West Kerry musicians Brendan and Cormac Begley will feature in a new traditional music television series, Slí na mBeaglaoich on TG4, starting this Sunday 26 April at 9:30pm and running for six weeks. The series will see the father and son duo travel in their camper van Beauty from their home in Kerry along the Wild Atlantic Way to Clare, Galway, Mayo, Sligo, and finishing in Donegal. 

The Begleys will explore the musical traditions of the counties they visit as well as the local history and heritage and meet a wide range of musicians.

The first episode starts the series in Kerry and sees Cormac perform with his three siblings Bréanainn on guitar, Clíodhna on fiddle and Conchúbhair on accordion and also meet sean-nós singer Sláine Ní Chathalláin and concertina player Michelle O’Sullivan. In episode two in Clare, the pair meet with cellist and TG4 Young Musician of the year Sharon Howley and her sister, fiddle-player Eimear, as well as playing with fiddlers Mark Donnellan and Tony Linnane and dancer Stephanie Keane.

In Galway, the pair meet accordion player Conor Connolly at Coole Park, Johnny Óg Connolly in Connemara, and sean-nós singers Caoimhe and Séamus Ó Flatharta on Inishbofin. The series also features singer Graham Sweeney and harper Laoise Kelly in Mayo; fiddler Óisín Mac Diarmada, concertina player Mairead Hurley, flute-player Séamus Tansey and Cathy Jordan and Shane Mitchell of Dervish in Sligo; and in Donegal, for the last episode of the series, Brendan and Cormac meet Glasgow flute player Frances Morten, guitarist Steve Cooney, concertina player Caitlín Nic Gabhann and fiddle-player Ciarán Ó Maonaigh, and sean-nós singer Doimnic Mac Giolla Bhríde. Many more musicians feature in the series.

Speaking about embarking on the project with his father, Cormac said: 

My father was my first teacher, he encouraged me to do my own thing and to be honest with my music and emotions. He’s a unique individual and I’m looking forward to spending this special time together, expressing ourselves through our music and getting to know each other better as adults.

Slí na mBeaglaoich will air on TG4 on 26 April at 9:30pm and will run for six weeks. For more, visit https://www.tg4.ie/ga/