This session has been running for the past twenty five years, & is the home of the local Comhaltas group. They recently introduced a junior session, which starts around 8.30pm, with the adults taking control around 9.30pm. This tends to be a slower paced session, with many waltzes, marches & Scottish tunes adding a unique flavour to this session. Accordions very often predominate here, & MacSpy once wrote that "there were nearly as many buttons on the cardigans of the players as there were on the accordions present"!
Local stalwarts Dominic McNabb (fiddle), Leo Brown (accordion) and PJ Hill (banjo) are the anchors at O'Connor's session on Thursdays. Other regulars include Joe Martin from Cloughmills (bodhran) and Alex Fyffe from Glenravel on mandolin. The is a constant stream of visiting musicians who join in and a lively and usually appreciateive audience on most nights. The noise level is often quite high though, as the bar is quite large and is also patronised by many young men and ladies who are not there for the traditional music.
Some of the same musicians play at McCollam's in Cushendall on Fridays.
McCarroll's
This session has been running for the past twenty five years, & is the home of the local Comhaltas group. They recently introduced a junior session, which starts around 8.30pm, with the adults taking control around 9.30pm. This tends to be a slower paced session, with many waltzes, marches & Scottish tunes adding a unique flavour to this session. Accordions very often predominate here, & MacSpy once wrote that "there were nearly as many buttons on the cardigans of the players as there were on the accordions present"!
# Posted on August 24th 2002 by Ptarmigan
New Name
This bar has changed hands, & is now called O'Connor's, but the Comhaltas sessions still take place every Thursday night.
# Posted on October 27th 2003 by Ptarmigan
Local Stalwarts provide the anchor at O'Connor's
Local stalwarts Dominic McNabb (fiddle), Leo Brown (accordion) and PJ Hill (banjo) are the anchors at O'Connor's session on Thursdays. Other regulars include Joe Martin from Cloughmills (bodhran) and Alex Fyffe from Glenravel on mandolin. The is a constant stream of visiting musicians who join in and a lively and usually appreciateive audience on most nights. The noise level is often quite high though, as the bar is quite large and is also patronised by many young men and ladies who are not there for the traditional music.
Some of the same musicians play at McCollam's in Cushendall on Fridays.
# Posted on December 7th 2010 by seanquinn