TG4 Gradam Ceoil 2026 Music Group of the Year to perform at Mayo venue
Fresh from one of the greatest honours of their remarkable 41-year career, Cherish the Ladies are heading to Castlebar for a special concert at The Linenhall Theatre on Saturday night, October 10, at 6.30 p.m.
The concert comes just weeks after the internationally acclaimed ensemble was named TG4 Gradam Ceoil 2026 Music Group of the Year, recognising the extraordinary contribution Cherish the Ladies have made to Irish traditional music over more than four decades.
Founded in 1985 and led by renowned flute and whistle player Joanie Madden, Cherish the Ladies is a trailblazing, Emmy Award-winning and Grammy-nominated group that shattered barriers for women in folk and traditional music and forged an extraordinary legacy of musical excellence.
Over the past 41 years, the group has recorded 19 acclaimed albums, produced an Emmy Award-winning PBS television special, and performed thousands of concerts around the world, from some of the world's most prestigious concert halls to the Olympic Games and the White House. They have also appeared more than 300 times with symphony orchestras, establishing themselves as one of the most celebrated Irish traditional music groups in the world.
Joanie Madden has also been awarded the prestigious National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowship, the highest honour bestowed in the United States for achievement in the folk and traditional arts.
The ensemble features a world-class line-up: Joanie Madden on flute, whistles and harmony vocals; Mary Coogan on guitar; Mirella Murray on accordion; Kathleen Boyle on piano and harmony vocals; Nollaig Casey on fiddle; and Kate Purcell on lead vocals and guitar.
Adding to the excitement, world-champion Irish step dancers bring energy, artistry and athleticism to the stage. Together, the musicians and dancers create an unforgettable combination of instrumental music, song, storytelling, humour and dance that has delighted audiences around the world for more than four decades.
The Castlebar concert will feature music from throughout the group's extensive career, along with selections connected to their forthcoming 19th album, The Bridge of Dreams, which is currently being completed and will be released at a later date.
Cherish the Ladies' recent Gradam Ceoil honour marks another milestone in a career that began with a concert celebrating women in Irish traditional music in 1985 and developed into one of the longest-running and most successful ensembles in the genre.
Their Linenhall appearance promises an evening filled with great tunes, beautiful songs, spectacular dancing, plenty of humour and the unmistakable energy of Cherish the Ladies live on stage. Tickets cost €32 plus booking fee and are available by contacting the box office at the Linenhall at 094 9023733. Tickets can also be purchased here.