th December – 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm RICHARD HAYWARD: ROMANCING IRELAND – AN EVENING WITH MAURICE LEYDEN, JANE CASSIDY AND PAUL CLEMENTS Linen Hall Library 17 Donegall Square North, Belfast For decades Richard Hayward (1892 – 1964) was a household name in Ulster and one of Ireland’s best loved cultural figures. Local folk-singers Maurice Leyden and Jane Cassidy team up with Hayward’s biographer Paul Clements to present a show celebrating Richard Hayward’s fascinating career and contribution to the cultural life of the island of Ireland, through anecdote and folk–song.

Maurice and Jane sing Belfast songs illuminating Belfast’ industrial history interspersed with readings from local writers performed by actors from the Kabosh Theatre Company in the cool surroundings of The Banana Block – a former weaving factory which was once also used to grow bananas commercially in the early 20th century.

Thanks to the JHSS team and everyone at the Market Place Theatre Armagh for making our performance go so smoothly. It’s always a pleasure to be part of the Summer School!

Seems only yesterday we attended Andy’s 70th Birthday bash in Vicar St. Last night’s concert was superb and a wonderful night for those of us lucky enough to be in the audience. The icing on the cake was finding our old friends Bernard and Elma Kleikamp from Leiden in Holland sitting at our table and enjoyed the concert with them. Bernard organised many wonderful tours for Jane back in the 1980s.

Maurice and Jane were delighted to be invited to be part of the Armagh Pipers Club end of year singing session and spent a super evening sharing songs with old friends Brian and Eithne Vallelly and the Club’s young traditional singers. The tradition is in safe hands!

Maurice and Jane are delighted to have been invited to present their Mary Ann McCracken Show at the 2022 John Hewitt Summer School in The Market Place Theatre in Armagh. tickets available from The Market Place Theatre https://marketplacearmagh.ticketsolve.com/shows/873626723?_ga=2.37623520.1156791247.1654720242-868209064.1654720242

Maurice and Jane were delighted to be part of a lovely fusion of music and song from Ireland and Wales to celebrate the Dawn Chorus on the 1st May 2022. The programme is presented by Paddy Glackin, Donal Lunny and Lynette Fay. Maurice and Jane perform ‘The Tern and the Swallow’, ‘The Cuckoo’ and ‘The Hawk and the Crow’. You can find the programme on the RTE Player. https://www.rte.ie/radio/radio1/clips/11403345/

Jane and Maurice together with author Paul Clements will be performing their show ‘Romancing Ireland’ which celebrates the life and work of folk singer, writer, actor and film maker, Richard Hayward at Rostrevor Folk Club on Mon 25th April. Here are some pics of the trio in action at the premiere of the show at Larne Museum and Arts Centre on the 24th Feb 2022.

Maurice and Jane were joined on stage at the Sunflower Folk Club by Jane’s brother Frank Cassidy and Paddy Finney to play a selection of songs from their new ‘Linen Songs’ album. Thanks to Eileen Creen for the photos!

Maurice and Jane launched their brand new album of linen songs at the Inishowen Singing Weekend and will also launch it in Belfast at the Sunflower Folk Club, Union St, Belfast on Thurs 7th April 2022 at 9pm.