PACE & POWER 2015

Pace & Power 2015 - a celebration of the vibrant young Irish music scene in Glasgow!

Pace & Power will emerge again on Sunday 8th March at Malones bar on Sauchiehall Lane, upstairs, from 4 pm onwards.

Young musicians & singers (aged 13-17 inclusive) will compete (solo or in duets) for cash prizes along with the coveted Drew McManus trophy.
1st prize: £150 / 2nd Prize £100 / 3rd prize £50

This competition was last won in 2007 by Kevin Murphy on piano accordion.

The Kathleen Hughes trophy will also be awarded on the evening to an individual who has given much to encouraging and helping the Irish music scene in Glasgow.

£5 on the door.
Tickets can be bought in advance via www.glasgowstpatricksfestival.co.uk

The competition will be judged by Mairead McManus (daughter of Drew) and Roisin Ann Hughes (daughter of Kathleen) in combination with an audience vote on the evening.

Support act will be announced closer to the date.

Accompanists can be brought - or may be supplied if arranged beforehand.

To enter email
Pádraig O'Neill (pjoneill2001@yahoo.com) or
Elaine Hunter (strawberryfication@yahoo.com)

Deadline for Entries: Tuesday 3rd March

 

More on the people in whose honour the Pace & Power trophies are named after:

 

Drew McManus (1938-2004) was born in Paisley to Owen and Susan McManus of Drumquin Co.Tyrone. His father was a fiddle player and their home was the location for many sessions as there were no pubs or clubs to play tunes or sing ballads. Musicians who crossed the threshold of 121 Freguslie Park Avenue included a very young Jimmy McHugh of Castlederg, who later became known throuhout Ireland for his legendary reel playing. Fiddler Joe Leonard of Glasgow, Packy McCusker of Dromore and Packy Carr of Fanad - both button accordian players joined the likes of Pat and Mick Gallagher brothers from Ederney, and Pat McDonagh also from Ederney - all fiddlers. Ireland’s greatest piper Leo Rowsome visited Glasgow for a celebrity concert and stayed in the McManus house. Another regular was Owen’s old friend from Drumquin Mick McLaughlin who taught Drew’s sisters the old style step dancing.

About 1952 a weekly céilí was fromed in St Mirin’s Church Hall. Packy McCusker, Pat Gallagher, Drew’s father Owen McManus and occasional guest musicians played, they eventually became known as ‘The Four Provinces Céilí Band’. In time Jimmy McHugh, drummer Owen Kelly (Ederney), Packy Carr and pianist Rose Heggarty (Glasgow) joined the lineup of the band. Frank Carn (Ederney) was the Fear a’ Tí, and others involved in what became the Four Provinces Club were Rory Compbell (Glasgow), Plunket Cairns (Monaghan) and Drew’s brother James. The band and club were popular with the Irish around Paisley and Glasgow. Jimmy McHugh became the band leader after a while and kept the name of the band going for a good number of years.

Drew and his brothers and sisters met their partners through the traditional music scene. This is where the seed of their love for Irish music was planted and it has not gone to waste. Drew’s brother Louis learned the fiddle in his late 20’s; though never a Michael Coleman, his influence encouraged his son Louis Jnr to become an exceptional fiddle, mandolin, banjo and bouzouki player. Louis’ family emigrated to Australia in 1962 when Louis Jnr was 6 years old. Young Louis sadly passed away in 2004, but made a massive mark on the music scene in Australia. Another of Drew’s brothers, James RIP has a son Tony who is a self taught musician, and is one of the best celtic guitarists in the world.

Drew’s own daughter Mairéad is a flute and whistle player and has won many competitions and awarded a first class masters in Traditional Music from the University of Limerick. Mairéad learned her love for music from Drew’s commitment to tradition and from being a proud member of the Irish Minstrels Comhaltas branch which was founded by her grandfather.

In his later years, Drew could be found singing at the famous Vicky Bar Friday night session. There, he enjoyed performing with the many local and visiting musicians of Glasgow.

Listen to clips of Drew McManus singing on Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=repHXwMu8rs

 

Kathleen Hughes was involved in Irish culture from an early age and earned a reputation as a very fine ballad singer. She got involved with the Irish Minstrels branch and was very active both as a committee member and a singing tutor. For many years she held the position of chairperson of the Scottish region of Comhaltas. She was also an active member of the Glasgow Feis committee. She was always a great encouragement to young musicians. Glasgow has a rich Irish cultural heritage and we owe a lot to Kathleen and others like her who worked tirelessly to make things happen.