The Friel Sisters, Cottiers, Glasgow
Thursday, 26 April, 2018
“The Friel Sisters’ music cannot be held back; it is what comes natural to them. They breathe music, they live music, they love music. Traditional Irish music is in a richer place for having these young genuine people carry it on to future generations.”
Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh of Altan
The Friel Sisters, Anna, Sheila and Clare Friel are young traditional musicians born and brought up in Glasgow with their family roots firmly entrenched in the Donegal Gaeltacht. They play a mixture of music interspersed with songs in English and Irish, many from their family repertoire. Being siblings, they achieve a close blend on fiddle, flute and uilleann pipes.
Since the launch of their debut album, they have performed in various venues and festivals across Europe, America and Asia and have appeared as guests on stage or toured with acts such as Altan, The Chieftains, Lúnasa, Sharon Shannon, The Máirtín O’Connor Trio, Cherish the Ladies, Solas and Fidil. In 2016, the girls performed at Festival Interceltique de Lorient, and won the prestigious Trophée Loïc Raison.
2017 was a very exciting time for the girls as they recorded and prepared for release of their new album ‘Before the Sun’ with Hajime Takahashi and Cathal Ó Curráin, produced by Ciarán Ó Maonaigh and recorded by Jack Talty. This was launched at Scoil Gheimhridh Ghaoth Dobhair, in Donegal in December 2017 and at their sold out Celtic Connections gig in January 2018.
In February 2018, Clare received TG4 Gradam Ceoil Ceoiltóir Óg/Young Musician of the Year 2018. The awards concert was held in the Waterfront in Belfast, where she played solo and with Anna, Sheila and Cathal Ó Curráin to an amazing audience, including the Irish President Michael D. Higgins. She was completely honoured to receive this, and to be amongst an incredible list of winners for this year. She is the first person in Scotland to receive this award.
Cottiers, 93-95 Hyndland Street, Glasgow G11 5PU
Buy tickets online – £12
This section: Gig Guide plus Club Events, What's On Glasgow West End: cinema, clubs, theatre, music, events, festivals, community and more
Related Pages
- C.W. Stoneking at Cottiers
- Archive Gems – Wee Dementia Film Fest
- Wee Dementia Film Festival – Screening and Q & A
- Arlington Baths Club Commonwealth Games Gala
- Wee Dementia Film Fest, Kelvinhall
- WestFest 2026 Poets from Seahorse Publications
- Take 2: The Flight of the Dragons
- Project Ability Presents Solo Exhibition by James Gladwell
- Close Encounters of the Third Kind
- The Day Innocence Died: Bloody Sunday and the Fight for Justice
- Wilton Street Garden Fete 2026
- House of Raptor – Drag and Beyond
- Storytelling For Adults, Alexandria
- Dementia Festival – Open Museum
- Sonica 2026- Programme Announced
- Dementia Fest – D in the Park
- Dementia Heroes’ Dementia Fest 2026
- Dementia Hour with SAMH
- WestFest & Dementia Heroes Unite for Dementia-Friendly ‘D in the Park’
- Community Connections Talk: Wumming’s Work
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.