FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS: Nead an cheoil 2: The McKenna Clann – Highlights

Hailing from Augher, County Tyrone, the McKenna Clann are a family of seven siblings with deep traditional roots stretching through four generations of music in the Truagh area of North Monaghan. Performing on a range of traditional musical instruments such as harp, fiddle, accordion, concertina, uilleann pipes and guitar, the siblings are highly sought after as both soloists and a family, performing and touring in Ireland, the UK, Europe and North America. Having appeared on numerous TV and radio broadcasts such as Hup! (TG4), Blas Ceoil (BBC Ulster) and Céilí House (RTÉ 1) as well as tutoring at many festivals throughout Ireland, the McKenna’s have performed live in collaboration with Sean Nós singer Liam Ó Maonlaí, Celtic Colours International Music festival (Cape Breton), The Irish Embassy to Beijing, Glasgow’s Piping Live, and The William Kennedy International Piping Festival in Armagh. They are privileged to also perform locally in McCann’s Bar, Omagh, where they have had the pleasure of playing weekly tunes with local artists such as guitar maestros Arty McGlynn and Eamonn McElholm, as well as fiddler Shane McAleer.
The McKenna’s are no strangers to Derry and the IMBOLC International festival having performed as members of the IMBOLC Orchestra with Michael Rooney and Four Men and a Dog, and are delighted to feature in this year’s programme.

Tá Clann Mhic Cionna as Eochair Contae Thír Eoghain. Tá seachtar clainne sa teaghlach le fréamacha traidisiúnta doimhne ag síneadh siar ceithre ghlúin ó cheantar an Triúcha i dtuaisceart Mhuineacháin.Bíonn siad ag seinm lear mór uirlisí difriúla cosúil leis an chruit, an consairtín, na píobaí uilleann, fidil agus giotar, Tá moll mór measa ar na siblíní mar cheoltóirí aonaracha agus mar theaghlach. Tá ceolchoirmeacha agus camchuirteanna déanta acu i dtuaisceart Mheiriceá,Sasana agus san Eoraip.Bíonn siad ar an teilifís agus radio go minic ar chláir cosúil le hup,blas ceoil, agus Céilí House in éineacht le múinteoireacht ag féiltí ar fud na tíre. Sheinn siad le amhranaí ar an tSéan Nós Liam Ó Maonlaí agus féilte cosúil le Celtic Colours i Cape Breton, Ambasáid na hÉireann i Beijing, Piping Live i nGlaschú agus,The William Kennedy Piping Festival.
Bíonn siad ag seinm go háitiúil i Myles McCanns Bar agus is phribhléid mhór é seo dóibh.Bhíodh deis acu thar na blianta seinm le ceoltóirí móra le rá sa bheár cosúil le hArty McGlynn, Eamonn McElholm agus Shane McAleer.
Is minic a bhíonn clann Mhic Cionna i nDoire agus ag IMBOLC agus tá ceolchoirmeacha déanta acu mar bhaill den IMBOLC Orchestra le Michael Rooney agus Four Men and a Dog agus tá siad ar bís le bheith ar an chlár i mbliana.

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