Aran Islands folk musician Pádraig Jack will be performing in Cutúrlann Sweeney in Kilkee, on Friday as part of Clare County Council’s Seachtain na Gaeilge celebrations.
The RTÉ Folk Music Award nominee is renowned for his engaging performances of both English and Irish lyrics.
Pádraig started off the year with appearances at Dublin TradFest’, Galway’s bilingual festival ‘Tonnta’ before a tour in the UK and a trip to Montreal where he represented Ireland at the prestigious Folk Alliance in association with Culture Ireland.
Although he has already had some exciting performances this year, Pádraig told The Clare Echo that he is looking forward to having the opportunity to sing more of his Irish language songs.
“It being Seachtain na Gaeilge I will get to do some more Irish songs than I usually would, and I will get to play some songs that I usually wouldn’t get to play. I rarely do a full gig in Irish, I usually base it off the audience and maybe play one or two Irish songs”.
Pádraig’s music is directly tied to his experience growing up on the Aaron Islands.
“Since I have been releasing more music I have realised that growing up on the Islands really does play a part in the music I make, obviously through the language but also growing up around traditional music and being in a very unique place.”
The folk singer’s next big show will be in The Pavilions in Dun Laoghaire in April. He will also be touring Ireland later in the year. After representing Ireland in Montreal in February Pádraig hopes to take his music back across the Atlantic later in the year.
