First Fridays with The Leitrim Larks

The Dock is delighted to host The Leitrim Larks’ Lend an Ear session featuring special local guests who will share songs from diverse cultural backgrounds this Friday at 6pm. 

Leitrim Larks are a community-centred singing circle led by renowned traditional singer Fionnuala Maxwell. She will be joined by Daria Mazina, Yuliia Bakalova, Mohammad Syfkhan and Felip Carbonell, who will share songs and stories from international traditions.

Daria Mazina is from Kyiv, Ukraine, and is now based in Carrick-on-Shannon. She works at the Leitrim Volunteer Centre as the Engagement Officer for the local Ukrainian community. Her interests include facilitating and participating in cultural projects and activities, exploring deep folk traditions, and sharing Ukrainian culture in the local community through cultural exchanges. She participates in the Leitrim Volunteer Art Group and Carrick Tidy Town’s Art Group and is a singer of Ukrainian folk songs.

Yuliia Bakalova is from Kyiv, Ukraine and is now based in Carrick-on-Shannon. She has been a birth and postpartum doula and a passionate fertility awareness educator for over nine years. Yuliia is committed to supporting women and people with wombs throughout their reproductive years — the changes and challenges in their fertility and parenting experiences. She is a poet, songwriter and singer interested in traditional songs and folk culture.

Mohammad Syfkhan is a Kurdish/Syrian singer and bouzouki player who has lived with his wife and daughter in Carrick-on-Shannon since 2017. He began playing music in 1980 while he was in college studying nursing. When he got his degree in 1983, Mohammad moved to the city of Raqqa, Syria, where he began working as a surgical nurse, as well as a professional singer. He started his band, The Al-Rabie Band, which played concerts, parties, weddings and festivals all over Syria. The Al-Rabie Band was a much sought-after group. 

Felip Carbonell was born on the island of Mallorca, Spain and is now living in Strandhill in Sligo. He has been a full-time musician since 2005, performing solo and with several bands. He is a singer, songwriter, guitarist and general music-maker who sings mainly in his mother tongue – Catalan. Since the late 1980s, he has worked in different aspects of the music industry; he worked as an arts officer for eight years, music manager for six years, and set up a production company for four years, but always wanted to take a chance as an active musician. He has released four albums with NoCrows, one with The Vendetta Orchestra and a solo double album.

The Leitrim Larks started as a project led by traditional singer Fionnuala Maxwell in conjunction with Leitrim Heritage and supported by Creative Ireland. The project was about reintroducing Leitrim songs and ballads and celebrating our natural and unique voices. 

The Leitrim Larks’ “Lend an Ear” sessions pop up monthly in random locations throughout the county – their aim is to have an inclusive space where people can share songs, stories, written work or just listen.  

Most recently, Little Larks, a group for young singers, has been initiated to foster an appreciation for traditional singing, increase confidence levels and introduce simple traditional songs to children.

Everyone attending is also welcome to bring a song or a poem to recite. Join The Dock for an after-work session in the Jury Room café on Friday 1 March, 6–7.30pm. Book your free ticket at https://www.thedock.ie/whats-on/first-fridays-1.