Doimnic Mac Giolla Bhríde, one of the world’s foremost singers in the Irish language, and multiple award-winning flutist and tin whistle player Frances Morton will appear in concert Wednesday, Nov. 20, at 7:30 p.m. at the Commodore John Barry Arts and Cultural Center (the Irish Center). 

Mac Giolla Bhríde hails from Ghaoth Dobhair (Gweedore) in the Donegal Gaelteacht, an area renowned for the preservation of Irish language and song. He grew up blessed by the wealth of tradition around him. His earliest local influences included Caitlín Ní Dhomhnaill, Mairead Ní Mhaonaigh and his mother Nellie Nic Giolla Bhríde.

In addition to being an award-winning singer in the Irish language, having won the prestigious Corn Uí Riada in 2009, the highest accolade in Ireland for sean-nós (old style) singers, Mac Giolla Bhríde is an accomplished musician on uilleann pipes and piano accordion.

Mac Giolla Bhríde founded Cór Thaobh an Leithid, a four-part Donegal choir, made up of the finest sean-nós singers in the Donegal Gaelteacht. The choir has performed at the Earagail Arts Festival and at the National Concert Hall as part of Dónal Lunny’s St. Patrick's Festival Concert.

Mac Giolla Bhríde has released five highly commended albums to date. His most recent album Sona do Cheird (original compositions and arrangements to ancient Gaelic poetry) won Album of the Year at the NÓS Awards in 2016.

Frances Morton is from Glasgow and currently resides in Ghoath Dobhair. Morton began playing traditional music at a young age and went on to win several titles between in the 12-18 categories at the All Scotland, All Britain and All Ireland fleadhanna on tin whistle and flute. Since then, she has adjudicated at competitions and performed in a range of Irish, Scottish and European festivals with traditional groups. When she is not touring with Mac Giolla Bhríde, she can be found playing in sessions with renowned musicians from bands such as Dervish, Lunasa, Capercaillie and Altan.

Over the past several years, Morton and Mac Giolla Bhríde have made several tours of the East and West Coast, supported singer-songwriter Declan O’Rourke, and recorded for a BBC program, “Innovation in Traditional Music.” They perform regularly with Doimnic’s choir, Glórthaí Uladh, and have played at Fiddlers’ Green Festival, among others.

The concert is being presented by Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann Philadelphia-Delaware Valley, the local branch of the world’s largest organization involved in the preservation and promotion of Irish traditional music.

Ticket prices are $15 CCÉ-DV members; $20 non-members; and $25 at the door.

There are also two workshops available at 6 p.m. Mac Giolla Bhríde will instruct a workshop in Irish singing, while Morton will lead a workshop in Irish flute. Each is $10.

The Commodore Barry Club is at 6815 Emlen St. in Mt. Airy.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit cce-dv.com.

Friends, family members, and traditional Irish musicians from far and wide gathered for an all-star session June 3 at St. Peter’s Church in the Great Valley, Malvern, Pa., to celebrate the life of Joe Reavy, son of the prolific composer of Irish tunes Ed Reavy, and an outstanding musician and musicologist in his own right. Joe Reavy died January 13, 2023, at the age of 95.

“It was the family’s idea to celebrate in this way. We had talked about it, and it just made so much sense,” says Katherine Ball-Weir, chair of the Philadelphia-Delaware Valley branch of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, and a friend of Joe. “They had wanted to do something that would be a celebration of Joe and really reflect what was important to him. We first talked about it at the time of his death, and we just knew Joe would have really loved it. It was a wonderful party and a true ‘Celebration of Life.’ We were just wishing he could have been here to be a part of it.” 

A memorial service in the historic church preceded the session. Fiddler Alexander Weir, Ball-Weir’s son and one of Reavy’s many longtime friends, played a slow air at communion.