Kildare's links to first Planxty album celebrated in Newbridge

There was a strong sense of local pride at Dubh Café, Newbridge, on Friday night as music fans gathered to celebrate one of the most influential albums in the history of Irish traditional music: Planxty’s self-titled debut.

The special Broken Record event, held as part of Culture Night, saw broadcaster Joe Donnelly and music journalist Zara Hedderman explore the story behind the landmark 1972 album, combining an engaging and insightful conversation with music from the record itself. Their knowledge and easy rapport made for a fascinating evening, bringing the story of Planxty vividly to life.

With Planxty’s connections to Newbridge firmly established, there was an added sense of occasion as the audience revisited an album that helped transform the sound and presentation of traditional music.

The band’s four members, Newbridge natives Dónal Lunny and Christy Moore, Liam O’Flynn from nearby Kill, and Andy Irvine, each brought their own distinctive musical influences to the group.

Tracks including The Blacksmith, Junior Crehan’s Favourite, Raggle Taggle Gypsy and The West Coast of Clare provided a soundtrack to a compelling discussion about the band and the musical landscape of the early 1970s.

The presence of Dónal Lunny made the evening particularly significant. One of Ireland’s legendary musicians and a central figure in Planxty’s story, Lunny joined Joe and Zara in the conversation, offering personal recollections and first hand insights into the band, the recording and the period in which Planxty emerged. For an audience in Newbridge, hearing those memories directly from one of the musicians who helped create this extraordinary chapter of Irish musical history was a rare and special experience.

The evening continued in fitting fashion when Dónal joined members of local traditional group The Rambling for a session that will live long in the memory.

The event also highlighted a wider question about how Newbridge celebrates its remarkable musical heritage. For a town with such strong connections to important figures and moments in Irish traditional music, its musical history has arguably received far less recognition than it deserves. A look at what has been achieved in neighbouring Athy demonstrates what can be done when a town embraces and celebrates its cultural heritage.

Friday night showed there is an audience and an appetite for telling Newbridge’s musical story. Broken Record may have only planted the seeds, but events like this provide a starting point for something much bigger, a lasting celebration of the town’s rich musical heritage for future generations.

The event was organised by Broken Record, a group of local music enthusiasts hosting an ongoing series at Dubh Café. Upcoming events can be found through @BrokenRecord045 on Facebook, Instagram and Eventbrite