The Isle of Wight folk music community has lost two much-loved performers this month.
Maureen Shaw
Maureen had many talents. She wrote and performed poetry, especially traditional Irish poetry. Her style was lively and engaging. She loved dancing, performing her Sailor’s Hornpipe before large audiences at the close of each Yarmouth Sea Songs and Shanties Festival. She enjoyed singing with Shalfleet Shanty Singers. Maureen, with her husband Malcolm, regularly supported several folk nights, folk clubs and numerous other events. She was always quick to welcome newcomers and make them feel at home. Her kind encouragement of performers was appreciated by so many.
Maureen’ s happy smile will be so sadly missed. Our deepest condolences go to Malcolm and to all her family.
David A. Ballard
David sadly lost his battle with Parkinson’s this week. He was a keen performer and writer, as recently as the end of June he took part in a show at Quay Arts. David wrote some lovely gentle, thoughtful, introspective songs. He also wrote many funny and down-to earth songs and poems for children. Excerpts from his book ‘ Grandma’s Roller Skates and Other Silly Poems’ always went down very well with children of all ages at folk gatherings!
It is so sad to think that such a talent is now lost. Again, deepest condolences to Hazel and to all David’s family.
Monday 22 Steve Love and Sea Gels Shanty Band perform at Carnaby’s, opposite to Ventnor main town car park. A FREE Ventnor Fringe event.
From Tuesday 23 to Thursday 25 Andy Roberts presents Boulevard Days at the Pier St. Playhouse, 13.00 to 14.00. Tickets £8-10 from Ventnor Fringe Box Office https://bit.ly/3Wz0pxe
Medieval Tales – Stories with Harp is at Babushka Books, Shanklin, with storyteller Monty, on Thursday 4th at 7pm. £7, booking essential. 07511 220038/01983 652880
A special event for Pride takes place on Sunday 14. Merry and Gay Folk Club, Bar 74, Union St. Ryde, 17.00 to 19.00. Song and spoken word plus A History of Queer Folk Song. Audience and performers welcome.
Re: Folk themed IW Mardi Gras Carnival project for 2025. The exact title has not been chosen yet.
This is a quick alert about a project which could be very useful as a way of interesting younger people in folk culture. IOW Mardi Gras is a big summer parade involving children and young people. As well as the parade, there are workshops and pop-up performances so opportunities for dance, drama, instruments and perhaps song. In addition, there is ‘Merry and Bright’, an illuminated carnival in winter. We don’t have the dates for either yet.
The project director, Hannah Ray, contacted folkonwight (Debbie Wyke and John Bentley) and Steve Baker with a view to picking our brains, she has now asked us to spread the word so that anyone with interest/ideas/skills can offer to get on board. Hannah plans to write up information about the project in the near future, this mail is just a preliminary to get everyone thinking.
John and Debbie plan to use our folk club lists to circulate this, also Facebook, so you may get it more than once. Please forward the mail to anyone who might be interested. Thanks.
The results of our brainstorming of possible items which might be of use is below. We hope you will be able to add more. Hannah seems to be particularly in favour of Isle of Wight connections – eg evidence of early morris revival here and calendar customs
Please look at the website above if you are not familiar with what the events involve. Then, if you have useful information, could teach dances, have more ideas to add to the preliminary brainstorm etc please send an email to folkonwight@aol.co.uk in this format.
Title Re: Folk themed IW Mardi Gras Carnival project
Your name
Your email
Your ideas. How you could help. Information. Photographs etc
Apologies if this all sounds very formal. But it is essential to keep our workload down to a minimum. This format will be easy to share and avoid a lot of retyping. If you can send ideas etc within a couple of weeks that would really help. Thanks in advance as individual replies may not be possible.
Our brainstorming – this is what we thought of so far
Customs recorded or currently or recently practised on the island are marked *
Seasonal customs –
Christmas – Mumming *
Two scripts – 1. from WH Long Dictionary of the IoW Dialect etc.’ The Christmas Boys’
2. Modern version incorporating characters from elsewhere
Descriptions of costume in Long and photograph from Bembridge, 1930s
New Year
Wassailing* Blessing the fruit trees/ Going from house to house asking for donations into the wassail bowl. Either 12th night or 17th January (old 12th night before the calendar changed)
Plough Monday – East Anglian custom, First Monday after 6th January.
Straw bears- Tuesday after Plough Monday. Straw bears traditionally feature in carnivals in Germany
Shroving *- Shrove Tuesday Recorded on the IoW
May Day* Records exist of houses in Newport being decorated with greenery from woods
Men of Wight dance at dawn at The Longstones, also pagan groups
Maypole Dancing – photo from Bonchurch
Pace Egging – Easter
Beating the Bounds* – recorded on the Iow. At Rogationtide – around 25 April
Halloween*
Penny for the Guy – early November
Morris dancing*
Photos of girls in costume popularised by the Esperance Morris dancers show IoW was in forefront of the morris revival. Esperance first performed 1906. Photo is 1915/16, later photo around 1930.
Men of Wight*, Oyster Girls*, Moonshine Border Morris*, Mr Baker’s Dozen* are all active
Winter Wilson are at the Medina Bookshop, Cowes, on Monday 10th at 7pm. £10. Tickets Booking essential BYOB
Storyteller Holly Medland Lees presents ‘Middle Age Crisis’ – stories of drunken monks, wily women and ill-fated deals for 16+ on Thursday 6th. A bargain at only £5 including refreshments at Babushka Books, Shanklin. Booking essential- 07511220038/01983 652880
Enjoy a Barn Dance with The Caulkheads and caller at Camp Hill Clubs, Quarry Hill, Camphill, Newport, PO30 5ZA, 7pm on Friday 7th. Tel 01983 7722796 or chc5c.uk@outlook.com
On Sunday 16th there is a Special Guest Night at Quay Folk Club. A rising young star on the national folk scene, uilleann piper, whistle player and award winning singer Seb Stone is performing, with multi-instrumentalist Dave Godby in support. Quay Arts Centre, 7pm. Drop a donation in the Fez.
It is easy to forget to look in folkonwight Events regularly so I have decided to try to post more often as a reminder. Here are a few highlights for this week. Just click on ‘Read in blog’ to open the welcome page and menu for lots more. Apologies for adverts – the price of a free site.
Sun 5 The Crew at the Steam Railway Real Ale Festival, Havenstreet, 13.00 to 16.00
Sun 5 Spyglass Inn, Ventnor, 17.00 Two for Joy, 18.00 2gether in Harmony, 19.00 The Watch, 20.00 Keith & Rick, 21.00 2nd Time Around
Mon 6 Brighstone Barnacles are performing at a musical event at Three Bishops, Brighstone, time TBA also The Watch at 12 noon.
Fri 10 Barn Dance with JC & Friends, caller Ian, Isle of Wight Community Club, Cowes, 19.00. Booking essential on 01983 292238. £7.50 for non-members
Fri 10 to Sun 12 Fairest Isle Festival of early music includes a sea shanty workshop with Brighstone Barnacles at 17.30 0n Sat 11 and an ‘alehouse session’ with Barokksolistene. Website
Sat 11 Wolverton Folk and Blues Fair – poster below
Here are a few of this action-packed month’s highlights. There are many more happenings on the Events page. Apologies for the adverts – they are the price of a free site.
Wed 1 Sun up! Greet the dawn with dancing and merriment with Men of Wight at The Longstone, Mottistone. Meet in the car park at 4.30 for the walk to the stones.
Sun 5 Spyglass Inn, Ventnor, 17.00 Two for Joy, 18.00 2gether in Harmony, 19.00 The Watch, 20.00 Keith & Rick, 21.00 2nd Time Around
Fri 10 to Sun 12 Fairest Isle Festival of early music includes a sea shanty workshop with Brighstone Barnacles at 17.30 0n Sat 11 and an ‘alehouse session’ with Barokksolistene. Website
Sat 11 Wolverton Folk and Blues Fair – see poster below
Wed 15 Charity concert for Christian Aid at St Mary’s Brighstone. 6.30 for 7 with Brighstone Barnacles and Sea Gels Shanty Band
Sun 19. Quay Folk Club, Quay Arts Center, Newport, 19.00. Guests Amy Joliffe and 2nd Time Around, floor spots from Pedro Richy and Georgie Porter
Fri 24 to Mon 27 Yarmouth Sea Songs and Shanties, The Green, Yarmouth. Free, donations.
Sat 25 Music at the Gallybagger Inn, Chillerton. Noon – 2nd Time Around, 13.00 – Atomic, 14.00 – Steve Love, 15.00 – 16.00 -Left School, 20.00 Feck! Sun 26 12.00- Wight Ukers, 13.00-Ross Westrop, 14.00-The Messed Up Plucker, 15.00-16.00 Fling (David Thorpe)
It is all too easy to forget to look in folkonwight Events regularly so I have decided to try to post every week as a reminder. Here are some highlights for this week. Just click on ‘Read in blog’ to open the welcome page and menu for lots more.
2gether in Harmony
Sun 21- That’s TODAY! Celebrate St George’s Day at the Old Smithy, Godshill from 13.00 with Oyster Girls, Moonshine, Mr Baker’s Dozen and Men of Wight. The later on, Quay Folk Club, Quay Arts Centre, Newport from 19.00 has guests -2Gether in Harmony and Sea Gels Shanty Band and also floor spots from Ian Watterson and John Bentley.
On Thur 25 Tistales presents Fabulous Beasts at Lake Coffee House, 19.00. £6. Over 16s only. Don’t have nightmares, folks. For nervous types, try Wild Roses at the Star Coffee and Ale House, Ryde, 19.00-21.00
Sat 27 sees Sea Gels Shanty Band at Holy Cross Church, Binstead, 19.00. PO33 35Y Tickets are £7 from 01983 638198 or on the door. Expect some surprises.
It is easy to forget to look in folkonwight Events regularly so I have decided to try to post every week as a reminder. Just click on ‘Read in blog’ to open the welcome page and menu.
Anyone learning to play an instrument or not enjoying the breakneck speed of Isle of Wight music sessions might be interested in the event below. Tunes chosen for this session are The rope walk, The meeting of the waters, Farewell to Fuinary and The Eriskay Love Lilt. If time, add in The keel row, Summer is a comin in and Caller Herring. All these tunes are on Nigel Gatherer’s website, but copies will be available.
This month, we focus on playalong and singaround sessions. There are five Irish sessions this month, two- one relocation and a bonus session – listed below. The rest are listed in Clubs/Sessions/Folk Nights. Add in the revived ‘Irishish’ session at Cowes and a slow session in Ventnor for less experienced players, opportunities for any instrument player to enjoy.
Those who like a good singaround are also spoilt for choice this month. The much-loved Downland Traditional Folk Club re-starts in at The Sun, Calbourne on Tuesday 9th. Wold Zong has temporarily migrated from March, so meets on Sunday 7th as well as Sunday 28th. Clubs/Session/Folk Nights also has details of evening sessions at the Dairyman’s Daughter every Tuesday, The Gallybagger on the last Thursday and afternoons at The Traveller’s Joy. Have fun.
Tue 2 ‘Irishish’ playalong session at Cowes Ale House, 19.30 for 20.00
Wed 3 Irish music monthly playalong session returns to the Woodman’s Arms, 20.30
Sun 7 Wold Zong Singaround at St Pauls Church Hall, Shanklin, 19.00. £2 for hall hire.
Tue 9 Relaunch of the Downland Traditional Folk Club at The Sun, Calbourne, 19.30 Contact: thepoetonline@gmail.com Food available to order on 722711
Tue 16 Jam and Tea @ Trinity. Slow music playalong session for beginners, improvers and anyone who finds other sessions too fast, any instrument. Audience and singalong welcome. 14.00 to 16.00, Holy Trinity Church Hall, Ventnor. Refreshments available. Donation to church welcome.
Fri 26 Irish music playalong session at the Wheatsheaf Inn, Yarmouth , 20.00
NOTE: THIS PAGE IS JUST A FEW HIGHLIGHTS. FOR REGULAR EVENTS, RETURN TO MENU & CLICK ON CLUBS/SESSIONS/FOLK NIGHTS, ALSO EVENTS TO SEE ONE-OFF EVENTS AND CHANGES .
Ed Jeffares
Sad news. Ed Jeffares passed away on 29th February. Ed was a great supporter of our folk music community. He took a large number of videos and posted them onto Facebook for all to enjoy. Deepest condolences go to Norreen and all of Ed’s family.
March Music
St Patrick’s Day brings forth an array of Irish music.
Fri 15 The Hooleys Irish and Country Band at The Bugle, Brading. 20.00
Sat 16 The Crew at Goddards Brewery, Hale Common, 19.00. Booking 611011
Sat 16 and Sun 17. St Patrick’s Day celebration of Irish music with JC, Donal and Tom/ Chris Monkton Arts, Ryde, 19.00
Sun 17 St Patrick’s Day with Shtum at The Sportsman’s Rest, Porchfield, 13.00 Food available, book on 01983 530305
Sun 17 The Hooleys Irish and Country Band at The Vine, St Helens, 15.00
Sun 24 Wild Roses and friends at Bar 74, Ryde, 16.30
Sun 24 Quay Folk Club takes place a week later than usual and with a nautical theme. Guests: The Watch and newcomers East Cowes Shanty.
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