Lissadell Céilí Band lined up for Ballymore Comhaltas concert

The chairperson of Ballymore Comhaltas won’t be playing second fiddle to anyone when he comes home for the fundraising concert he is helping to organise. Daniel Boland will be wearing at least two hats on Saturday November 29 at the local community centre, because he is also a member of The Lissadell Céilí Band, who are performing that night.

The are based in Sligo (hence the name), and the members are from across the country, including Ballymore, said Daniel. He explained that they had met over the years at Comhaltas events. “It was playing at different fleadhs and different festivals, and gigging with different people, and you make friends that way.

“It’s three years ago now – we were looking at céilí bands and thinking ‘we could do damage there as well’ [in competition], so we made a few calls, put the 10 of us together and that was the start of it. It was the Sligo crew who decided to get it going and I got roped in on the fiddle.”

The Fleadh Cheoil was on Daniel’s home patch in Mullingar in 2022 and 2023, and though the Lissadell band didn’t qualify in the latter year, they took the experience gained and qualified for the fleadh in Wexford in 2024 and again this year. The all-Ireland win awaits them, but they’re not short of all-Ireland titles in the line-up.

Daniel took his in 2014, and he estimates there are another 10-plus all-Irelands in the band, including three earned in 2024. Daniel has a strong background, as his mother played music and by the time he was aged nine or 10, he was proficient on the fiddle.

The Ballymore Comhaltas fundraising concert featuring The Lissadell Céilí Band is in support of an ambition to provide a space for music lessons and events. All funds raised from the concert will go back into the development of the music lessons.

The event is on Saturday November 29 at Ballymore Community Centre at 8pm (doors open at 7.30). Tickets: €20 adult, €15 senior and U18; to book tickets, message Niamh 086 8775994 or Seán 086 1067022.

Band members are: fiddle, Ava Glancy, Daniel Boland, and Roisín McNulty; flute, Ruairí Griffin and Séamus Tierney; banjo, Timmy Flaherty; concertina, Aileen Bourke; button accordion, Aaron Glancy; drums, Amy Cullen; and piano, Eimear Connolly (Cathal Culliney on the night).