Tara Connaghan

Tara Connaghan is a highly regarded fiddle player from Glenties, Co. Donegal in the North West of Ireland, who recently presented her own Geantraí programme on TG4. She recorded a duet cd 'The Far Side of the Glen' with another Donegal fiddler, Derek McGinley, released in November 2011.
‘This is not the “flashy” playing so often heard today; each note is given its chance to express itself properly – the music talks to you, as it should. No excessive speed, no attempts at fusion with other styles, just good, honest Donegal fiddling as we used to hear it years ago...’
John Waltham, The Living Tradition Magazine, UK

Tara has worked as both an arts manager / administrator and touring musician since 2000 and in October 2011 resigned from her position as Festival Director at the Éigse Carlow Arts Festival to focus on her music career. She was appointed one of eight Advisers for the Arts Council 'Deis' funding scheme from 2005 - 2013 where she gave funding advice and assistance to traditional musicians and organisations applying for grants.

She is currently a freelance arts practitioner, co-ordinating the first International Youth Fiddle Camp at NAFCo (North Atlantic Fiddle Convention) in Derry in June 2012 and recently taking on project management of the Clare Memory Orchestra Per Cent For Art project.

Tara also curates and performs in the Clann agus Cairde Series at the Seamus Ennis Centre, Naul, Co. Dublin - a monthly informal, intimate recital series featuring some of Ireland's best traditional musicians.

Discography:
• Derek McGinley & Tara Connaghan, The Far Side of the Glen, Ireland, Nov. 2011
• Cairdeas na bhFidléirí, The Fiddle Music of Donegal Volume 4, Compilation, yet to be released
• Eoin O’Neill, Eoin O'Neill in Session, Ireland, 2003
• Leonard Barry, Mind the Pipes, Ireland, 2002
• Dr. Liz Doherty & Fiddlesticks, Racket in the Rectory, Ireland, 2000
• Tara’n’tellas, Irish Locomotive, Finland, 1999
• UCC Sulán Studios, Ireland, 1998, yet to be released

Television performances / appearances:
• TG4 Gradam Ceol Awards (NPU), Ireland, 2013
• Sé mo Laoch (Danny Meehan), Ireland, 2012
• Cairdeas na bhFidléirí online tuition videos, Ireland, 2012
• GAFTV (Galway Arts Festival TV), Ireland, 2012
• Balcony TV, www.balconytv.ie Ireland, 2012
• Geantraí, TG4 (Forefront Productions), Ireland, 2010 (Presenter and performer)
• Nationwide, RTÉ, Ireland, 2010 (Lovely Weather residency commission, Donegal Co. Co.)
• News, Barcelona TV, 2010 (Arts Council delegation to Fira Tarréga Street Festival, Spain)
• Féilte, TG4, 2009 (Éigse interview)
• The Afternoon Show, TV3, 2009 (Éigse interview)
• Xposé, TV3, 2009 (Éigse interview)
• Donegal Fiddle Music documentary, Hummingbird Productions, Ireland, 2006
• Raw Bar, RTÉ, Ireland, 2003 with Derek McGinley showcasing music of Packie Manus Byrne
• Geantraí na Nollaig, TG4 (Forefront Productions), Ireland, 2002
• All-Ireland Fleadh Programme, RTÉ, Ireland, 2002
• Various – Gaelforce Dance, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Germany, USA, 2001 - 2003
• Musical Traditions, BBC Northern Ireland, 2001
• Banish Misfortune, RTÉ, Ireland 2001
• Breakfast show, MTV3, Finland, 1999
• Linden Straße (Germany’s ‘Coronation Street’), Germany, 1996