Irish eyes smiling at Banbury Folk Club night

Music fans will be entertained by The Kevin O’Regan Band, along with a traditional Irish dancer, Katie Smith. There will also be home-made Irish stew and soda bread to complement the performances.

The Kevin O’Regan Band consists of Kevin on vocals, guitar and sometimes piano, Kevin Ward on fretless bass and Rai Clews on cahon.

Kevin O’ Regan is an accomplished songwriter and one of his songs reached the finals of the 2015 UK Songwriting Contest, organised by major institutions and individuals in the music industry such as the Brit Trust. Kevin’s songs draw from his Irish background, capturing its energy, wisdom and wit, and the band’s rendition of favourite Irish traditional songs is likely to get everyone singing. All this is washed down with a large measure of Kevin’s characteristic exuberance.

The Band’s Irish Night features Irish dancer Katie Smith who was inspired by Riverdance to start dancing. She has danced with several groups including Shalayleigh Irish Dance Company in Bristol. Her main passion is performing, regularly dancing at events across the country with notable performances at London Irish Rugby, the Millennium Centre and Harrods in London.

After a relatively late start to competitive Irish dancing at the age of 18, she qualified for the World Irish Dancing Championships four times. Now retired from competitive dancing, she enjoys performing and teaching in Oxford and her home city of Bristol.

The event takes place onn Wednesday March 15. Admission costs £8 or £7 for concessions, with Irish stew and soda bread costing £4.

Tickets can be reserved, to be paid for on the door, by calling 709881 and leaving a message and contact phone number or by messaging Banbury Folk Club on Facebook.

The club usually meets every Wednesday at the Banbury Cross Inn in Butchers Row at 8 pm.

Visit www.banburyfolkclub.co.uk for more information.