Spotlight Artists: The Dublin City Ramblers

Our next spotlight artist is Irish folk balladeers, The Dublin City Ramblers.

Our friends Dennis Callaghan of the NY Celtic Music Meetup Group, and Christopher Deignan of The Irish in NY Meetup Group are producing a concert featuring the legendary Irish balladeers, The Dublin City Ramblers. The concert will also serve as the official Christmas party for the two meetup groups.

Both groups welcome new members and are free to join (just set up a Meetup.com profile).


Friday, December 3
C&D Promotions presents...
Dublin City Ramblers: “Christmas in Ireland”
Ireland’s favorite ballad and folk music group
General Admission - Limited Seating
$20 in advance, $25 at the door
Purchase on-line at showclix.com
or call 888-71-TICKETS (9 am - 6 pm Mon-Fri. ET.)
doors open at 7pm
show time 8pm
at:
Connolly's Klub 45
Third Floor
121 W. 45th St.
(between 6th & 7th Ave.)
New York, NY
(212) 597-5126
ConnollysPubandRestaurant.com

The Dublin City Ramblers' impressive career has spanned more than 35 years, with over 30 albums, including 8 gold records. Band leader Sean McGuinness was kind enough to answer our questions. Thank you to Christopher and the band's manager John Ryan for setting it up.

Spotlight Artists:
The Dublin City Ramblers
Band Line-up:
Sean McGuinness ( Vocals, Tenor Banjo and Mandoline)
Mike Funge ( Vocals and Acoustic Guitar)
Tom Miller (Vocals and Bass Guitar)

How long have you been performing?
We were formed in 1970, but were performing for some years before that.

Past lives (i.e., previous bands, your early years, etc.):
I originally formed a band with my brother Matt and a friend, Pat Cummins in 1963 called The Jolly Tinkers. We changed that to "The Quare Fellas" in 1966 ( After the play by the famous Irish Playwright, Brendan Behan).

The Jolly Tinkers

The Quare Fellas

How did The Dublin City Ramblers get their name?
The band's name came about from a two piece called The Ramblers Two back in the 1960s. We changed it to The Dublin City Ramblers in 1970. (Being from Dublin and with plans to ramble far & wide!)

Musical influences:
My main musical influences were my mother (Great piano player) & my father (All Ireland Champion dancer). Also, The Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem were a huge influence.

Favorite venues to play:
Our favorite places to play are the colleges. Marist College (which we are playing on Dec. 4th), St. Johns University, to name a couple, have all been super venues. We enjoy bringing a piece of Ireland, in song & story, to the people. We are also looking forward to our first time in Connollys Times Square Klub 45, on Dec. 3rd, and The Irish American Society of Mineola on Dec 5th.
Blatant self-promotion: What would you like to plug?
I would like to plug our latest CD, The Flight Of Earls, as it is very relevant in the current economic climate. Emigration is more rife now than it has ever been.
Also, our website website for all our gigs & info.

Where can we buy your music?
You can buy our music in most good music stores or at our website DublinCityRamblers.com.

Links:
Website: DublinCityRamblers.com
facebook: Dublin City Ramblers Fan Page

Some recent articles:
Southern Rock and Irish Music Join Forces On Tour - Ireland's Best Vocal Group to Tour With Southern Rockers The Winters Brothers Band (Swampland.com)

Dublin City Ramblers Rock Nashville (Swampland.com)

Non-Southern CD of The Week: Dublin City Ramblers (Gritz Magazine)

Tell us a story or anecdote about performing live.
In 1988 we were asked to play in The Marriot Inn, La Guardia airport, at a dinner to honor the great Irish actress, Maureen O'Hara. Our manager John Ryan had been keeping it secret, but when we arrived, all was revealed. It was a fantastic experience, with most of Hollywood there. One to remember.

Any advice to someone just starting out in the music business?
Try everything within your capabilities, and further. Always have respect for what you are doing, and more importantly, for the people you are doing it with. Keep trying, you are never too old or too late. Chase your dream, and listen to your heart. We are very lucky to have the most honest and upright manager in the business. This relationship between us is what makes the whole music game so much more enjoyable and easier to do.

Below is a video of The Dublin City Ramblers singing "The Ferryman" on Bandwagon TV

...and an earlier clip of "The Flight of Earls"


Dublin City Ramblers
Christmas in Ireland Concerts
In Ireland, music has always been a major part of Irish culture. Irish Music is performed in concert halls, pubs, on the streets and in Irish homes throughout the year. Christmas time is certainly no exception. This is a time for family and friends to gather around the fireplace and enjoy a "Christmas Session." "The Dublin City Ramblers Christmas in Ireland Show" brings the audience the Irish Christmas party experience as if you were sitting in a friend's home in Ireland at Christmas time. At these intimate gatherings you will always hear some of the great traditional Christmas songs mixed in with all the great "Dublin City Ramblers" songs made popular over the years. So grab a drink and settle in as "The Dublin City Ramblers" bring you "Christmas in Ireland."