Venue: The Atrium, County Hall, Swords, Co. Dublin. A year of Séamus Ennis’ Centenary Celebrations, will be launched by its curator, Ronan Browne along with special guests. Born 100 years ago, Séamus Ennis transformed the lives of those lucky enough to have known him. A world-class musician, singer, raconteur, mimic and linguist, he was unique as a folklore collector in that the culture-bearers he visited felt as honoured as himself. In a society rapidly becoming culturally indifferent, where the collection of surviving folklore was of paramount importance, the 23-year-old Séamus embarked on his first field trip for the Folklore Commission with little more than pen, paper, tin-whistle and bicycle. He continued to collect (and broadcast) songs and music from Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales and Cornwall, firstly for the Folklore Commission (1942-47), then Raidió Éireann (1947-51), the BBC (1951-58) and finally intermittently as a presenter on the newly-founded Teilifís Éireann. Séamus continued to perform in public up to his death in 1982.
“Séamus Ennis is my mentor. He made me realise music is magic and a spiritual experience. It cannot be taught in any university. It is beyond that.” - Tony MacMahon
**Admission is Free, but advance ticket booking (via our website or by calling 01-8020898) is essential**

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Doors Open: 6.30pm Commences At: 7pm Admission: In advance: FREE

Our 1st centenary performance is a warm and relaxed evening of song, music & chat with Brian Mullen, Ronan Browne & Jimmy O’Brien Moran.
Brian Mullen - Derry singer, broadcaster and expert on Irish song, Brian’s life-long interest in traditional songs has seen him collect a varying repertoire from great singers like Eddie Butcher, Joe Holmes, Geordie Hanna, Seósamh Ó hÉanaigh and many more.
Ronan Browne - Dubliner Ronan took up piping in 1972, eagerly soaking up music of the old masters of Irish music. He now straddles that difficult divide between pure traditional music and the modern world, in his solo playing and celebrated duet with Peter O’Loughlin, with powerhouse trio CRAN, making soundtracks for film & television and as original piper with the Afro Celt Sound System and Riverdance.
Jimmy O’Brien Moran - An engaging performer with a great sense of humour, Waterford piper Jimmy fell in love with the pipes in the early 1970s. His great influences were Willie Clancy and Séamus Ennis, whose recordings he hungrily consumed. Jimmy’s recording career began with the classic 1978 album of young pipers, “The Pipers’ Rock”; a stint with Sonny Condel and Scullion followed as well as an encounter with the saxophone!

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Venue: Blanchardstown Library, The Civic Centre, Blanchardstown Centre, Dublin 15, D15 RY73
Music and Madness - Ronan Browne in Conversation with Ivor Browne
Ivor Browne - Born in 1929 (when Séamus Ennis was a mere ten years old) Ivor Browne has achieved more for the health and contentment of Ireland than others can imagine. A wild, barefoot, Jazz-trumpet-playing urchin, Ivor stumbled into medicine and psychiatry, from where he transformed Ireland’s mental health system with his characteristic open-hearted innocence and ‘can-do’ attitude. Throughout this amazing career, Ivor held a deep love for all forms of music but especially Irish music and Jazz. A close friend of Leo Rowsome, Willie Clancy, Tommy Reck, Denis Murphy & Tommie Potts, Ivor was particularly close to Séamus Ennis.
Ronan Browne - A serial musical collaborator, living in Connemara, Ronan has traveled the world sharing Irish music in his own open-hearted way. When Ronan met Séamus Ennis in the mid 1970s, he was immediately taken under Séamus’ musical wing and eagerly met him on every occasion possible.
Doors Open: 2pm Commences At: 2pm Admission: At the door: FREE