UPDATE: 7 November 2014 – We heard today the sad news that Maggie Boyle has passed away. We have written a tribute here: www.folkradio.co.uk/2014/11/maggie-boyle-a-great-loss/
We recently received the news that singer and flautist Maggie Boyle has been diagnosed with bowel cancer and has had to cancel her work for the next three months. Last year we brought the news of her wonderful Kitchen Songs Project when she took to the road to visit great songwriters in their homes, to talk to them about their work and to record some of their music. The project resulted in a lovely archive of interviews and performances – as well as being subject of two radio programmes for BBC Radio Leeds. The last year or so has also seen her gigging to support the release of Grace Notes’ 5th CD for their 20th Anniversary, followed by her 3rd solo release, Won’t You Come Away.
Maggie herself is from a rich family history of music and storytelling, rasied in the London-Irish community of the 60′s and 70′s. Her father was Paddy Boyle, a native speaker from the Donegal Gaeltacht townland of Derryloughan , Nr Glenties. Her other main tutor was Oliver Mulligan, a great singer from Co. Monaghan, resident in London.
For many years The Boyle Family were one of the mainstays of the traditional London Irish music scene, their residency at the prestigious Riverside Studios in Hammersmith was a magnet to musicians in London, attracting among others the great writer and whistle player, Samuel Becket.
Benefit Concert
Many of her music friends in London have decided to pool their talents to put on a concert to aid Maggie with her post operative treatments and contribute to her and her family’s general welfare, especially around Christmas.
The concert will take place AT 7.30 PM on Thursday 5th of December at
South London Irish Association, 140, Hartfield Road, Wimbledon SW19 3TG
Nearest Train Station: Wimbledon BR
Nearest Tube Stations: Wimbledon (District Line) & South Wimbledon (Northern Line)
Bus #: 156 – 93 – 57 – 131 – 219 – 493
24 hour Car Parking at top of Hartfield Road
Tickets available at 0208 654 0944/07821 602532 on a first come, first served basis.
Taking part will be
Molly Tilston (Maggie’s daughter) & Lee Southall (The Coral).
Le Cheile (London’s Irish trad legends)
John Bowe (all Ireland champion accordionist)
Paul Brennan (pipes) & Michael O’Connell (champion accordionist)
Dermot Crehan (Lord of the Rings & LSO Violinist)
Steve Grant (ballad singer)
Oliver Mulligan ( trad singer)
The Kilkenny Cats (session pals)
and many, many more surprise guests.
Finally a message from Maggie
Dear Friends,
I write to say something about my health.
I am having to drop out of my November & December bookings, due to undergoing an operation on 5th November (for bowel cancer).
I wish to head off any alarm or upset about my condition by saying that I will be gigging as usual throughout 2014, while also working to restore my erstwhile perfect health!
I am happy, unbelievably well-supported by my family & friends, and as positive as you can imagine. I will be very busy getting better, so please understand that I won’t be able to respond to all messages.
Looking forward to seeing you along the road soon.
Maggiexx
More details of Maggie’s work and music can be found here: