martin hayes

Martin Hayes will play a special concert at London’s Union Chapel this month. He will be joined by concertina, bouzouki, and multi-instrumentalist Brian Donnellan, as well as Cellist and Artistic Director of Crash Ensemble Kate Ellis. They are also members of Martin’s Common Ground Ensemble.

Martin Hayes & The Common Ground Ensemble delivered a captivating concert, shifting in tempo and intensity, stretching the melodies, with ever-innovative accompaniment – the standing ovation more than deserved.

What better way to celebrate the last days of summer than attending Martin Hayes’ Masters of Tradition next week in Bantry, West Cork. Featuring Sam Amidon, The Begley Clann, Luka Bloom, Steve Cooney, Crash Ensemble, Kate Ellis, Cora Venus Lunny, Mick O’Brien, Ultan O’Brien, Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin and more.

We chat to Irish traditional fiddle player Martin Hayes in Dublin about his latest project, ‘The Common Ground Ensemble’ and new album, ‘Peggy’s Dream’.

Music is rarely as rewarding as ‘Peggy’s Dream’, the new album from Martin Hayes & the Common Ground Ensemble. There really aren’t the superlatives available to do it justice.

The Common Ground Ensemble is the latest stage in Martin Hayes’ life-long musical journey – their debut album, Peggy’s Dream, is out Friday, March 24th 2023.

Dennis Cahill, one of the world’s finest guitarists in traditional Irish music has died at the age of 68. Dennis was best known for playing alongside Irish fiddle player Martin Hayes and also as a member of The Gloaming.

With Shared Notes, Martin Hayes has written an engrossing book that illuminates his life-long musical purpose, where his music fits in the multi-faceted world of Irish traditional music, and how he overcame the bumps in the road along that journey.

Irish fiddle player Martin Hayes will perform a livestream concert from Dublin National Concert Hall with the Common Ground Ensemble, rooted in the Irish tradition but possessing a wealth of talent spanning improvisation, arrangement, jazz, and cutting edge contemporary classical.

This collaboration shows that, thankfully, Martin Hayes has no plans in resting on his laurels. Brooklyn Rider add colour and shape to the aura of Hayes’ fiddle. It was always there, but now we can finally experience it in technicolour.

World-renowned Irish American supergroup The Gloaming return with their highly anticipated third studio album The Gloaming 3 on 22nd February 2019 on Real World Records. Listen to two new tracks Sheehan’s Jigs and Áthas (Joy).

What is so impressive about this release is the level of immersive intimacy that the quintet achieves in a live setting. Only the audience appreciation at the end of each track reminds you that they aren’t playing just for you. This is music deeply rooted in its time and in its space yet played without borders – and it’s all the better for it.