E'ILIS CREAN

Éilís Crean  is a traditional Irish fiddle-player and one of only a handful of musicians world-wide that plays and preserves the East Galway Irish Music Tradition (EGIMT).

It’s 21 never-circulated-before compositions from the legendary Eddie Kelly, East Galway, Ireland. He was my teacher and he gave me the manuscripts to all his compositions a few years ago. I since learned that I have the last remaining copy. So it was time to share these tunes with the world.

Recently, John Mock and I have teamed up with Éamonn Dillon, an uillean piper and we have been touring playing and teaching these Eddie Kelly compositions.

Éilís Crean

Born in Ballintubber, Co. Roscommon, Ireland. Éilís grew up in a house where traditional Irish music was cultivated, cherished and appreciated. She plays fiddle and was taught by the highly esteemed and legendary Eddie Kelly. Her childhood years saw many hours with Eddie, teasing through the artful arrangement of his notes during the weekly lessons and she is now, one of only six fiddle-players world-wide that plays the East Galway Irish Music Tradition.

Through the years, Éilís has competed and won prizes and accolades at various competitions and events throughout Ireland, Great Britain and the USA. In 2014 she released her debut album called The Lonesome Fiddler which was the first album of it’s kind to showcase the East Galway Irish Music Tradition (EGIMT) as interpreted by Eddie Kelly. John Doyle, Kevin Crawford, Dermot Byrne and Kenny Malone were guest artists on the album which was received to critical acclaim throughout Ireland and the USA and further afield.

In July 2017 Crean released her second album Searbh Siúcra which features twenty-one Eddie Kelly compositions that have never been circulated before. This album is set to provide an inestimable contribution to the world of traditional Irish music, specifically the East Galway Irish Music Tradition. Guest artists on this album include John Doyle, Mike McGoldrick, Kevin Burke and John Regan from the world of Irish music. It also brings together many Nashville musicians who have a deep understanding and passion of Irish music; celebrated artists such as Jeff Taylor and John Mock have come together to celebrate the music of Eddie Kelly.

John Mock

John Mock is no stranger to Irish music, being the resident guitar-player for Maura O’Connell for over twenty years. Widely sought after as a composer, arranger, and multi-instrumentalist, John has worked with such notable artists as the Dixie Chicks, James Taylor, Dolly Parton, Nanci Griffith, Maura O’Connell, Sylvia, Kathy Mattea, and Mark O’Connor. John’s credits as composer and featured soloist include performances with the Nashville Chamber Orchestra, the Nexus Chamber Orchestra, the Nashville Philharmonic, the Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra, and the National Orchestra of Ireland. He has also worked extensively across the country as a solo performer.

John features on the Searbh Siúcra album playing an array of instruments such as guitar, bouzouki, mandolin, harmonium and a variety of percussive instruments.

Éamonn Dillon

Born in Born in West Belfast, Northern Ireland, uilleann piper and whistle player Éamonn Dillon has toured and recorded both as a solo artist and with a varied group of performers, touring shows and bands.

Working between the US, Canada and Europe, his music has been featured on several film and television programs around the world. He has performed and recorded as a featured artist in both traditional, theatrical and mixed genre ensembles, including Needfire, John McDermott, (The Irish Tenors,) Celtic Bridge, King James, Sarah Packiam and Paloma Faith amongst others.

He first learned the tin whistle from his father, and Tara Diamond, before getting his first set of uilleann pipes, made by the great master Seán McAloon, who mentored him when he was starting out on his musical journey.