Notes from this summer’s All Ireland Music Festival, Fleadh 2011

Carlotta Hester returned to Ireland this summer and made over sixty more ‘live-action’ drawings at this year’s All Ireland Music Festival. The Pure Drop, Hester’s touring exhibition, will now expand to include a selection of her new drawings from this summer.

Hester’s drawing of Banjo player Darren Maloney from Fleadh 2010 was featured as the cover artwork of Maloney’s just released CD, Complicated. The CD was launched at a sold out concert at the Town Hall Theatre in Cavan on August 20th.

We note with deep respect the passing last week of traditional Irish musician Joe Ward. It was Carlotta Hester’s drawing of the fiddle and bodhran player from County Tyrone that was used as the invitation image for her exhibition last spring at Govinda Gallery. We present that drawing here in honor of the great Joe Ward.

Here are a few photos from this year’s All Ireland Music Festival, taken at the Fleadh Dome. Our special thanks to Martin Donohoe and Martin Gaffney.