Evening Concerts 2025
Our three evening concerts are the backbone of the festival. Join us this year for another trio of unforgettable evenings in our beautiful cathedral concert space.
Friday 30th of May
7.00PM - 8.45pm: ST. FLANNAN’S CATHEDRAL, Killaloe
EVENING CONCERT - Life Stories
Featuring readings from Cypresses by Gustav Pfleger-Moravsky and musical selections by Dvořák, Caroline Shaw, Diane Daly, and Smetana, this concert intertwines literature and music to explore themes of personal narrative and artistic inspiration.
Gustav Pfleger-Moravsky (1833-1875): Reading from ‘Cypresses’
Read by Trish Taylor Thompson
Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904): Selections from ‘Cypresses’
I. I Know that My Love to Thee
IX. Thou Only, Dear One
X. There Stands an Ancient Rock
XII. You Ask Why My Songs
Mia Cooper (violin), Diane Daly (violin), Lisa Dowdall (viola), Peggy Nolan (cello)
Caroline Shaw (1982-): Microfictions, Volume 1
Ioana Petcu-Colan (violin), Donald Grant (violin), Lisa Dowdall (viola), Kate Ellis (cello) & actor
Diane Daly & Dvořák: Songs My Mother Taught Me
Diane Daly (violin)
Bedřich Smetana (1824-1884): String Quartet No. 1, ‘From My Life’
Mia Cooper (violin), Donald Grant (violin), Séamus Hickey (viola), Peggy Nolan (cello)
Saturday 31st of May
7.00pm - 8.45pm: ST. FLANNAN’S CATHEDRAL, Killaloe
EVENING CONCERT - Drama and Serenity
Featuring Shostakovich’s intensely personal String Quartet No. 8, performed from memory by the Libra Strings quartet, alongside unaccompanied Bach cello suites by Peggy Nolan and Bruch’s romantic Octet.
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750): Cello Suite no. 2 in D minor BWV 1008: Sarabande
Peggy Nolan (cello)
Dmitri Shostakovich (1906 – 1975): String Quartet No. 8
Diane Daly (violin), Larissa O’Grady (violin), Lisa Dowdall (viola), Kate Ellis (cello)
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750): Cello Suite no. 5 in C minor BWV 1011: Sarabande
Peggy Nolan (cello)
Max Bruch (1838–1920): String Octet in B♭ major, Op. posth.
Ioana Petcu-Colan (violin), Donald Grant (violin), Mia Cooper (violin), Diane Daly (violin), Séamus Hickey (viola), Lisa Dowdall (viola), Peggy Nolan (cello), Aura Stone (double bass)
Sunday 1st of June
7.00Pm - 8.45pm: ST. FLANNAN’S CATHEDRAL, Killaloe
EVENING CONCERT - Rhythm is a Dancer
A rhythm-infused concert featuring Karan Casey & Kate Ellis performing The Fiddle and the Drum, Adrian Eriksson’s Trio for Marimba, Violin, and Double Bass, Boccherini’s Fandango Guitar Quintet, and a storytelling journey through Argentinian Tango.
Karan Casey & Kate Ellis: The Fiddle and the Drum
Adrian Eriksson: Trio for marimba, violin and double bass
Diane Daly (violin), Boris Hunka (marimba), Aura Stone (double bass)
Luigi Boccherini (1743–1805): Guitar Quintet No. 4 in D major ‘Fandango’ G.448
Mia Cooper (violin), Diane Daly (violin), Lisa Dowdall (viola), Peggy Nolan (cello), Alec O’Leary (guitar)
A short history of Argentinian Tango music
Boris Hunka (marimba), Diane Daly (violin), Agustina Taborda (bandoneon), Matthew Berrill (saxophone) and guests