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The Boys Of The Lough are a testament to the ongoing affection of American audiences for traditional Celtic music. After nearly a half-century, through countless tours and CD’s, through personnel changes and shifting musical tastes, their music retains a purity that endures. Their classic Christmas show, Mid-Winter Night’s Dream, captures the rural traditions of the individual musicians as they grew up in cultures where the songs and tunes at the year’s end brought both light and warmth to their communities.
The first of the full-time professional Celtic bands to arise on the international scene, The Boys Of The Lough now occupy a unique position of respect in the world of traditional music. They have completed over 70 tours of the U.S. and their performances and recordings are spread over five decades.
Since the first tour in 1967, the Boys have traveled extensively in their mission to gain traditional music a wider audience . Their warm and vital performances have won them friends from the village halls of their homelands to international festival and concert stages, establishing a precedent that many others have followed.
True originals, direct from the tradition, the Boys have earned acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic and continue to act as role models for countless younger musicians. Their concerts, recordings and compositions were crucial in bringing about the current global interest in all facets of Celtic music.
Kevin Henderson is a native of the Shetland Islands, home of one of the richest fiddling traditions in the world. At the age of nine he was inspired by his grandfather to start playing. Initially taught by Kevin Hunter, he then received instruction from the late Willie Hunter, arguably Shetland’s finest ever fiddler.
Kevin’s abilities found a natural home with Boys Of The Lough, who have featured Shetland music in every performance since the beginning and in most of their recordings too. First performing with the band on their March 2002 North American tour, he is now firmly integrated into the group—a well traveled leading performer with a great deal of experience and a favorite with audiences. Kevin also has an active presence teaching at fiddle schools and workshops around the world.
One of the last great originals of Irish traditional music, band founder-member Cathal McConnell is the most senior flute and whistle player in the Irish tradition and a greatly admired singer. His naturally relaxed and friendly stage presence allied to an air of bespectacled confusion endears him to audiences everywhere.
Hailing from County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland, Cathal can trace the flute back through four generations in his family. By the time he was eighteen Cathal was all-Ireland champion on both flute and whistle. Now, after fifty years as a professional musician, he is one of the best of the Irish masters on these instruments, with many awards to his credit.
Cathal has an enormous repertoire of songs and tunes. He has recently completed a recording of the major part of his song repertoire for the Irish Traditional Music Archive in Dublin.
Brendan Begley, a genial giant from the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland, is a well-known and accomplished performer of Irish traditional music on the button accordion. He first toured with the Boys Of The Lough as a guest in the 1980’s in the U.S. Since going on to join the band in 1997, Brendan has become a powerful musical force.
Brendan’s exciting dance music, emotional playing of slow airs, and his singing in his native Irish, make him a great favorite. He is acclaimed in Ireland for his TV presentations of traditional music on TG$, the Irish language channel. His deep interest in the language, song and music of his native culture of the Irish-speaking part of West Kerry led Brendan in 2005 to to help establish Scoil Cheoil an Earraigh, a five day school held in Ballyferriter every February. He has also co-authored a book and CD of the local music, Ceol Duibhneach, published in 2009.
Guitarist Garry O’Briain has been a member of a number of Irish ensembles, including Aengus, Buttons and Bows, Skylark, and The Brothers, and appeared on an extensive list of recordings as a session player. He has written music for stage, film and television, as well as composing over a hundred songs.
Gary’s solo album, Cat Won’t Fly, features some of his original works. His recording of the music of Ireland’s best-known composer Turlough O’Carolan, called “Carolan’s Dream,” is considered one of the finest interpretations of this 18th century composer.
Garry is also known for his studio production skills. He has helped produce albums for many artists, including The Clancy Brothers, Danu, Mairtin O’Connor, Dordan and Seamus and Manus Mcguire.He also makes fine violins and mandocellos in his workshop.
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The Boys Of The Lough will be touring their Christmas show in
November/December 2014 and their regular Celtic show in March 2015.
The Boys Of The Lough are the longest-running Celtic band touring North America. Original member Cathal McConnell lives in Northern Ireland; Kevin Henderson is from the Shetland Islands north of Scotland, and Brendan Begley and Garry O'Briain are from The Republic of Ireland. They will be touring their Christmas show in November/December 2014 and their regular Celtic show in March 2015.
Herschel Freeman Agency, Inc. has established a reputation for finding innovative, traditional musicians from throughout North America and around the world.
Our roster encompasses established and emerging artists from India, Ireland, Hawaii, Guinea, France, Cuba, Italy, Scotland, Japan, Germany, Sweden and England, and an array of musicians from Canada and the United States.
