Saturday Evening Concert: The Friel Sisters - Maeve Donnelly, Charlie Harris, Éamonn and Geraldine Cotter - Liam O’Connor

Saturday Evening Concert: The Friel Sisters - Maeve Donnelly, Charlie Harris, Éamonn and Geraldine Cotter - Liam O’Connor

Please note that all advertised concert times are door opening times. Performances will commence 30 minutes after doors open. 

The Friel Sisters

Anna, Sheila and Clare Friel are traditional musicians from Doire na Mainséar, Donegal. Born in Glasgow, the sisters credit their main musical development to frequent trips to Ireland, partaking in workshops across the country, many of which they now teach themselves.

Since the launch of their debut album, The Friel Sisters have performed at venues and festivals across Europe, America and Asia. They have shared the stage with acts including Altan, The Chieftains, Lúnasa, Sharon Shannon and Cherish the Ladies. In 2016, the sisters performed at Festival Interceltique de Lorient, and won the prestigious Trophée Loïc Raison. In 2018, the girls released their second album Before the Sun featuring Hajime Takahashi on guitar and Cathal Ó Curráin on bouzouki.

In 2018, Clare was awarded TG4’s Gradam Ceoil Ceoltóir Óg na Bliana /Young Musician of the Year, performing solo and also with Anna, Sheila and Cathal on TG4 as part of the live awards show. The audience included Irish President Michael D. Higgins. On the night, she was given the award by the great Mairéad Ní Mhaoniagh.

The Friel Sisters are excited to launch their long-awaited third album, Northern Sky.

This evening, Anna, Sheila and Clare will be joined by their regular accompanists in the band – Co Donegal’s Cathal Ó Curráin (bouzouki, vocal) and Co. Down’s Marty Barry (guitar, vocals).

Maeve Donnelly, Charlie Harris, Éamonn and Geraldine Cotter

Maeve Donnelly, now living in Co Clare, grew up in East Galway, an area steeped in traditional music. Maeve is highly respected and much sought after as a fiddle teacher at Festivals across Ireland and further afield. She started playing fiddle at the age of six and won her first All-Ireland Fiddle Competition at the age of nine. She has toured extensively and was a member of Moving Cloud. In 2004, Maeve recorded a duet album with Peadar O’Loughlin entitled The Thing Itself. In more recent years, she has released two solo albums. Her latest album, Flame on the Banks was recorded with guitarist Tony McManus. 

Charlie Harris is an accordion player, originally from Kilmallock area of Co. Limerick. In 1974 he moved to London where he met and was influenced by brothers Oliver and Raymond Roland, both had been heavily influenced by the expressively charismatic Joe Cooley. Charlie returned to his ‘musical home’ of Co. Galway in 

1981, here he earned a nationwide reputation for his tuning and repairs of accordions. He toured and recorded several albums with the band Shaskeen. Charlie was awarded the prestigious TG4 Gradam Ceoil Traditional Musician of the Year Award in 2009. Charlie is a long time member of the Tulla Céilí Band and a regular visitor to London with Sliabh Aughty.

Ėamonn Cotter, originally from Ennis but living in Kilmaley in Co. Clare for over 25 years, is a well-known and respected flute player, teacher and flute maker. Ėamonn is a member of Shaskeen. He has recorded on many albums including his most recent solo CD, The Knotted Chord. As well as traditional music, he also has a keen interest in Western Art music and jazz. He is a member of the Limerick Jazz Workshop. 

Geraldine Cotter, Ėamonn’s sister, is a well-known teacher, researcher and performer iron both the tin whistle and piano. She has published three best-selling tutors for tin whistle and piano, the most recent one Rogha, is a tune book with accompanying play-a-long CD. She has recorded on over 20 CDs including her second solo album, Ré Órga which was released in 2024. In 2017 she was honoured with a MÓRglór award for her contribution to traditional music in County Clare. 

All four musicians have been featured on many radio and television programmes, including TG$ Gradam Cheoil 2009, on the occasion of the presentation of Charlie’s Gradam award. 

Liam O’Connor

Liam O’Connor, award-winning fiddle player and Chief Executive of the Irish Traditional Music Archive since 2019, is recognised as one of Ireland’s outstanding traditional musicians. Born into a musical family in Dublin, he was immersed in the tradition from an early age through his father Mick O’Connor, the renowned flute player, researcher, and author. His music was further shaped by legendary visitors to the family home, including Seán Keane, Joe Ryan, Séamus Glackin, and Vincent Harrison. A five-time All-Ireland champion and TG4 Ceoltóir Óg na Bliana (Young Musician of the Year) 2002, Liam’s playing is noted for its technical mastery and deep respect for the tradition. His solo album The Loom (2017) was named Traditional Album of the Year by The Irish Times, and in June 2025 he released Into the Loam, a duet with Cormac Begley, at a sold-out Vicar Street concert. He has recorded and performed with Liam O’Flynn, Noel Hill, Tony MacMahon, Seán McKeon, and many others. Notably, the last time Liam performed in London was with the late Liam O’Flynn, over twenty years ago.