Allison’s Folk Club will be returning to the Ranelagh Arts Centre, Dublin 6 this Thursday, 16 February, starting at 8pm. This year’s Club opens with the band Foley’s Woodshed, made up of Ged Foley (of Patrick Street) on guitar, fiddle and vocals, Lena Ullman (of Moonshine) on banjo and vocals, Tony Trundle on fiddle and Paul Smyth on flute and whistle.

Jazz singer Joan Shields will be opening the evening of music, and there will also be a contemporary dance performance downstairs in the Centre beforehand at 7pm, from Ellie Creighton and Jessie Keenan who make up half of an ensemble called Four’s Company. Their dances are often inspired by what they encounter in conversations, and they will be sharing the beginnings of a new duet that looks at aspects of making, triggering and releasing memories.

The evening takes place on the third Thursday of the month and is hosted by singer and songwriter, Allison Sleator, who is due to release her first solo album later this year (see below). Performers at the Club last year included Graham Watson, Seamus Fogarty, Eileen Hassett, Dave Flynn, Jennifer Evans, Danny Diamond, Aki, Anders Trajberg, Myo Yanach, Georgia Cusack, Danny Groenland, Paddy Groenland, Sean Maynard Smith and Dan Trueman.

allisonsleator.com