the olllam

It begins with a tale of master and protégé...

...a tale of how then 13 year old Tyler Duncan from Ann Arbor, Michigan went to Ireland and tracked down his hero, uillean piper and whistle player John McSherry (founder of Lunasa, Tamalin, At First Light, Ulaid, and a member of Donal Lunny’s supergroup Coolfin: the most innovative Irish piper of his generation and co-author of Wheels of the World: 300 Years of Irish Uillean Pipers) and became his student, friend, and eventually his melodic partner in the olllam, a Transatlantic musical partnership enabled and maintained through early adoption of online collaboration and composition, resulting in the 2012 release of an eponymous album that has become a cult classic. The name derives from the old Irish word ollam, meaning a master of the highest rank in a particular skill.

It was four years until the olllam returned to live gigs, which earned them sold-out shows and appearances at rock, jazz, art and folk festivals and venues across Ireland, and an audience base who were now singing the melodies back to the band, with hardcore devotees following them from show to show. Then came the pandemic ...

The result, “elllegy,” was released in May 2022, ten years after their debut. It led to a triumphant Irish festivals and venues tour that summer including Dublin’s National Concert Hall and to the olllam winning Best Folk Group at the 2022 RTE Radio One Folk Awards.

This is an 10+ event. Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult

The Olllam

the olllam - A Grey Eye Lllooks Back

the olllam

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