Ahead of their Liffey Banks Sessions gig tonight at the Grand Social, Dublin, The Journal of Music spoke to Caoimhín Vallely about the tour with Christy Leahy, Ger Wolfe and Séamie O’Dowd.

How did the tour come together?
‘Myself and Christy wanted to put a tour together to promote our recent recording (pictured) and just decided to invite a few friends along. We’ve been big fans of Ger’s for a long time, just love his voice and his songs. Same thing with Séamie, we’ve bumped into him at festivals all over the place and always enjoyed playing a few tunes together. To help make it possible we got some funding through the Arts Council’s touring and dissemination scheme.’

What influences are coming through most in the music?
‘A big mixture. Sliabh Luachra polkas and slides, Sligo fiddle music, Ger’s own songs, of course and a few of Séamie’s unique interpretations of traditional songs. I suppose it’s four very distinct voices coming together and adapting to suit the ensemble.’

What mix of tune and song can we expect in the concert?
It’s probably half and half, with each person been given their chance to shine. Myself and Christy do our thing of tunes from the CD, and Christy and Séamie have a few blasts of fiddle-box tunes. Ger does a few solo songs and a few with us, and Séamie also plays a few solo fiddle pieces and sings.

Any particular highlights to look forward to?
A Cork man playing Sligo polkas and a Sligo man playing Cork polkas, accompanied by an Armagh man. What more could you ask for!

Where else are you playing?
This tour runs for six gigs in total. Tonight in Dublin is number two, then Tuesday, 15 November, in Dolan’s in Limerick, and then three more dates in March 2012 in Carlow, Cobh and Carraig-on-Bannow, County Wexford. And if the rest of the gigs go as well as the first one in Ballincollig last week, we’ll hopefully do it again together at some stage.