Press Reviews

Irish Music Review

Altogether a very enjoyable listen — recommended. Sean Quinn

Taplas, The Welsh Folk Magazine. Oct/ Now 2003.

Gary - Sharon Shannon's brother - was also the founder of the Ennis Ceili Band, whose current leader is Padraic O'Reilly. They are the current All-Ireland champions and Traditional Music from County Clare (Rath RRCD02) is straight-ahead ceill music.

Though you probably won't recognize the names of any of the individual musicians, you can't fail to be impressed by their spirited and lively playing, with plenty of lift for dancing. No,wonder they've just won the.All-Ireland for the third year running!

The Irish World 8/8/03

THE Ennis Ceili Band are currently one of the most respected bands playing in Ireland.

Set dancers all over the country love them and for good reason, for this band has the drive and energy of no other. Now, their classic CD is finally available in the UK. It's no surprise that the band has twice won the All Ireland Ceili Band competition.

They're also currently the subject of a fly-on-the-wall documentary for Irish television, as they get ready for the hat trick of wins at this year's All Ireland Championships in Clonmel, Co. Tipperary this month.

The album kicks off with the band's captivating set of reels that saw, the, band .walk away winners at the Senior All Ireland Ceili band competition in Listowel last year.

The album also includes some of the best-loved selections from the band's last 11 successful years.

This is truly a remarkable album from a remarkable band.

They've managed to attain musical heights beyond compare with their verve and enthusiasm.

A must for any self-respecting music lover's collection. Xenia Poole

The Irish Post Newspaper 23.8.03

THE Ennis Ceili Band's latest CD, entitled Traditional Dance Music From County Clare, is now finally available in the UK. The album contains a great selection from the past 11 years and does justice to heritage, Garry Shannon originally formed the Ennis Ceili Band as a julior band in 1992.

They enjoyed much success over the years, winning the senior All-Ireland in Listowel in both 2001 and 2002.

They became only the third Clare band ever t o win the All-Ireland senior title, sharing that distinction with the illustrious names of the great ceili bands from Tulla and Kllfenora. They were accorded a civic reception by the town of Ennis to mark their achievement. Joe Mullarkey

www.Pay The Reckoning.com web site , July 2003

The Ennis Ceili Band, under the direction of pianist Padraic O'Reilly, have built up a formidable reputation in Irish music circles. Current All-Ireland champions, the band has all the hallmarks of the ceili band sound - percussion, a driving piano accompaniment and tight musicianship with pared-to-the-bone settings.

However a band doesn't claim the hotly-contested All-Ireland title on the virtue of these alone. To achieve this ultimate accolade an outfit requires the "je ne sais quoi" that separates the confident and competent from the masterly.

Hard though this special quality may be to define, it's by no means difficult to detect. And nowhere is it more obvious than on the opening set "Martin Mulhaire's/Cregg's Pipes", captured live at 2002's Listowel Fleadh Ceoil na hEireann. The barely-restrained energy of the band mirrors the excitement and tension of the audience and the ecstatic, enthusistic ovation from the assembled crowds is richly-deserved.

The second set, "Maid At The Spinning Wheel/Port an Bhrathar (Behind The Haystack)" is a mighty piece of music. Those of you who play music may, like we have, struggled with the first tune in this set - a jig which is as intricate and wide-ranging as it is exciting to the ear and appealing to the feet. We were genuinely surprised to find a ceili band tackling this tune which, on account of its many intricacies and quirks, we have always associated with the solo player. (Seamus Ennnis, for example, played a typically majestic four-part version of the tune.) However we learn from the sleeve notes that The Kilfenora Ceili Band have recently recorded a version and so - we eat our hat and ponder the fact that we don't know ha;lf as much as we think we do! Still, we marvelled at how fluidly and expressively "The Ennis" rendered the tune and how well it sits alongside Port An Bhrathar - another big jig.

Elsewhere, keep an ear out for two marches from the Grier Collection, "The Fourth Dragoons" and "Number 101". The latter in particular is such a splendid tune that its Gan Ainm status is a complete surprise.

You will also be captivated by the jig set "Claire Griffin's/King Of The Pipers". The appearance of the second tune in this set took us by surprise. Like "The Maid At The Spinning Wheel", this elaborate jig is one which we always associate with individual musicianship and it's a mark of The Ennis' confidence that they tackle (and with such applomb!) a piece of this nature.

Ed Reavey's "Hunter's House" appears in two settings, firstly paired with "Rakish Paddy" and later with "Rip The Calico". The decision to include the tune twice is a very nice touch, demonstrating the band's versatility and flexibility.

We're well aware that some traditional Irish fans are wary of ceili bands. We'd urge anyone to set their prejudices to one side and give this album a listen. You may well find that you regard ceili bands in a very different light afterwards! Aidan Crossey, Pay The Reckoning web site July 2003 The band's journey towards their third title will be featured on Léargas on RTÉ1 in September, in a documentary produced and directed by Pat Butler. It will also feature footage of the band appearing at Fleadh Nua 2003, interviews with the chief protagonists, among them band leader Padraic O'Reilly and musical advisor Garry Shannon (himself a member of the current Kilfenora Céilí Band), and interviews with Kilfenora legends Jerry Lynch and Gus Tierney. The competition can also be viewed online on the Comhaltas Internet Broadcast Service, www.comhaltaslive.com, and on the Tipperary Institute website - http://www.trbdi.ie/fleadh.htm. Their performance to win the title will be shown later in the year on Forefront Productions annual Fleadh programme on RTÉ1, as will their open-air midnight performance on the Guinness Gig Rig from Clonmel town centre, where they played for up to 10,000 Fleadh revellers.

In what was a hugely successful Fleadh for Clare Céilí Bands, the Ennis-based Turloughmore Céilí Band finished runners-up to Ennis in the Senior category. The Inis Óg U-15 Céilí Band acheived their own 3-in-a-row in their age-group, while their U-18 counterparts finished runners-up in their catgeory for the second year running. Both bands were coached by Ennis band leader Padraic O'Reilly. the Barefield and Burren Céilí Bands also kept the Clare flag flying in the U-12 age-group, finishing first and second respectively. These bands were coached by Denis Liddy and Garry Shannon.

About the band

The Ennis Céilí Band was originally formed as a junior band in 1992 by Garry Shannon, who stepped into the void left by the retirement of Kilfenora stalwart Gus Tierney. The band enjoyed much success over the years and there were very few changes in personnel.

In Listowel 2001, the Ennis Céilí Band became only the third Clare Band ever to win the All-Ireland senior title, sharing that distinction with the illustrious names of the Tulla and Kilfenora. They were accorded a civic recognition by the town of Ennis to mark their achievement.

The Ennis Céilí Band are:

Padraic O'Reilly (piano), Brendan Vaughan (drums), Niamh O'Dea (flute), Eilis Faherty (flute),

Pat Nolan (concertina), Monica Queally (fiddle), Liz Gaughan (fiddle), Mark Sheehan (fiddle), Rena Queally (banjo), Nuala Hehir (button accordion)

Press Release

Léargas RTE 1 TV Monday Sept. 15 7.30

Ennis Ceili Band in 'Briseann an Dúchas