Altan's 25th anniversary tour date in Drogheda

Altan, celebrating 25 years, will perform live at the TLT Concert Hall in Drogheda on Saturday 22nd May. They will be supported by Ceoltóirí "ga Laighean, the Leinster Youth Group. Altan have proven to be important ambassadors of the music and culture of Ireland, so much so that they were invited to accompany President Mary McAleese on State visits to Greece, Korea and Japan. Altan were asked to play at the White House twice by US President Bill Clinton, and played again for him when he visited Ireland. In 2006, the Irish government also honoured the band by putting them on an official Irish postage stamp, one of the highest honours to bestow on any living artist in Ireland. The Chieftains, The Dubliners and Makem and Clancy were also honoured in this set of four stamps. 'Tommy Bhetty's Waltz' from their Red Crow album was featured in the oscar-winning film 'Good Will Hunting' starring Robin Williams in 1997. They have played music and recorded with The Chieftains, Dolly Parton Bonnie Raitt, Alison Krauss, and Ricky Skaggs. In 2003 they won the award for Best Group at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. In 2005, they recorded their latest studio album 'Local Ground' and like every other Altan offering it was met with positive and enthusiastic reviews. The band have gained gold and platinum status in Ireland with their record sales and have won numerous awards in the music business as one of the most popular bands playing traditional folk or world music in the world. In recent years Altan have been exploring and experimenting with their music using orchestral arrangements of their most popular pieces. The arrangements have been scored by the highly respected arranger, Fiachra Trench and have been performed with the Ulster Orchestra, The RTÉ Concert Orchestra and with the Royal Scottish Opera Orchestra. Altan will be supported by Ceoltóirí "ga Laighean when they perform live at the TLT Concert Hall and Theatre in Drogheda on Saturday as part of their 25th anniversary tour. The present Ceoltóirí "ga Laighean group consists of approximately 20 young musicians, singers and dancers who represent a wide range of counties. They are an enthusiastic group of young people who meet several times throughout the year under the musical directorship of Gary Lynch, whose dedication to the group have resulted in the success of Ceoltóirí "ga Laighean. The group has performed at numerous events, including the official opening of Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2007 in Tullamore where they received a resounding standing ovation.