Guitar – John Mc Fadden Festival

Caoilte is a young musician from Achill Island, Co. Mayo. He plays guitar, mandolin, and uilleann pipes, among other instruments. Caoilte became immersed in the traditional music scene through sessions held around Mayo in his youth and formed the traditional Irish group ‘Siar’ with musicians from Achill and Newport in 2017. With Siar, he has played in the National Concert Hall in Dublin and the Tron Theatre in Glasgow. Mentored by his father Steve Cooney, Caoilte has developed a unique style of guitar playing that emphasises rhythm and melodic accompaniment. He has had the pleasure of playing with Martin Hayes, Dermot Byrne, and Stockton’s Wing, among many others. Caoilte is currently studying Popular Music at the Cork School of Music.

Cónan is a professional trad musician and balladeer based in Mulranny. He accompanies trad players at his gigs in Westport as a guitarist and bouzouki player. Cónan has an interest in playing with alternative tunings to let the melodies stand out. Cónan will provide information and sheets that should help the player approach trad accompaniment in a way that serves the music and gives the player confidence that they are adding to it respectfully.
***Disclaimer: These guitar lessons are solely geared towards musicians who want to play Irish Traditional Music. The focus will be narrow, and players interested in other music styles may not benefit from the classes. A basic understanding of guitar is needed for this class, not suitable for beginners.