The crème de la crème of the Irish traditional music scene will come together at a concert next weekend to mark the first anniversary of the death of a remarkable woman.

The Maeve Joyce Memorial Concert, taking place on Saturday week, January 17, at the Galway Bay Hotel in Salthill, will see renowned musicians including Frankie Gavin and Máirtín Ó Connor take to the stage to honour Maeve who, for over 20 years, was at the helm of the famous Crane Bar in Galway City’s West End alongside her husband, Mick Crehan.

The concert has been organised by Mick to remember his late wife, but also to raise funds for Galway Hospice whose care for Maeve in her last months he says was truly ‘extraordinary’.

“The Hospice care started coming in from the beginning of September [2024]. You hear about what they do for people but you don’t actually realise how extraordinary they are and what they do until you experience it yourself,” says Mick.

Galway Hospice enabled Maeve to remain at home for the end of her life and while providing her with the care she needed, their staff and volunteers also gave the family with much-needed support too.

Maeve’s death last January came after a six-and-a-half-year brave battle with cancer, throughout which Mick says she maintained her vivaciousness and joie de vivre – and a remarkable level of strength, despite the challenges she faced.

Maeve, who lived in the Claddagh and was a native of Foxford in County Mayo, worked in Galway Chamber for over 20 years, going on to become its General Manager – a role which she departed from after her cancer diagnosis.

Maeve’s loss is immeasurable for Mick and for her daughter, Sarah, and her adored grandson, Tommie. But the fondness with which she is remembered is a huge source of comfort, he says.

The calibre of the musicians who have agreed to perform at her memorial concert exemplifies the esteem in which she was held.

The lineup includes Máirtín O’Connor and Cathal Haydan; Matt Molloy; Frankie Gavin and Catherine McHugh; and Seán Ryan, Kathleen Loughnane and Cormac Cannon. Joining them will be the Crane House Band.

■ A limited number of tickets for the Maeve Joyce Memorial Concert remain available on Eventbrite.

Caption: Mick Crehan…concert will raise funds for ‘extraordinary’ Galway Hospice.

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