Matt Molloy & John Carty, Lisa Knapp & Gerry Diver: Cork Folk Festival

Matt Molloy & John Carty

Probably the most exciting trad combination of recent times, Matt Molloy on flute and John Carty on fiddle will be appearing at the Triskel Arts Centre during the 46th Cork Folk Festival on Friday 3 October. Together they will explore the rich and varied tapestry of the fiddle and flute tradition of North Connaught. 

Matt Molloy is a true legend of Irish music and has been member of some of the most influential bands in traditional music, including The Bothy Band, Planxty and The Chieftains. His three solo albums, as well as his trio recording with Tommy Peoples and Paul Brady in the late 70’s brought flute playing to a new level. Matt was born in Ballaghadereen, County Roscommon, an area well known for flute players. Matt began playing the flute at age 8 and by the age of 18, he had won the All-Ireland Flute Championship and had a string of successes in National Fleadh Cheoil and Oireachtas. He moved to Dublin in the mid 1960’s where he started playing in the music scene and became acquainted with Paddy Moloney. He was invited to join The Chieftains in 1979. During the burgeoning folk scene of the 1970’s, Matt was a founding member of the famous folk group, The Bothy Band. After the Bothy Band, Matt appeared briefly with the reformed group, Planxty. 

Born in London, but living in Boyle for over 25 years, John Carty has established himself among the elite of Irish traditional musicians. With three solo fiddle albums, two banjo albums, two group albums, and a sprinkling of recorded tenor guitar and flute music recordings under his belt, John Carty’s musical prowess has grown to great heights. He is also a member of the bands ‘At the Racket’ and ‘Patrick Street’. Most recently, John arranged and played all the traditional music elements in the film Brooklyn. 

Lisa Knapp & Gerry Diver 

Lisa Knapp has carved a unique space in the British folk scene with her inventive interpretations of traditional songs and original compositions. Her 2007 debut album Wild & Undaunted earned her three nominations at the BBC Folk Awards, setting the stage for her influential role in folk music. With later releases like Hidden Seam (2012) and Till April is Dead (2017), Knapp continued to earn widespread acclaim, including a BBC Folk Award for her original song “Two Ravens.” (featuring Martin Carthy). London born and bred, Knapp’s contributions extend far beyond recorded works. She’s appeared in celebrated collaborations, such as the Arcadia live soundtrack performance with Adrian Utley (Portishead) and Will Gregory (Goldfrapp) at the London Barbican. She is also known for performing the theme for children’s TV show WolfBlood and her lyrical, brilliant The Shipping Song, inspired by the shipping forecast – a theme she later explored in her own BBC Radio 4 documentary. Born in Manchester to an Irish family, 

Gerry Diver has made a name for himself as an innovative composer, producer, and virtuoso. His acclaimed Speech Project, described by Christy Moore as ‘essential listening’ blended iconic Irish voices into powerful, evocative music. Featuring collaborations with legends including Shane MacGowan and Christy Moore as well as reworkings of Margaret Barry, the project boldly reimagined Irish heritage for a contemporary audience. Diver has co-scored major projects including BBC 2 series ‘Death and Nightingales’ and the feature film ‘Pixie’ (with David Holmes). His career includes work with The Good, The Bad & The Queen, Tom Robinson and Sir Ian McKellen. Praised for his inventive production work, his production work has received praise for its ingenuity, and his performances are described as “a flash of fire from a fiddler’s heart” by Professor Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin.