New Breadwinners: Dublin and Longford shows before touring France

Thanks to John Denby for the latest news from the New Breadwinners - shown in the photo (l-r: John, mandolin/ vocals; Luke Coffey, 5-string banjo/ vocals; Niall Hughes, guitar/ vocals) two months ago at the Village Arts Centre, Kilworth, Co. Cork.

On 1 July the band announced that they will begin on 30 July a five-week tour of France, taking in Normandy, the Alps, and Alsace. For the northern leg of the tour they will be joined by Gab Faure (fiddle), who played with them in concert at the Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival last month.

On returning from last weekend's Athy Bluegrass Festival,* the New Breadwinners decided to record an album, and had finished work in the studio by lunchtime on Tuesday! Photos from the session can be seen here.

John now announces the band's last two gigs in Ireland before the French tour:

Wed. 22nd July: Chancery Inn, Inn's Quay, Dublin 1, 9.00 p.m. (Facebook)

Sat. 25th: The Little Blue Room at John Browne's Bar, Market Square, Longford town, support from Vincent Cross; doors 9.45 p.m. 10.00 p.m.; €5 at the door (part of Longford Cruthu Arts Festival)

* The BIB apologises for this misleading wording: the New Breadwinners, as a band, were not at the Athy festival, but a majority of their members attended it.