I play Irish traditional music on accordion, bodhrán and harmonica. Love travelling, especially to festivals; over the years I've managed to take in a fair bit of Europe and the UK. Recently made some trips to New York City and State, Baltimore, Maryland and Washington DC. Just back from the Middle East. I'm into learning languages; at the minute I can "speak" French, Dutch, German and Irish Gaeilge to varying degrees. Toying with Spanish at the mo'. Used to do quite a lot of Irish Set-Dancing (best ever hangover cure).At the moment I'm playing Irish music at "sessions" (informal jams) in various pubs around London and Ireland.
Check out the Porterhouse in Covent Garden, 3.30pm - 7.00pm on Sundays if you want to hear some good music
Music
Heavily into traditional and folk music from Ireland and elsewhere - UK, Scandinavia, Brittany, Galicia, Asturias and Eastern Europe.
Favourite Irish groups and musicians: Bothy Band, Planxty, Tamalin, Commonalty, Coolfin, Dervish, Altán, At First Light, Flook, Patrick Street, Lúnasa, 4 Men and a Dog, Tommy Peoples, Liam O'Connor, Paddy Glackin, Paddy Keenan, John McSherry, Harry Bradley, Máirtín O'Connor, Dermot Byrne, Cíarán Mooney and my hero Andy Irvine with his band Mozaik.
Other than that - Battlefield Band, Blazing Fiddles, Ossian, Karine Polwart - Scotland, Den, Gwerz, Pennou Skoulm, Skolvan, Storvan, Carré Manchot, Jean Michel Veillon, Soig Siberil, Paddy and Jacky Molard, Christian Lemaitre, Ronan Le Bars (Brittany), Hedningarna, Vasen, JPP, Varttina, Annbjorg Lien (Scandinavia), Xosé Manuel Budinho, Tejedor, Mercedes Péon, Susana Seivane, La Musgana, Camarón de la Isla, Paco de Lucia (Spain)
There's always time for a bit of Joni Mitchell, John Martyn, Beth Orton, The Pogues, Cara Dillon, Prefab Sprout (don't laugh), The Sundays, The Foo Fighters, Blur, Bjork, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix.
Tom Lehrer (even just for "I hold your hand in mine"), Boothby Graffoe, Earl Oakin and Richard Cheese are really funny
Favourite composers: Bach, Debussy, Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich.
Movies
Jaws, La Haine, Kolya, Schindler's List, The Life Aquatic, The Life of Brian, The Snapper. Anything by Woody Allen. Three Colours Red/White/Blue, Mother Goose, Michael Collins, La Double Vie de Veronique, Frantic etc. I could go on but I'm starting to get bored.
Television
Mostly Comedies so Father Ted, Black Books, The Mighty Boosh, Have I Got News for You, The Office, Phoenix Nights, Never Mind the Buzzcocks, They Think It's All Over, Harry Hill's TV Burp, Monty Python's Flying Circus, Rising Damp and Porridge.
Spooks is alright too...
Books
Tibor Fischer, Louis de Bernieres, Roddy Doyle, Solzhenitsyn, Craig Thomas, Martin Cruz Smith, Pablo Neruda, Billy Collins, Michael Frayn, Paulo Coelho, John Irving, Annie Proulx, Irvine Welsh, Joyce (for 5 minutes at a stretch) and Flann O'Brien. Yeah I do read a lot.
Heroes
My Parents and Michael Collins, James Connolly, Andy Irvine, Paddy Keenan
Conán's Details
Status:
In a Relationship
Here for:
Networking, Friends
Orientation:
Straight
Hometown:
London
Body type:
Average
Ethnicity:
White / Caucasian
Religion:
Catholic
Zodiac Sign:
Leo
Smoke / Drink:
No / Yes
Children:
Someday
Education:
Post grad
Occupation:
IT Trainer
Conán's Schools
Queen's University Belfast
Belfast, United Kingdom
Graduated: 1996
Student status: Alumni
Degree: Master's Degree
Major: Computer Science
Minor: Industrial Management with French
Clubs: Cumann Gaelach
About me: Hi! My name's Conán McDonnell. Irish from Belfast, living in Potters bar, outside London - I do actually love it here but I'm still very much a Belfast lad at heart.
Choonz entered in an Irish Music Battle of the Bands!
Hi, Choonz have entered an Irish music battle of the Bands competition online Youtube Link
The winners get 5 nights playing at the Monte Carlo Casino in Las Vegas. This would obviously be quite nice. Seriously though, we would really love this opportunity and this would give us the publicity needed to start our career as a touring band.
WE NEED YOUR VOTE!! Please take the time to forward this to some people in your address book. Voting ends in a few days so please don't delay. It only takes a minute to register your vote! Anyway, enough grovelling from us. To vote for us Click Here and select Choonz. Cheers!
Mi7 hit up Glastonbury this year. Follow the Link and check out what they're up to!
The Recycled Orchestra Video will be up by Wed/Thu.
www.mi7records.com/Glastonbury/index.html
The Kittiwakes - CD Launch - Clerkenwell 22nd June
Leigh-on-Sea 3-piece, The Kittiwakes, celebrate the release of their Midwich Records debut, ‘Lofoten Calling’, a collection of original folk songs written about the people, landscape, folklore and history of the Lofoten Islands above the Arctic Circle and influenced by the traditional music of Norway and the British Isles.
'The Kittiwakes craft timeless and magical acoustically dappled folk treats - gentle and alluring ostensibly Gaelic in sound texture and gorgeously flighty braided as they are by corteges of mandolins, accordions and violins.' [LOSING TODAY]
'The Kittiwakes (rissa tridactyla): delicious, intriguing and evocative music, beautifully played and sung by this talented trio. Recommended to twitchers and lovers of folk music alike' [LEIGH FOLK FESTIVAL]
Fíor fáilte isteach - Welcome and many thanks for the friendship on myspace ... hope you enjoy the tunes ... putting up some more shortly. Sláinte, best wishes, Éibhear ♫♪♬♫♪♬♬♫♪♫ www.neffbros.eu
Hope you are SURVIVING these crazy economic times! Enjoy our new video "Whiskey Tonight" and stop by our site for a FREE download of the new song. Yes, something for FREE. Cheers!
Hey there, http://www.mytunerox.com just launched, 1st 500 artists get 100% sales royalty and all artists get 20% share of site advertising revenue, I've been asked to spread the word! Check it out :)
Bonjour, je vous invite à passer la nouvelle année en musique. Extrait du concert en première partie de Tri Yann à Auxerrexpo. N'hésitez pas à nous laisser vos impressions. Merci et à bientôt. Christo pour Maltavern .. Maltavern Gavotten ar Koadour
hé Conan!!! been a while! hope you're well and happy wishing you a magical 2009, lots of great music, sessions with friends and good (belgian) beer :o) CU one fine day lievehugsxx
During this Christmas season, please remember my mother's words in the song "Road to Elmersville" . . . "you can find the good in people if you just look past the bad, one day i'll come home to this place, yes i will, my life is a road . . ."
Some won't be home for Christmas, but Jesus is in your heart wherever you are, just like my mom is in mine!
