Photos from ‘I Looked East and I Looked West’ festival
A few photos to give a flavour of the event. Photos by Katie Howson, Ali Riley, Vic Smith, Paul Millard, George Monger and Eibhlín de Paor.
Click on the thumbnail for a bigger image.
Graveside tribute on Sunday morning, music from Billy Clifford, Caroline Kilbane and John Coakley.
Family members over from Ireland, includingJulia’s sons John & Billy Clifford and grandson Denis.
Gerry Harrington playing Julia’s famous Stroh phonofiddle, with Billy Clifford.
Official opening by the Mayor of Stowmarket – Billy Clifford & Gerry Harrington (right) prepare for their first set of music.
Opening session on Friday night.
Fiddle concert – Connie O’Connell, Gerry Harrington, Matt Cranitch, Aoife ní Chaoimh … and an empty chair for Julia?
Reg Hall, expert on Irish music in London.
Alan Ward who recorded Julia and other SLiabh Luachra musicians for Topic Records.
Saturday afternoon session with Aoife ní Chaoimh and Paudie O’Connor.
Saturday evening concert – all the Irish guest musicians.
Matt Cranitch and Jackie Daly playing to a full house.
Sunday morning tunes from Eiblín de Paor, Connie O’Connell & Charlie Piggot
Caroline, Patrick & Michael Kilbane and Nigel Towse – English friends of Julia’s.
Jerry O’Reilly leading the dancing on Saturday night to an all-star band.
English musicians: Ed Barrett, Alan Block, Michael Sheehy, Katie Howson & Roger Digby.
Irish & English musicians in the finale: back row – Eileen Monger, John Coakely, Bryan O’Leary, Connie O’ Connell, Alan Block; front row – Billy Clifford, Katie Howson, Matt Cranitch.
Massed musicians & dancers in the Sunday afternoon finale.
Caroline & Michael Kilbane launch their website of Julia’s music: https://www.juliaclifford.eu
Jackie Daly and Connie O’Connell lead a workshop on Sliabh Luachra tunes.
It’s all over, folks …. (actually this was on the first night, but why let the truth get in the way of a good caption!)
More photos of the weekend, taken by Hugh Miller who was part of the Topic recording team in the 1970s with Alan Ward, are here.
For the photographic exhibition about Julia Clifford herself, visit the new dedicated section of this website: the Julia Clifford Project.