Mundy and Clew Bay Pipe Band to play in Westport

CLEW BAY COLLABORATION?Pictured in the Yard Bar of Matt Molloy’s pub recently, following the recording of a collaboration for Matt’s forthcoming solo album, are members of The Clew Bay Pipe Band, including Pipe Sergeant Peter Carney (far left) and Pipe Major, Des Cafferkey (far right), with Matt Molloy and Producer/Engineer Brian Masterson (centre).

Star keeps rising as Clew Bay Pipe Band and Mundy confirm special November gig in Westport


Neill O’Neill

ONE of the highlights of the recent Westport Festival of Music and Food was the performance of a special show ‘Pipe-Versity’ by the town’s very own Clew Bay Pipe Band. Along with local groups Edison, Coda, renowned harpist Laoise Kelly and Australian-born guitarist, bassist and producer Steve Cooney, the band were also accompanied by singer-songwriter Mundy and Damien Dempsey.
Now, anyone who missed that show better mark a date in their diary, because on Friday, November 22, there will be a one-off repeat performance of ‘Pipe Versity’ in The Castlecourt Hotel, with Mundy as special guest.
Tickets for what promises to be yet another brilliant showcase of hair-raising and emotive music are not yet on sale, but watch these pages in the coming months for more details and giveaways.
The Clew Bay pipe band also recently recorded a special guest appearance on Matt Molloy’s upcoming solo album, in what was yet another chapter in the meteoric rise of this troupe from the shores of Clew Bay.
Earlier this summer local audiences got their first taste of ‘Pipe Versity, when the band debuted the show to a capacity crowd in Hotel Westport.
There, as at the Westport Festival, before thousands in attendance, The Clew Bay Pipe Band demonstrated why they have rapidly established themselves as a highly polished, versatile and entertaining group. The show was full of energy and enthusiasm and kept audiences of all ages captivated from start to finish, as it blended traditional Irish pipe music and ballads with modern contemporary rock. It was an incredible, unique and entertaining show, that fused both old style and contemporary music with strength and passion.
What made this event so spectacular and so special was the fact that it comprised mainly of school-going children and teenagers between the ages of ten and 18 years. The Clew Bay Pipe Band need no introduction in the Westport area at this stage, yet one couldn’t but be impressed by their recent performances, their beautiful uniforms, amazing instruments and the high degree of tuition, obvious rehearsing and time spent perfecting their art over the last two years since their formation.
Their musical director and Pipe Major Des Cafferkey will once again be leading the charge at ‘Pipe-Versity’ in November, while alongside him, as always, will be Pipe Sergeant and Principal of Carrowholly National School -the band’s spiritual home - Peter Carney.
All in all, 2013, when they also travelled to France to perform, has certainly been a year to remember so far for The Clew Bay Pipe Band, and that is coming off the back of 2012, when they had the huge honour of playing on-field before a capacity crowd in excess of 50,000 and a worldwide television audience in the Aviva Stadium, Dublin, before Ireland’s crucial World Cup qualifying match against Germany.
They also performed for the Taoiseach,  Enda Kenny, Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni and other dignitaries at Croagh Patrick last May, and made a guest appearance at the inaugural Westport Music Festival - which led to them getting their own slot this time around.
It was commented in national media after the Aviva gig, that following Ireland’s thrashing at the hands of our superior European neighbours, the performance of the Clew Bay Pipe Band was the most positive aspect of the evening.
In November, locals won’t have to travel so far to enjoy the same musical brilliance. Keep an eye on The Mayo News for more details.