Packed house for Athlone singer's 'Folk & Harvest' church concert

By Rebekah O'Reilly

There was a packed house at St Mary’s Church of Ireland in Athlone on Monday of this week as folk singer Eva Coyle returned to her home town for a special evening of music, poetry and visual art.

More than 150 people attended the 'Folk & Harvest' concert, which brought together an impressive collective of local and international artists for an evening celebrating the harvest season and the creative spirit of Athlone.

Eva was joined by award-winning Flemish accordionist and composer Hartwin Dhoore, while local spoken-word poet Sinéad Byrne Canning added poetry to the programme. Musicians Bean Dolan, Seán O’Dálaigh and Stephen Shanley also featured during the evening.

The historic church was further transformed by a harvest-themed visual art installation from local artists Aoife Doolan and Grace Austin, adding to the warm and atmospheric setting.

The concert continued the artistic direction explored by Eva on her latest album, A Gentle Turning, which she previously described as “an exploration of the quieter moments in life”, encouraging listeners to “slow down and sit with the music”.

That reflective quality was carried into the live performance, with the evening offering audiences an opportunity to pause and connect through music, poetry, tradition and shared experience.

Following the success of the concert this week, Eva has said she would love to see 'Folk & Harvest' develop into an annual event in Athlone.

The singer also highlighted the strength of the local arts community, saying “beautiful things happen when we come together”.

The event comes at an exciting time for Eva, whose A Gentle Turning instrumental album has also received an award nomination for Album Of The Year - Intrumental Album at the 12th annual Josie Music Awards taking place in the home of country music, Nashville, on Sunday, September 20. The Athlone musician has been invited to the ceremony in the famous Grand Ole Opry next month.