The Dogs of Tralee

'Alan Kelly & The Dogs of Tralee are not to be missed' (Sunderland Irish Festival)
'Traditional Irish music with a modern feel' (The Northern Echo)
The Band
The Dogs of Tralee are a band who have come a long way in a short period of time. Five of the band members are graduates of Newcastle Universities Folk and Traditional degree course and another member is a graduate of Northumbria Universities Popular Music degree. The skill, precision and enthusiasm with which these musicians perform their music is a credit to their musical skills and knowledge as individuals and as a combined group of musicians.
The group have gone from strength to strength and have the credentials to prove it. In March 2008 the group produced and recorded GUINNESS'S St. Patricks Day promotional, C.D commissioned by GUINNESS and the Diageo company, which was released on a National (U.K & N. Ireland) and European level in March 2008. The title song from the album named 'One for St. Patrick' was written by band member Alan Kelly and will be making its debut appearance on a wider scale in March 2008. The band will once again be launching another GUINNESS commissioned CD in March 2009.
The bands fusion of each of the individual members own unique playing and performing styles, combined with the performance of there own material, as well as traditional Irish music, flavours and produces a musical feeling and experience unique to this group. This is an experience not to be missed!! Keep your eyes and ears peeled for the new and improved Dogs Of Tralee.
Alan Kelly Alan (b. 1984) hails from the glorious city of Kilkenny (South East of Ireland), he comes from a very musical family led by his grandfather John. Alan has been entertaining crowds for the past ten years and is the solid Irish singing voice behind this great group. He has recently graduated from Newcastle University, where his main instrument of study was voice, with a degree in Folk and Traditional Music and is now pursuing a Masters, in performance, in the same area. His knowledge and passion for the songs that he loves really breaks through in every performance (with the aid of a good few drinks), like any true Irish man. Alan is also a talented songwriter and writes a number of contemporary Irish folk songs. The bands debut album will appear later in 2008 with a great mix of reinvented Irish traditional songs along with the groups own newly written material.Will Lang Will is one of the best young Bodhran players on the scene, has gained wide spread recognition from being a past All-Britain Champion, All-Ireland Finalist and founder member of the 'BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Awards' finalists Chillum. In addition to being in high demand on the folk circuit Will has aroused considerable interest from world musicians due to his unique Bhangra Bodhran style and has played with Mercury Music Award winning Nitin Sawhney. Will's unique approach helps create the genre-defying style of the band.
Shona Kipling Shona began playing accordion aged 11 as physiotherapy following a badly broken arm, and rapidly started winning competitions run by Comhaltas, becoming UK champion twice, and playing in three all-Ireland finals. In 2002 Shona was a finalist in the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award competition. In 2003 she was guest accordionist with the Northern Sinfonia in their production of the "Threepenny opera" and in 2004, Shona was the only female and only traditional musician out of 2000 applicants to be awarded one of the first five BBC Fame Academy Bursaries, to enable talented young musicians to develop their professional career.Paul Burns Paul (b.1983) comes from Sunderland in the North East of England where he began playing classical music at the age of six. Influenced by bands such as Planxty, The Dubliners and The Fureys to name a few, he began playing Irish Traditional music at the later age of seventeen and realised that this genre was his passion! He recently graduated with a degree in Folk and Traditional Music from Newcastle University where he was greatly influenced by musicians such as Catriona MacDonald, Desi Wilkinson and Alistair Anderson. He spent some time studying Irish Traditional Music at the University of Limerick (Rep of Ireland) where he was influenced by players such as Liz Doherty, Colin Farrell and Siobhan Peoples. Paul has performed throughout the North East of England and has taken part in various collaboration projects in Ireland and EuropeStephen Gascoigne Stephen (b.1984) born in the North East of England, Gateshead. Coming from a very musical family it was obvious from a very early age that music would play a major part in his life. At the age of six his father taught him to play the guitar which he pursued through school, college and then later onto a B,A Honours Degree in Popular Music at Northumbria University. After Graduating in 2006 Stephen headed of to Spain (Canary Islands) where he spent his time entertaining crowds on the countries renowned music circuit, gaining valuable notoriety and experience throughout. Since returning to the U.K Stephen has continued to work all over the North East and the rest of the country, this is how he became introduced to Alan Kelly and the rest of the band. Stephens Musical influences include Paul Weller, The Beatles, Oasis, John Mayer and Damien Rice.Jo Lindsay-DunnJo hails from Stockport where she started her musical involvement at the age of 7 when she took up playing the piano. She then became a member of the Fosbrooks dance team with whom she began performing at the age of 9 and gained many skills such as playing the fiddle, accordion, singing and clog dancing. This gave her many opportunities such as performing on Blue Peter then later Songs of Prasie and also taking part in the Youth Proms which led to a performance at the Royal Albert Hall. She has performed in France, Germany, Sweden and across the UK in the past and is now in her third year on the Folk and Traditional Music degree at Newcastle University.

Corporate Clients
GUINNESS / Diageo
South Parade Pier
University of Newcastle
Newcastle Falcons
Quiztime
Harvest Home Festival
Sunderland Irish Festival
Newcastle Irish Festival
Venues & Functions
The Roker Hotel
The Thistle Hotel
They Tyneside Irish Centre
The Centurion
The Diamond Inn
T.J. Doyles
The Pulman Lodge
The Opera Bar & Piano Lounge
O’ Neils Irish Chain
The Shamrox
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