Wed 14 May 2025 7:30pm - 10:00pm

The Haar

at Hermon Chapel Arts Centre, Oswestry

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£18.00

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A radically fresh, boundary-pushing take on traditional songs.

'We need more music like this; spontaneous, alive and affecting' - FRUK

Anglo/Irish folk band The Haar brings the formidable singing talent of All-Ireland Scór na nÓg winner Molly Donnery combined with three of the most exciting instrumentalists on the folk and traditional music scene in Cormàc Byrne (Show of Hands/Seth Lakeman), Adam Summerhayes, and Murray Grainger (both of the FATEA award-winning The Ciderhouse Rebellion).

Known for taking a familiar tune and turning it into something breathtakingly fresh and ambitious, this band of high level improvisers produce ever-changing musical soundscapes, while Molly lets her sublime vocals flow to stunning effect.

Latest album ‘Where Old Ghosts Meet’ received multiple rave reviews and has paved the way for outstanding festival appearances at Shrewsbury, Beardy Folk, and at other prestigious stages during their successful UK tours.

Expect a magical evening of stunning, made-in-the-moment renditions of some of the world’s most incredible songs.

“This is not a dyed-green-Guinness-and-a-bit-o’-craic Ireland, this is the coast of Connemara Ireland, this is watching the fog roll in around The Skellig Islands Ireland… devastatingly beautiful”

Bristol 24/7

"The Haar conjuring magic that had long been hidden in plain sight, responding melodically in a mesmerising impromptu arc of artistry”

Irish Music Magazine

‘A sweeping panorama of Irish traditional music and song’

The Haar

The Haar brings the fresh talent of traditional Irish singer Molly Donnery combined with three of the most exciting instrumentalists on the folk and traditional music circuit: Cormac Byrne (Instrumentalist of the Year 2019, FATEA Magazine Music Awards), Adam Summerhayes (‘a Paganini of the traditional violin’ fROOTS) and Murray Grainger (‘Gorgeous stuff’ BBC Radio 3). The band has its origins in a chance meeting between Adam, Cormac and Molly at a trad session at Craiceann Bodhrán Festival, Inis Oírr, resulting in an improvised live performance recorded by the shipwreck of the Plassey on the wild Atlantic seafront. It was to become typical of the unique ‘live reactive composition’ that characterises their music. With the addition of master accordionist Grainger, they entered the studio at the end of 2019 to record their debut album ’The Haar’ with no plans or arrangements, guided only by the live musical landscapes they created – the music was recorded as it flowed, often in the first and only take. Mike Harding said: “I think it’s an absolutely amazing album. Full of great traditional music, just sung and played brilliantly.” “We need more music like this; spontaneous, alive and affecting, The Haar will take you on a journey and have you appreciating the purest of life’s pleasures. Wonderful stuff.” Folk Radio UK.

See The Haar tour dates