TOM CREAN AUTHENTIC IRELAND FESTIVAL (T-CAIF) NOVEMBER 16TH, 17TH & 18TH, 2012 T-CAIF Teachers and

Lecturers
ils Crean (Fiddle) ils Crean, founder of Authentic Ireland Cultural Enrichment (A.I.C.E) was born in Ballintubber, Co. Roscommon, Ireland and grew up in a house where traditional Irish music was cultivated, cherished and appreciated. She plays fiddle and was taught by the highly esteemed and legendary Eddie Kelly and her childhood years saw many hours with Eddie, teasing through the artful arrangement of his notes during the weekly lessons. Through the years, ils has competed and won prizes at various events throughout Ireland and Great Britain. ils, whose profession is Healthcare Information Technology consultancy, brings fulfillment to her life these days by teaching traditional Irish music style and technique, specifically the East Galway style of fiddle playing, in Eddie's inimitable way. She is the sole proponent of this unique style and she derives great Joy from passing it along to those who want to learn it.
Brad Hurley (Flute and lecture on East Galway flute-playing)

Brad Hurley has been playing Irish music on the flute and whistle for more than 35 years. His education began in earnest when he spent a week learning from the late East Galway flute player Jack Coen at the Catskills Irish Arts Week. He later became strongly influenced by the brilliant Roscommon flute player Catherine McEvoy, spending years studying her music. He has performed at many concerts and festivals in New England and Canada, recorded as a guest musician on several CDs, and taught flute and whistle at Montral's Siamsa School of Irish Music.
Meait J Shamuis Fathartha (Uillean pipes, flute and sean ns singing)

Meait J attended the festival last year and was so well received by everyone. His authentic expression of the music and song (he sings the sean ns style) was a wonderful addition to our festival and made him a household name. Since then he has been

teaching our Gaelic language classes, online and has a huge following in this area. He brings so much to a gathering since he plays flute, uilleann pipes and speaks the language. And add to that, he is true historian. Meat Js place over the November weekend is surely at the T-CAIF festival in Franklin TN.
Mirn U Chide (Sean ns singing and dancing)

Mirn U Chide (Irish singer and speaker) was born in July, 1958 in Leitirmir, the heart of the rural Conamara Gaeltacht, like other rural places in Ireland except that Irish was spoken by almost everyoneexcept those in authority or the professions. Surrounded there by a strong oral tradition, it seems to Mirn that she has been singing all of her life. Mirn came from a long line of poets and singers from both sides of the family. The Seoige from Inis Barr an Chuain and the Kelly family from Maumeen. Her mother is Peige an tSeoige from Sconsa Leitirmoir, a great dancer and a beautiful singer. Her uncle Coilimin Seoige was her mentor; he has thousands of songs and was a tough taskmaster and teacher. A purist, he insured that her singing was as correct as possible; her phrasing and language had to be true to the poet. Her paternal grandfather Michael Kelly was also a great storyteller and had a trove of Irish and some English folksongs (learned in his travels and his time with the Irish Army). Often his rendition of these songs would take place as he lay on his bed memorizing verses, such as a never-ending song in English about a boxing challenge, "Morrisey and the Mighty Russian."In retrospect, Mirn says, it is no wonder she had no interest in the rock and pop music explosions happening all around her in the late 60s and early 70s. She was steeped in a fast-disappearing tradition of poetry, song, and storytelling. She was fortunate to have had a great Irish literature teacher, Sen Gaora who encouraged her to sing most of the old poetry which she already knew as songs, Songs often with many more variation of verses than appeared in standardized textbook selections. Mairin had already won the coveted Corn U Riada ( Rada Cup) at Oireactas na Gaeilge, the highest honor in sean ns singing at the Oireactas, when she moved to Boston with her husband and four children in 1986 (now they have five). Since then, she has sung for many an occasion.

When performing in her native tongue, whether it is a President, international dignitaries, or a small gathering of cultural events, she is back in Leitirmir, proud and yet humbled by the great gift of an oral tradition that can take its place on any stage. She realizes she had a dream childhood and experienced a treasure, priceless in any measure. Mirn sings her sean ns with pride and awareness that it is her duty to pass it on. She has taught Irish language and singing for many years, maintaining the oral nature of the transmission of the culture as much as possible, through teaching and mentoring. Mirn continues to sing the songs and the folk music of her childhood in the Gaeltacht.
amon Donnchadha (Flute and sean ns singing)

amon Donnchadha was born and reared in the parish of Bluebell in Dublin. He became interested in traditional Irish music and especially in sean ns singing while he was staying in Tr Bhin and Leitir Mir in Connemara. He was captivated by the magic of the poetry, the music of the language and the earthiness of sean ns singing. amon sings in the Connemara style and has a special affinity for the compositions of the Connaught poet, Raftery. amon has the distinction of having won the most coveted prize in sean ns singing, Corn U Riada, three times at the Oireachtas na Samhna festivals. amon has performed at various festivals and has accompanied the Irish President Mary Mc Aleese as part of the cultural delegation to Norway and Spainas well as at home in Ireland. amon is also an accomplished flute player and has been living and teaching in the Meath Gaeltacht of Rth Chairn for over twenty years.
Jim Higgins IBodhrn & Piano Accompaniment in Irish music)

Jim is in high demand as a live and studio artist. He is featured on the recent Altan and Lunasa recordings and many other studio albums, incl. Cora and Jims wife Breda Smyth, Kevin Crawford, Alan Kelly and Josephine Marsh. He also toured with the famous dance show Riverdance. His first and true love is East Galway music and he truly respects and honors Eddie Kelly and Paddy Fahy. He teaches bodhran and piano. In my experience this past year, it has been ideal to offer tuition on both of these instruments because bluegrass or country artists can easily sit in and participate in a class when it is an instrument of accompaniment. It is a wonderful way to offer participation and camaraderie. Jim is a master of his instrument and wonderful teacher.

Paul Groff

Paul Groff is a musician and biologist, currently teaching at Florida International University. While living in Bangor, North Wales for a year of his graduate work, Paul began learning the concertina and musical friends brought him over to Ireland for a couple of memorable visits. On returning to Berkeley, California, Paul met more wonderful Irish musicians including concertina players Maureen Murtagh, Sabra Daly, and Miliosa Lundy. The late Tony Crehan, Tommy McCarthy senior, and John Kelly senior also inspired Pauls interest in the concertina. Paul has been asked to play and teach the concertina locally and in festivals including the 2003 North American National Convention of Comhaltas Ceoltir ireann, the Boston Irish music school, the Boston College Gaelic Roots Festival (1997), Philadelphia Ceili Festival, John Boyle OReilly Club of Springfield, and the Southeast Irish Pipers Tionol. Recording credits include work with David Byrne (formerly of Talking Heads), Aine Minogue, and Sarah Blair. Paul was twice recognized by the Florida Department of State, Bureau of Historic Preservation, as a Master musician, with apprenticeship grants to teach the concertina (2006, 2007). In sessions Paul would rather play guitar or piano and listen to other musicians, and enjoyed many nights backing some great musicians around Boston -Tommy McCarthy jr., Louise Costello, Sarah Blair, Jack Conroy, Kathleen Conneely, Brendan Tonra, Helen Kisiel, ils Crean, and many more! He was also an invited guest piano and guitar backer for Gaelic Roots (2002). In recent years Paul has mostly been playing a Walters 1-row button accordion, inspired by the music of Jack Conroy, the late William Sullivan, and P. J. Conlon.
Laura Powers & Brent Backhus (Film-makers and sing/songwriter in IRISH NASHVILLE)

Brent Backhus is based out of Los Angeles and comes to filmmaking from a background in music, recording and editing. Laura Powers is a singer/songwriter and has produced 5 CDs on her Red Harp Records Label. This documentary on Connemara is a very personal project as it includes the search for Laura's Irish relatives while filming the people and music of the region.
Layne Hendrickson (Lecture East Galway music & history researcher)

The multi-media presentation by Laybe will cover the history of East Galway music. It will focus on the fiddlers Eddie Kelly & Paddy Fahy. Notable flute-players from that

region include Paddy Carty, Jack Coen, the Moloneys (Stephen, Eddie, Sean), Tommy Whelan & Mike Rafferty. It will cover Aughrim Slops cili and the Ballinakill cil band also.
Dr. Janice Hayes (Writer of Wise Oonagh)

Dr. Janice Hayes, an award winning educator and professor emeritus of educational leadership at MTSU and a member of the Board of Trustees at O'More College of Design travels the world over in search of beautiful, cultural children's tales. Wise Oonagh is her second educational, cultural children's book. Inspired by the William Butler Yeats version, Dr. Hayes adapted this classic Irish folktale for children. Fionn McCumhal wishes to avoid a horrible fight with the nasty giant C Chulainn. Can Fionn's wife Oonagh outwit the fiend? She'll have to come up with a quick plan to save her husband and earn the title of Wise Oonagh. John Watts (Lecture on OMore Celtic Cross) John Watts is a graduate of the University of Georgias Masters program of Sculpture, in Athens, Georgia. Currently, John resides in Franklin TN, teaches Design Fundamentals and Sculpture at OMore College, designs veterinary clinics in Nashville and Atlanta, GA, and designs educational iPhone, iPad, and Android apps for children with his wife. John studied carving and casting in Italy during graduate school, and has exhibited in Seoul, Korea, Germany, Italy, and all over the U.S. In the summer of 2009, John accompanied OMores Studies Abroad Program to Abbey Leix, Ireland, to research Celtic crosses, at the request of Dr. Mark Hilliard, president of OMore College. Upon returning to Tennessee, John ordered an 800 pound block of limestone, quarried in Indiana, and produced the Celtic Cross on OMores campus over the next year. The illustrations carved into the face tell the story of the OMore clan from the mythological past, through the dark ages, and into modern times and the founding of OMore College by Mrs. Eloise Pitts OMore. Mark Hilliard (Phd) (President of OMore College of Design) Dr. K. Mark Hilliard is the President and CEO of O'More College of Design, where he is also a full-professor of behavior science and higher education. Dr. Hilliard is a fellow and scholar at Oxford University Summer Research Institute where he has studied for three summers. His training and expertise include research and educational activities

with the Eastern Band of the Cherokee and Sensory Teaching and Learning training for teachers and professors for a number of universities. He is a published author on the subject of Sensory Teaching and Learning, Spirituality, and Holistic Wellness and is currently writing his 4th book on Sacred Places.