Music

West Ocean String Quartet

“A musical odyssey to soothe and stimulate the imagination”. Siobhan Long, Irish Times

In November 1999, we in The West Ocean String Quartet – Seamus McGuire and Niamh Crowley/violins, Kenneth Rice/viola, Neil Martin/cello – set sail on what has become an endlessly fascinating journey of experimentation and collaboration, of seeking out other ways, of finding our own voice. Along the way we have shared stages and studios some of the very finest – Christy Moore, Liam OFlynn, Stephen Rea, Maighread Ní Dhomhnaill, Matt Molloy, Iarla Ó Lionáird, Brian Kennedy, Cathal Ó Searcaigh, Eimear Quinn… great experiences all. Core to the journey has been the weaving of the quartets own tapestry, striving for ways to communicate through composing and arranging and producing what we believe in. A quadruple marriage over more than two decades is no dull jaunt.

Sat 22 October 2022

Tickets: £20/£18

For Atlantic Edge, quartets fifth album, rather than the emphasis being predominantly on newly-composed music, we were drawn to traditional music from or about the west of Ireland, and so began a most pleasurable trawl through that rich vein of material. The seemingly endless store of inexplicably beautiful airs and robust dance music from along the Atlantic edge underlines how landscape shapes humans, and vice versa. The two become inextricable, interdependent, and when artists seek to express themselves its inevitable that something of that sense of place appears. Airs and tunes of love and exile and home and longing and heartbreak.

An extensive nation-wide launch tour, planned for April 2020, fell victim to covid. To say that we are thrilled to now be out performing again and revisiting that tour is an understatement of huge proportion.

 

“…intrepidly plumbing the unfathomable depths…”        Siobhan Long, Irish Times

 

Exquisitely elegant… As precise as it is relaxed…. The eloquent intimacy of a long-established quartet”  Michael Quinn, Songlines

 

Four excellent and experienced musicians…a fine example of sympathetic arrangements of traditional Irish music”     Alex Monaghan, Living Tradition

Interested in Music?

You may also like

Tea Dance
Music

Tea Dance

Join us for our regular monthly community dance.

Thu 20 February 2025

Read More
A Night of Music, Songs and Words with Tommy Sands and Bernadette Devlin McAliskey
Music

A Night of Music, Songs and Words with Tommy Sands and Bernadette Devlin McAliskey

Join Tommy Sands for an evening of music, song and discussion with the renowned Irish Civil Rights leader, Bernadette Devlin McAliskey.

Thu 20 February 2025

Read More
Ryan Molloy, Fergal Scahill & Shauna Mullin
Music

Ryan Molloy, Fergal Scahill & Shauna Mullin

Come see the fabulous Ryan Molloy, Fergal Scahill & Shauna Mullin live at the Irish Cultural Centre

Sat 22 February 2025

Read More
Mary Dillon, Dónal O’Connor & Neil Martin
Music

Mary Dillon, Dónal O’Connor & Neil Martin

This musical union is not only a celebration of Ireland's rich musical heritage but also a testament to the enduring vitality of traditional music in the hands of these critically acclaimed and visionary artists.

Sat 01 March 2025

Read More
McGoldrick McCusker Doyle Tour 2025
Music

McGoldrick McCusker Doyle Tour 2025

Folk music’s legendary triumvirate of musical magpies Mike McGoldrick, John McCusker and John Doyle are on tour again in 2024, bringing you their own blend of top -class folk songs, tunes and charming bon homie.

Fri 07 March 2025

Read More
Ainsley Hamill with Sam Kelly & Toby Shaer
Music

Ainsley Hamill with Sam Kelly & Toby Shaer

Mix Heather Small & Julie Fowlis and you’ve got singer songwriter Ainsley Hamill. Ainsley is one of the UK’s most distinctive and versatile singers, known for her remarkable voice, storytelling, and emotive style.

Sun 09 March 2025

Read More
Four Men and a Dog
Music

Four Men and a Dog

Four Men & a Dog made a name for themselves with their eclectic and vivacious blend of traditional Irish music with a wide spectrum of other genres, including rap, Southern rock, jazz, blues, bluegrass, polka, country swing, and even salsa.

Sat 15 March 2025

Read More
Sing Out – St. Patrick’s Day Concert!
Music

Sing Out – St. Patrick’s Day Concert!

St. Patrick's Day may fall on a Monday this year, but here at the Irish Cultural Centre, it certainly won’t feel like one. 

Mon 17 March 2025

Read More
Paddy Glackin & Noel Hill
Music

Paddy Glackin & Noel Hill

Join us for an unforgettable night of Irish traditional music with renowned musicians, fiddle player Paddy Glackin and concertina player Noel Hill.

Fri 21 March 2025

Read More