With the atmosphere and attitude of a session, but in a concert hall, The Irish Sea Sessions return to build on the success of last year’s event – one reviewer gave it 15 out of 10!

Part super-group, part colossal session and part festival, all in a single gig, the Irish Sea Sessions was voted Best Folk/Roots Event of the Year by Liverpool Daily Post readers in 2010.

This year’s line up includes top contemporary music stars and some of the finest traditional musicians from three cities, Liverpool, Belfast and Derry/Londonderry.

Artists already confirmed include; Under the musical direction of Bernard O’Neil (Syriana, Quicksilver, Sinead O’Connor, June Tabor) the line up includes singers Damien Dempsey, Alan Burke, Niamh Parsons,  Jennifer John and Ian Prowse alongside Gino Lupari on bodhran Terry Clarke Coyne on flutes and whistles, button accordionist, Dave Munnelly,  piper John McSherry, fiddler Meabh O’Hare guitarist Graham Dunne, banjo-player Stevie Dunne and sean-nós dancer Mary McGuiggan.

Join musicians from traditional and contemporary backgrounds and from both sides of the Irish Sea as they explore the shared music and special bond between Liverpool and Ireland.

‘For a first show of this kind it was a triumph and hopefully will be repeated in years to come’. Click Liverpool

‘A night of riotous reels and Celtic soul. The format worked like a dream…[Damien Dempsey’s] deep and soulful voice reverberated around the hush of the grand old hall and brought people closer together. It was that kind of night’. Seven Streets

‘A spectacular gathering of singers, storytellers and musicians. Those who packed Liverpool Philharmonic for this truly trail-blazing gig will preen for years to come that they were at the first of the “Sessions”, which will surely become a regular feature. 15 out of 10 (honest)’. Liverpool Confidential

• 21 October Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, part of Liverpool Irish Festival
• 22 October Belfast Ulster Hall, part of Ulster Bank Belfast Festival at Queen’s
• 23 October Derry/Londonderry Millennium Forum

To book for the Liverpool concert and for details about the other performances see contact Liverpool Philharmonic Hall