01/02/10 Mairéad named Donegal Person of the Year

Maireád Ní Mhaonaigh has been announced as 2009 Donegal Person of the Year. The announcement was made at a Donegal Association function in Foley’s Bar, Merrion Row, Dublin on the evening of Thursday 28 Jan.

Talking to The Donegal News, Mairéad said “This year is Áltan’s 25th anniversary and getting this award for me is just the crowning glory – it’s the icing on the cake. I am so looking forward to the presentation night in the Burlington Hotel on February 28. We have a lot of musical friends coming along and we hope to have many stars from Donegal. It really is such an honour and I am very grateful to the Donegal Association.” We’re all so excited at Mairéad HQ!

This is the 75th anniversary of the Donegal Association’s work, and the 32nd Year of the ‘Person of the Year’ award and so is a very special celebratory year for the association. Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh is the 4th female to receive the honor. You can get more details on the association from their website.

Maireád will be inaugurated as Donegal Person of the Year at the Annual Gala Dinner which is again at the Burlington Hotel this year and will be held on Saturday 27th February.

If you want to share in this very special evening and award with Mairéad, her family and friends, you can purchase tickets directly from the Donegal Association. It would be great to see you there !

Tickets priced at €65 are available from any member of the Committee of the Donegal Association; by email to donegalassociation@eircom.net; by post to Sorcha Ní Dhomhnaill, Secretary, Donegal Association, c/o Teachers Club,35 Parnell Square, Dublin 1

09/01/10 Mairéad nominated for Meteor Award!

Bliain mhór os ar gcomhar! Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh has been nominated for a Meteor Award, Ireland’s music industry awards. Mairéad, who is nominated in the ‘Best Folk / Traditional’ non-voting category stands alongside musicians and singers of the highest calibre: Sharon Shannon, Christy Moore, Kíla with Bruno Coulais and Kathleen Loughnane. This is so exciting for everyone at Mairéad HQ, and coincides with Mairéad’s 2010 Ní Mhaonaigh-Lunny dates for ‘Imeall’, Mairéad’s first solo project. We hope to see you at one of Mairéad and Manus’ gigs this year, make sure to tune into the awards, which take place on February 19th and will be broadcast that night or on the weekend of the event.

Thanks so much to everyone for their support and for getting the word out on ‘Imeall’. Have a fantastic new year!

Le beannacht agus buíochas,
Everyone at Mairéad HQ.x

04/01/10 An Bhliain Úr: The New Year

Beannachtaí na Bliana Úire oraibh uilig ó chósta shiocanach Thír Chonaill. We are snowed in here in North West Donegal… it may be cold, but the crisp sharp light on the water makes up for it! Errigle is covered with dust like snow for over ten days now which gave a christmas card backdrop to this year’s Frankie Kennedy Winter School. The school is now in it’s 16th year and although alot of regulars were unable to travel to it because of the bad weather it was still a huge success.

Audiences and students made their way to the various classes and concerts against all odds. I’m really looking forward to 2010 as this is Altan’s 25th Anniversary year ! Manus Lunny and I are heading to Celtic Connections in Glasgow this month on the 17th and 27th for a few concerts… better Glasgow than Moscow… actually Moscow would be nice too!!

Altan are playing in Theatre de la Ville, Paris, France on the 8th.and 9th of January. Angela McLaughlin has put together a few gigs for Manus and I all over Ireland in February, we are really looking forward to that, just check the gig list! Altan are going to be in the US for most of the month of March so we are really looking forward to that – will keep you posted!

Actually the new album with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra was officially launched in Japan when we toured there before Christmas. It was for sale here in Co. Donegal at the Winter School but it will be officially launched here in February or March.

Mairéad

10/11/09 Upcoming Gigs / 25 Years on the Road with Altan

Ag súil go mór le dhul go dtí Briotáin na Fraince arís ag deireadh na míosa. Tá muid iontach gnóthach ag iarraidh crut a chuir ar an dlúthdhiosca úr le h-Altan le ceolfhoireann RTÉ. Beidh sé a lainseáil sa t-Seapáin sula dtig sé amach ar an taobh seo den domhan. Manus Lunny, Jim Higgins and myself are heading to Nantes to La Bouche D’Air Théatre on the 24th of November to play some of my Imeall material for the first time in Breizh!!!

Then Manus and myself head to Drogheda on the 28th to play in An Droichead Arts Centre….a place that has very strong connections with my family as my father taught there many years ago.Joining us on the night are three of my favourite musicians; John and Jacinta McEvoy and the wonderful John Wynne.
On December the 3rd Altan head off to tour Japan. What a beautiful country! I would honestly say that it is the most exotic place that I have ever visited. This will be our fifth or sixth visit to “The Land of the Rising Sun” and we are looking forward to meeting all our old friends and making new ones!!!

The Frankie Kennedy Winter School is celebrating it’s 16th year and this year it has a wonderful line up: The West Ocean Quartet, the multitalented Liam Ó Maonlaí, Fidil and Altan will be playing at the final concert of the School on the 1st of January 2010 in Ionad Cois Locha, Dún Lúiche.

Theatre de la Ville in Paris will be the next venue that Altan will perform in on the 8th and 9th of January. Then Manus and I will head to the Celtic Connections Festival in Glasgow for the 17th and 27th of January before heading around Ireland to do a few gigs , which we will post on the site as soon as they are all confirmed!
Altan will be touring the USA during the month of March….celebrating 25 years on the road…seems like yesterday!

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