An Góilín
Encyclopedia
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. Founded in 1979 by Dónal de Barra and his brother-in-law, Tim Dennehy, the club serves as a meeting place for those who want to sing and listen to traditional songs. There is a complete absence of music throughout performances.
Aside from the usual club meetings An Góilín regularly invites guest traditional singers such as Maighread Ní Dhomhnaill
Maighread Ní Dhomhnaill
Maighread Ní Dhomhnaill is an Irish traditional singer from Kells, County Meath. Known for her work with the short-lived, but very highly regarded Skara Brae and her collaborations with sister Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill, as well as other traditional musicians...
, Seán Garvey and Kevin Pelan, as well as traditional singers from beyond Ireland such as Bob Davenport. On Friday 6 October 2006, the weekend following the first Frank Harte Festival, Christy Moore
Christy Moore
Christopher Andrew "Christy" Moore is a popular Irish folk singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He is well known as one of the founding members of Planxty and Moving Hearts...
paid a surprise visit to the club giving renditions of his earlier songs such as Viva La Quinte Brigada and newer, bilingual songs like Na Conghailigh.
An Góilín also serves as a centre for Sean nós
Sean-nós song
Sean-nós is a highly ornamented style of unaccompanied traditional Irish singing. It is a sean-nós activity, which also includes sean-nós dancing...
singers such as Antaine Ó Faracháin and Sean nós
Sean-nós song
Sean-nós is a highly ornamented style of unaccompanied traditional Irish singing. It is a sean-nós activity, which also includes sean-nós dancing...
events like Sean Nós Cois Life. In September 2006 it organised the first festival in honour of the architect Frank Harte
Frank Harte
Frank Harte was a traditional Irish singer, song collector, architect and lecturer. He was born and raised in Dublin. His father Peter Harte who had moved from a farming background in Sligo owned 'The Tap' pub in Chapelizod...
who was a collector of folk songs, particularly folk songs relating to the 1798 Rebellion
Irish Rebellion of 1798
The Irish Rebellion of 1798 , also known as the United Irishmen Rebellion , was an uprising in 1798, lasting several months, against British rule in Ireland...
and events surrounding it. In recent years the club has begun to tour around Ireland and Europe and to make recordings of seisiúin.