Máirtín was found under a shtone and brought up in a tree with many others! Of late he has been learning his trade from a little man named Larry the Leipreachan who is well learned in the ways of Eireann's past. Máirtín is a singing, dancing, story-telling bodhran player!!!
On the night of a full moon it is rumored he stands at the cross roads playing to the wind. He learned his singing from many famous Irishmen such as Seamus Mac Mathune, Danni Maichi Ua Suillebhain and Ciaran Dwyer.
In addition to his considerable singing and bodhran-playing talents, Máirtín is also an accomplished actor. He played the role of Sean in the latest Ken Loach film entitled "The Wind That Shakes the Barley", which won the top award at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival. Read more about the film and Máirtín's other acting credits on his MYSPACE page at http://www.myspace.com/mairtindecogain.
Máirtín is also a two-time National Irish Storytelling Champion.
Story-telling has been in his family for generations, and when Máirtín's tales begin, his eyes move to the other world
Michael Anthony Heffernan, named after his grandfather, Dan, is a light fingered flautist from the mountain road in Carrigaline, 2nd last out, from a family of 6.
He takes his inspiration from John A Wood (but his wife wouldn't!! .. bad-dum tish!!). His musical influences include everything from Sean O Riada to The Chieftains.
Mick is a talented musician, who's well able to handle flute, a sax, a piano, a guitar or even a microphone!
Eoin, who proudly hails from Enniskeane in West Cork, started playing the box at the age of 5 in a marching band.
He played all along until his late teens, when he then put the box aside for awhile for the want of women and porter. It was only while travelling in Australia, when he met a little maneen under a shtone, that he finally came to his senses and took it back up again.
Eoin has notched up numerous medals and prizes over the years for playing music and has played manys the session at the Fleadh and Scor. An eager gaelgoir, Eoin enjoys nothing more that a quiet pub, couple o pints and a bit a craic!
Brian McGillicuddy comes from Inniscarra ,which is just outside Cork City.
Like the rest of the group, Brian has been playing music from a very early age.
The banjo was Brian's second instrument. He was tootling happily on his D-whistle from the age of five for a few years when suddenly, like a mirage in a desert, at a Fleadh Cheoil in Skibbereen (West Cork), in 1989, ("Oh Father dear, I often hear you speak of Erins Isle.."), he saw a sight which made his eyes grow as big as saucers in his head!. It was a van bedecked in gleaming banjos, all of them the product of one Galway man, Tommy Cussen, who stood by his stall, smiling paternally at all the little Cork boys and girls.
And so a child's longing for a new and different instrument, a mother's ambition, and a father's willingness to buy anything for anyone, having just emerged from his third public house of the day, brought about the deposit there and then on Brian's first banjo and a promise to pay Tommy Cussen the balance when times got better.
The rest, as they say, is history and Brian has been twanging with gusto and no little skill ever since. He is still dealing with the affable Tommy Cussen, still paying deposits and promising the balance when times get better, so "d'chas" is definitely "nos treise na oili'int."
Some years ago , one of his banjos gave birth to a bouncing , healthy mandolin (Tommy Cussen delivered), and now both mother and daughter are fine and Brian makes excellent music on both!
The Fuchsia Band performing at Lon Trad at
the Half Moon Theatre, Cork Opera House.
Left to right... Brian, Eoin, Máirtín, Mick.
Máirtín (on the left) and Mick (on the right) in ACTION! at
Lon Trad at the Half Moon Theatre.
The lads playing at Hosford's Garden Centre, Bandon, County Cork,
as part of the 2007 June Bank Weekend. The 2007 Bandon Festival
was the best ever with more than 15,000 people in attendance!
The Fuchsia Band performing on the Boulevard Stage at the 2006
Kansas City Irish Festival.
Left to right in the photo... Mick, Máirtín, Eoin, Brian.
Everyone knows The Fuchsia Band has a special way
of lifting up their audiences but this is ridiculous!
Hmmm.... who's the lucky fan?
The Fuchsia Band is one of the only Irish Traditional Groups
touring today that, along with music, song and dance, still includes
the ancient art of Storytelling in their performances.
Máirtín is a TWO-TIME National Ireland Storytelling
Champion and here is a YOUTUBE video of him doing just that on
the now famous
BalconyTV
show based in Dublin. This performance of Máirtín's was nominated
for a BEST VIDEO award at the 2006 BalconyTV Awards
The Fuchsia Band at the DRAG RACES!...
The lads scout out the location for their first music video at the Kansas Speedway!
The highly acclaimed and respected
Radio Show "No Celtic Boundaries"
has announced BOTH
of the following AWARDS Máirtín de Cógáin
was voted Songwriter of the Year for 2007! The Fuchsia Band's Grá Dá Raibh CD
has been voted Album of the Year for 2007!
Click HERE and visit the No Celtic Boundaries Radio Show Website
at http://www.nocelticboundaries.co.uk/
for full details and
the official contest result announcements!
THANK YOU to EVERYONE
who voted
for Máirtín and
"The Fuchsia Band"
and have helped bring
BOTH of these awards
home to
FUCHSIALAND!
The film was shot entirely in Cork and is about the Irish
struggle for independence circa 1920. The film won the
TOP AWARD (the coveted Palme D'Or) at the
2006 Cannes Film Festival and is currently playing in theatres
around the world.
The Irish Film Board says that The Wind That Shakes The Barley
‘has become the highest-grossing independent Irish-made film ever" ( Irish Times, August 8 2006).
One of the most stirring scenes in the film is when
Máirtín's character Sean is leading the
Flying Column of Irish freedom fighters towards a
confrontation with British Soldiers while singing the
inspiring song Óró Sé Do Beatha 'Bhaile, which
became the official theme song for the movie.
The Fuchsia Band's
Grá Dá Raibh CD contains the
ONLY official studio recording of Máirtín and the lads singing
Óró Sé Do Beatha 'Bhaile from The Wind That
Shakes the Barley.
Click
HERE for the actual YOUTUBE clip from the movie or just click the PLAY
button on the video below...
..
Fuchsia Band NEWS...
The 2009 USA Tour!
For the FIFTH SUMMER IN A ROW, Fuchsialand returns
to the USA! The lads will be headliners again this year
at the Fort Collins Colorado Irish Festival. See below
for details about this year's USA tour.
June 14 St. Louis, Missouri The Focal Point
Traditional & Original Music
Concert Series & Arts Center
2720 Sutton
Maplewood, MO 63143
314-781-4200
Website: www.thefocalpoint.org
June 18 Kansas City, Missouri Raglan Road Irish Pub
170 E 14th St
Kansas City, MO 64106
(816) 994-9700
For more details contact Eddie Delahunt...
816-753-3322 or 816-531-8867
Eddie Delahunt's Website: http://www.eddiedelahunt.com
Follow the lads on their 2009 Summer tour! Treat yourself to some great pictures and "stories from the road" by visiting the Band's
BLOG!
The lads showing off their new stage costumes!
The FuchsiaNauts!
Left to right... Brian, Eoin, Máirtín, Mick.
Sure, this one speaks for itself.
PHOTOS and VIDEOS from the 2008 USA TOUR!...
Fuchsia Fans have posted all sorts of pictures and
videos from THIS year's (2008) tour on sites like FLICKR and
YOUTUBE and even private web pages.
Sure, it's hard to keep up with it all these days but here are just some of the things that were posted online as the lads made their way around 'Amerikay' in 2008...
Thanks to all the fans out there who took the time to post these
images and videos! Keep 'em comin'!
The 2008 Fort Collins Irish Festival
Jen has posted a VIDEO on YOUTUBE
of the lads performing
at the first stop on the tour, the 2008 Fort Collins Irish Festival.
The video shows the lads performing Dick Darby for the
Fort Collins fans!
Click the PLAY button below to watch the video or click
HERE for the full-size version on YOUTUBE.
Jen also posted a full set of pictures
from the 2008 Fort Collins Irish Festival.
Click the image at left or click
HERE
to see the photo set on FLICKR.
YOUTUBE user PatandAJ posted the VIDEO below a few days after the
2008 La Crosse Irishfest. It's a composite video showing an overview of the whole
Festival including the dancers, strolling minstrels, bands, and crowd shots.
The Fuchsia Band appears for a moment near the start of the video but look quick!
YOUTUBE user LAXIrishFest posted the VIDEO below
of Máirtín joining
one of the late night sessions at the La Crosse Irish Fest.
In the video, Máirtín sings "Black 44".
Click the PLAY button below to watch the video or
click HERE to watch
the original FULL SIZE version at YOUTUBE.
The 2008 Milwaukee Irish Festival
Click the PLAY button below to see a VIDEO of the lads onstage at the 2008 Milwaukee Irish Festival or click
HERE to see the FULL SIZE
version at YOUTUBE.
More VIDEOS of the lads performing at the 2008 Milwaukee Irish Festival...
Fuchia Fan IndyCelt took some GREAT photos of the lads at the 2008 Milwaukee Irish Festival!
At left is just one of her shots of Máirtín defying GRAVITY
during the BRUSH DANCE on the Miller Stage!
Click the image at left
to see IndyCelt's
FLICKR photoset from the 2008 Milwaukee Irish Festival.
Chicago, 2008 - with BUA!
On August 19, 2008, the lads shared the stage in Chicago at
Martyrs' with
BUA!
Photobucket user TJANNERINO posted THIS VIDEO of BOTH BANDS playing
a dance set at Martyrs'...
..
PHOTOS and VIDEOS from the 2007 USA TOUR!...
Fuchsia Fans also posted all sorts of pictures and
videos from LAST year's (2007) tour on sites like FLICKR and
YOUTUBE and even private web pages.
Thanks to all the fans out there who took the time to post these
images and videos!
The 2007 Dayton Celtic Festival...
SKMalloy has posted a VIDEO on YOUTUBE
of the lads performing
at the first stop on the tour, the 2007 Dayton Irish Festival.
The video shows Máirtín doing his famous Brush Dance for the
Dayton fans!
Click the PLAY button below to watch the video or click
HERE for the full-size version on YOUTUBE.
Band, Band, Ceili Band!
The lads performing "Joyce Country Ceili Band"
by The Saw Doctors on the main stage in Dayton.
They are joined by Patrick Murphy and Steve
Twigger of Gaelic Storm!
Click the PLAY button at left to watch the VIDEO or
click HERE
to see the FULL SIZE version on YOUTUBE.
Memphis...
Memphis photos!
Click the image at left or click
HERE
for a page of pictures from the Celtic Crossing Irish Pub show in Memphis on August 2, 2007. The page is
formatted for Mobile Devices!
The 2007 Minnesota Irish Fair...
Username khoogheem on YOUTUBE has added a video of The Fuchsia Band at this year's Minnesota Irish Fair in
Minneapolis. Click the PLAY button below...
Barrack Street
The Fuchsia Band performing "Barrack Street" at the 2007 Minnesota Irish Fair.
Click the PLAY button at left to watch the VIDEO or
click HERE
to see the FULL SIZE version on YOUTUBE.
Dancin' the Night Away with The Fuchsia Band!...
The Fuchsia Band kept the Ceili Tent hoppin' all
weekend long at the 2007 Minnesota Irish Fair! Here are
FOUR videos submitted to YOUTUBE of the toe-tapping, foot-stompin'
good time that was had by all!
Click the PLAY button on any of the videos below or
click HERE
for the YOUTUBE page that has all the FULL SIZE versions of the videos.
The 2007 Milwaukee Irish Festival...
Dick Darby
The lads performing "Dick Darby" on the Miller Lite Stage at the 2007 Milwaukee Irish Festival
Click the PLAY button at left to watch the VIDEO or
click HERE
to see the FULL SIZE version on YOUTUBE.
Eimear Ryan has posted TWO Photo Albums from
Milwaukee IrishFest, 2007. Thanks, Eimear! Click the images below to view the
new albums on her BEBO site.
The set of photos on the left, below, has pictures of the lads performing at the
SNUG Stage in Milwaukee and the set of photos on the right has pictures
of Máirtín participating in Milwaukee's official Tribute to Tommy Makem with the Makem and Spain Brothers.
The 2007 Kansas City Irish Festival...
Kansas City photos!
Fuchsia fan and great photographer
Joshua has posted LOTS of pictures from the Fuchsia Band's appearance as headliners for the 3rd year in a row at the
2007 Kansas
City IrishFest!
Photo at left is from the Sunday afternoon show on
the Boulevard Stage with downtown Kansas City as
a backdrop!
Click the image to see Joshua's complete FLICKR ALBUM.
KC Ceili!
A GREAT video posted to YOUTUBE by Fuchsia Fan
Hank Hogan of the lads conducting the Saturday afternoon
Ceili at the 2007 Kansas City Irishfest.
Click the PLAY button at left to watch the VIDEO.
The 2007 Jackson CelticFest...
Jackson photos!
Fuchsia fan
Natalie Maynor has posted some pictures from the Fuchsia Band's appearance as headliners for the 3rd year in a row at the
2007 Jackson Celticfest.
New STARLIGHT curtain on the mainstage this year!
Click the image at left to see her FLICKR ALBUM.
Ceili Mor!
The
Jackson CelticFest is always host to the Southern USA's
largest annual Ceili Mor!
YOUTUBE user and Fuchsia fan ryleh posted this
VIDEO of Máirtín calling the 2007 Ceili Mor
on Saturday night.
Click the PLAY button to watch the VIDEO or click
HERE to see the full-size version on YOUTUBE.
More 2007 Jackson CelticFest Videos...
YOUTUBE user ryleh has now posted about a
DOZEN videos from the 2007 Jackson CelticFest including 2 more videos of the Saturday Night Ceili Mor.
The first VIDEO below, is a JIG set from the
Ceili Mor
and the second one is a LINE DANCE set.
Máirtín is the caller for the JIG set and the legendary
Paddy Keenan (Bothy Band) is on the stage (red shirt and
cowboy hat) playing the pipes live for the Ceili Mor.
Click the PLAY button on any of the videos below or
click HERE
for the YOUTUBE page that has all the FULL SIZE versions of the videos.
Fuchsia Ceili Band!
Click the image at left for more pictures
from the 2007 Jackson CelticFest
including this one.
The page also has some GREAT shots of
Máirtín and Mitra out
on the dance floor that night!
HOW ABOUT A LITTLE WHISKEY TONIGHT? * * Hope you are grand! Thanks for being our myspace friend. Enjoy our new song "Whiskey Tonight" and drop by our site for a free download of the song. ** Cheers!
Hit the fun button to start the show...recommended viewing in HQ (High Quality).
Hello Fuchsia Band!!!! Was great seeing you all again at Oshkosh's first Irish Festival. Please be sure to give Patrick a lot of grief over the summer about renaming it Osh-consin. You never know there might be a few new shirts turning up at Milw. Irish Fest this year. If I see any I will try to get pics since you won't make it this year. Speaking of, hope to have what I've snapped of this weekend off to you by the end of the week. Thanks for a smashing good time as always. Love Senara & Shadow!
So glad to hear you're headed back for the States. So sad to see you're not coming anywhere near Ohio. Still fondly think of your concert in Dayton in 2007. Great stuff! I play your music often on The Dear Green Place. All the best, Cindy
hi guys, hope all's well. You know, you might wanna think about adding some more info to this site, I can't quite figure out exactly what it is you do do. Anyway, just a thought. cheers, norm
Thank you SOO much for the awesome perfomance in Des Moines! It was my first Irish event, other than the sessions I play in (with Dean). Oh yeah - the kisses were great too! haha
Hey all! Just had the chance to look at your blogs for a bit. Looks like your having/had? a great tour! Safe travels home to you all and hope to talk to you soon... I'm in need help with some planning for my masters... :)
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