Forge Theatre & Arts Hub

Playing the greatest songs Ireland has ever produced ranging from 'The  Dubliners' to 'The Pogues' with fiddles, Uilleeann Pipes, Bazouki's,  Mandolins and Whistles. 'One of the best nights we've had in a  long time, a night of mysticism and romance - charismatic storytelling  at its best! The music was superb and the musicians flawless' - Tristan MacManus. Presenter - Studio 10 - Network Ten Television Be  transported to Ireland with an evening of fiddles, frame drums, pipes,  and tales of Irish traditions. 'Sionnach Rua's Great Irish Songbook' is a  show like no other. Playing the greatest songs Ireland has ever  produced, performed by virtuoso musicians. This is a toe-tapping,  hand-clapping and singalong show it will have you belly laughing, crying  and raising your voice in a celebration of all things Irish. Selling  out shows across Australia with their authentic, lively celebration of  Irish traditional music, songs, and stories, 'Sionnach Rua' transports  audiences to the heart of an Irish bar with infectious energy, masterful  storytelling and the craic you'd expect. Sionnach Rua  (pronounced Shun Knock Roo Ah), is Gaelic for 'Red Fox, known throughout  Irish mythology as a skilful animal. A fitting name, the group is  headed by Dublin-born and raised front man, and one of Ireland's best  storytellers, Gallie, on vocals, acoustic guitar, and bodhrán, an iconic  Irish fame drum. Gallie brings together some of the finest  multi-instrumentalists, including winner of the Australian Folk Music  Awards 2022 Instrumentalist of the Year Paddy Montgomery (bouzouki,  guitar), Ruth Wise (fiddle), and Sam Davies (Uilleann Pipes, tin  whistle, low whistle). Interwoven with rich stories from  Gallie's Irish upbringing from the streets of Dublin, with tales of  Ireland's many traditions, folk lore, and long history, this celebration  of Celtic music has songs ranging from Planxty to Van Morrison to the  Dubliners, as well as traditional songs from the 16th and 17th  Centuries. To date, Sionnach Rua have played over 70 shows,  numerous festivals in four states, including The National Celtic Folk  Festival in Victoria to over ten thousand people. They were also a  People's Choice finalist in the 2022 Australian Folk Music Awards. The  inspiration behind the performance was sparked from a late-night jam  session between Gallie and Paddy, playing old Irish songs 'til the wee  hours of the morning. Thinking 'we must take this on the road,' they  agreed that the only way to capture the true spirit of Irish music was  to include a Uilleann Pipe player, Ireland's unique and beloved  indigenous instrument, and one of the most difficult instruments in the  world to master. As Irish luck would have it, Paddy introduced  Sam Davies, renowned as one of the finest Uilleann Pipe Players in the  Southern Hemisphere, who hails from South Australia and has been playing  the pipes since he was 17. Uilleann Pipes (pronounced ill-unn), often  referred to as 'Irish bagpipes', are smaller and considered to have a  sweeter and mellower sound than their Scottish counterparts. There's  no better way to describe the performance than as great 'craic', the  good times had when engaging in lively conversation and great  entertainment. As Gallie says, 'The craic is just unbelievable, because  I've got the best musicians in Australia, and we're just doing the best  songs that Ireland has.' Expect a toe tapping, hand clapping,  singalong show that will have audiences belly laughing, crying, and  raising their voices in a celebration of all things Irish.