Text by Michael Cobb
Photo by Anna Colliton

On Sunday, March 13, at 5 p.m., the Norfolk Library will present an entertaining evening of traditional Irish music with the help of Irish duo The Murphy Beds—plus a few fabulous “Friends.” The group features guitarists and singer-songwriters Eamon O’Leary and Jefferson Hamer, both internationally recognized Irish musicians. They will be joined by Brenda Castles on concertina and vocals, Joey Abarta on uilleann pipes and Liz Hanley on fiddle and vocals. The repertoire consists of classic and original folk songs with a carefully wrought interplay of voices and strings. 

O’Leary grew up in Dublin, where he absorbed traditional music. He moved to New York in the early 90s and immersed himself in the city’s traditional Irish music scene, where he met Hamer. The pair have been performing together for several years and share a love for collecting, arranging and performing songs from Irish, American, Scottish and English traditions. In 2012, they recorded their debut album “The Murphy Beds” in New York City. They have performed and collaborated with artists across the folk spectrum including Beth Orton, Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, Anais Mitchell and Sam Amidon. 

O’Leary has taught at many traditional music programs around the world in addition to recording and performing original music. His last solo record, “All Souls,” was released in 2018. 

Concert programming at the Norfolk Library happens largely through the energy and enthusiasm of staffer Eileen Fitzgibbons with the assistance of the director and a volunteer events committee. As an Irish American, Fitzgibbons was raised with a love of traditional Irish music. Every year, she programs Irish music at the library in anticipation of St. Patrick’s Day. “All four of my grandparents were from Ireland, so Irish music is in my soul,” she says. “My parents would have it playing on all the special occasions and always on Sunday.” 
But Fitzgibbons’s taste is not limited to one particular genre, and she has brought notable performers of all types to the Norfolk Library over the years. When she first started organizing concerts at the library, she realized that world music had never graced its halls, so she brought in Japanese drumming, Brazilian dance, Irish storytellers and jazz. “But it seemed that when we booked Irish music, the crowds were big,” she recalls. “When the Norfolk Historical Society did their exhibit ‘Irish Families in Norfolk’ in 2014, it became clear to me we had reason in Norfolk to celebrate the Irish. That’s when we started really decorating the Great Hall and offering Irish ale and soda bread. We found folks from all over Connecticut and Massachusetts would come to these concerts and were very generous in the donation box.” 

Fitzgibbons discovered The Murphy Beds while planning the Greenwoods Puppet Festival in 2019. Her friend Elizabeth Kobes Halley introduced her to Eamon O’Leary, who collaborates with other musicians. “We invited The Murphy Beds a couple of years ago. He has a knack for gathering a class act of players,” says Fitzgibbons.  

The library started holding regular public concerts in 2000 and organized classical concerts several times a year. “We decided to book an Irish folk concert every March. I used an agent for Celtic music for a few years to get to know the players. We invited Teada, Runa, Girsa and Goitse,” Fitzgibbons remembers. “I love offering traditional Irish music at the library. The music is ancient and entertaining. I enjoy how folks of all ages come together in the Great Hall to share time together. And of course, it’s a nod to my ancestors.”

The library’s tradition is to serve Irish beer and soda bread with toppings, but given the recent risks of the Omicron variant, they are opting for a more cautious approach. The concert will proceed without the party, but Fitzgibbons had an Irish inspiration: “Instead, we have decided to offer our guests a ticket for a drink at the pub at half price, so they can party at the Norfolk Pub!” 

Information on tickets and event details can be found at norfolklibrary.org.