most exciting new folk and traditional music, John Francis Flynn headlines alongside Niamh Bury, Cahalen Morrison and Helen Diamond.

“Dark, immersive folk music in keeping with these dark times” – The Irish Times

Described “an admirably bold vision” by The Observer, John Francis Flynn released his latest album Look Over the Wall, See the Sky to widespread acclaim debut album last November. John masterfully unpicks traditional songs and rearranges them with an emotional force. They float in a surreal space between the past and the present, the analog and the digital, between love and tragedy. The unconventional use of instruments and jagged arrangements gives the work a magnetism by drawing you into its curious orbit of experimental folk.

Niamh Bury is one of the most exciting new voices on the Irish folk scene. In the past year the Dublin-born songwriter has released several singles to wide acclaim. Niamh has shared the stage and collaborated with acts like Ye Vagabonds, Martin Hayes, Dermot Kennedy, Daorí Farrel, Niamh Regan and Cinder Well.  Her original compositions explore a richly textured folk sensibility, with a “commanding vocal performance and expressionistic storytelling that blend into the music’s organic feel” (The Last Mixed Tape).  Along with ØXN, Niamh is one of the first new artists in almost two decades to be signed to Ireland's most iconic and culturally important record label, Claddagh Records. Her debut album Yellow Roses will be released on the 29th March.

Over the past decade touring solo, as a duo with Eli West, or with his roadhouse country band Western Centuries, Cahalen Morrison has played shows and festivals all over the world and performed on stage with the likes of Tim O’Brien, Kelly Joe Phelps, Hot Rize, Crooked Still and Kris Drever. Equally at home on guitar, banjo, mandolin, singing three part harmony or unaccompanied, he has carved out a place for himself as a unique voice in American music. 

Helen Diamond is a singer and fiddle player from Dublin. She has strong family links with the North of Ireland and from an early age has been drawn to the rich northern tradition of unaccompanied English-language singing, of which she is one of her generation's leading exponents. Helen's fiddle playing is influenced most strongly by the music of South-West Donegal, but also takes inspiration from old-time American music.

Presented by NCH in partnership with The Arts Council (Traditional Arts)