Dingle lures fine voices from home and abroad

THERE IS no snow in Dingle, but it is icy and treacherous under foot and tyre, and while the adverse weather conditions have inevitably complicated travelling itineraries, there is still the full scheduled line-up for the ninth series of Other Voices.

“There is a fantastic feeling in Dingle during Other Voices,” says Philip King, the film maker, musician and fervent cultural ambassador who has overseen the event from its humble beginnings.

“There is also a virtually miraculous sense that with all of the wonderful musicians coming here we’re bringing light to Ireland, and making it considerable in international terms.”

The event got off to a life-affirming, often extremely funny start on Saturday night with performances by Sheffield musician/songwriter Richard Hawley (at this point an honorary member of the annual shindig, with his third appearance in as many years), Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker (“it has come to my attention that my name shares three letters with the King of rock’n’roll” was but one of his several acute observations while in Dingle), and Irish singer-songwriter Lisa Hannigan.

Because of a severe viral infection, the expected performance from English singer-songwriter Laura Marling failed to materialise (she has also cancelled her shows in Cork tonight and Dublin tomorrow).

All the concerts take place in Dingle’s 200-year-old St James’s Church, which has a capacity (approximately 80) that is far less than the demand for tickets. Those unlucky enough not to have purchased tickets for the concerts (all of which sold out within minutes of going on sale) can take comfort from the fact that one of Other Voices’ sponsor partners, digital/optical communications company InTune Networks, has arranged high-definition broadcasting of the gigs in a number of the town’s hostelries, including Benners Hotel, Foxy John’s, McCarthy’s, Adam’s, Curran’s, and Geaney’s.

The appeal of the annual event, said Hawley, is that “for all of the musicians that come here, it’s like a little hospital for the soul. It’s a bit daft to say so much about something so simple. If you’re here, you’d know. Because of the nature of the place, and performing in St James’s, it can never, ever get to be like anywhere or anything else in the world”.

Other Voices, which will be broadcast on RTÉ Two early next year, is presented by Irish-born BBC Radio One presenter/DJ Annie Mac.

Tonight’s featured acts include US singer Lissie, English duo Smoke Fairies, Irish singer-songwriter James Vincent McMorrow, and Northern Irish band And So I Watch You From Afar. It continues tomorrow evening with performances from Welsh-Greek singer Marina and the Diamonds, and Irish acts O Emperor, The Minutes and Ryan Sheridan.