Left to Right: Jennifer Williams, Shannonbrooke Murphy, Martin Gould and Rick Lines

Appearing at the Cuckoo's Nest Folk Club at 7:30 pm on Sunday, March 19, 2000
Chaucer's Pub, 122 Carling Street, London, Ontario

This four-member Toronto-based band offers songs in Irish and English, and instrumental dance tunes both popular and obscure, all drawn from the rich heritage of Ireland's language and culture. A successful 1999 season of festival and club appearances has solidified the group's reputation as an exciting live act. From the broad spectrum of what is called "Celtic" music these days, Clachan has chosen a more traditional, acoustic direction, presenting a lively selection of jigs, reels and ballads inspired by the master Irish musicians of past and present. The group's name is pronounced "clah-hawn". The "clachan" was a kinship cluster of farmhouses in a system of communal farming common to coastal Donegal until the 19th century. In a like spirit, the members of Clachan pool their talents and work together to present a taste of the energy and conviviality that are the timeless hallmarks of the Irish tradition.

Raised in a musical home, piper Rick Lines puttered about on a guitar for many years before discovering Irish music in 1992, shortly afterwards switching to mandolin and bouzouki. Since 1995, he has studied uilleann piping with Debbie Quigley (formerly of Kitty's Kitchen), whom he calls his biggest musical influence. As a member of the Irish traditional group gan ainm, Rick played clubs and pubs throughout southern Ontario.

Former lead singer with the Toronto-based traditional group gan ainm, Shannonbrooke Murphy has been a student of the Irish language and the Irish singing tradition since 1994. In both 1998 and 1999, Shannonbrooke sang Tadhg O Muiris' bronze medal-winning original songs in the All-Ireland championships (Fleadh Ceoil na h-Eireann).

Guitarist Martin Gould is best known to many for his years as part of TaleSpin, along with his friends Catherine Crowe and Ian Goodfellow. This trio played a wide variety of concerts, clubs and festivals thoughout Ontario and points beyond, and produced two well-received recordings. Now with Clachan, Martin continues to indulge his love of traditional acoustic music.

A native of Kansas City, fiddler Jennifer Williams is currently an avid student at the Department of Celtic Studies, University of Toronto. She's often to be seen indulging an extracurricular love of Cape Breton and Irish fiddle styles, brightening sessions and dances from Toronto to Co. Clare with her sensitive, spirited and knowledgable playing.