Peter Street is the first release from Peter Street, a new Irish traditional music quartet with roots in formal study and live performance.
The Celtic music group formed after Keelan McGrath, John Paul Reynolds and Simon Crehan met while enrolled in the BA Irish Traditional Music program at Irish World Academy of Music and Dance. Later, in May 2023, Fionn O’Hanlon joined the three musicians for a concert in Kilbarron. That performance led directly to the creation of the band.
The debut record brings together tunes and songs that have become fundamental to the group’s live performances so far. Moreover, each member brings a distinct background to the project. Crehan, from Lattin, Co. Tipperary., plays guitar, fiddle, and vocals. He studied under Billy Clifford in the Sliabh Luachra tradition and received the Patrick O’Keeffe Young Musician of the Year Award in 2021. He continues his studies in Limerick under guitarist Conal O’Kane.
McGrath, an accordion player with multiple All-Ireland and regional fleadh titles, became the youngest recipient of the Seán Ó Riada Gold Medal in 2017. He has also performed with In Tune for Life Orchestra, which has appeared at major events including the Gradam Ceoil Awards and toured France, Italy, and Ireland.
Meanwhile, O’Hanlon, from Boherbue, Co. Cork, began with banjo at age seven before expanding to bouzouki and vocals. He currently studies at University College Cork as a recipient of a Quercus Creative and Performing Arts Scholarship.
Reynolds, originally from Pearl River (New York, USA) and now based in Moyvane, has built a profile across Ireland and abroad through performances with artists such as Joanie Madden, Sharon Shannon and Cathal Hayden. His work with fiddle, banjo, guitar, and vocals has also established him as an active teacher and solo performer.
Author: World Music Central News Room
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