Welcome to the website for Celtic band Govannen.

Concerts and Special Occasions
Govannen can help make any occasion special. Songs to rouse the room, or delicate slow airs so suit the mood. Govannen can kick up a storm or provide just the right mellow ambience for quieter events.

Ceilidhs
Govannen are the perfect choice for Ceilidhs and barn dances for weddings, functions and parties with our wonderful dance callers.

"Govannen play with passion, artistry and an easy going good humour, each in good measure for a night to remember" - Time Out

Although rooted in Irish music, Govannen have a number of different sides to their music.
You might catch them...

* At a festival
* Playing at a wedding,
* At an art centre,
* Belting out the old songs in a pub.
* Recording an atmospheric Celtic music album.
* With a dance caller playing the music at a ceilidh dance.

Kidney Care Appeal Barn Dance featuring Govannen and caller will be at the Charles Wilson Building, Leicester University on Friday 9th March at 8pm.

Tickets are £12 and can be ordered from :
Dionne in the Renal Unit, LGH (tel 258 4204, Dionne.deakin@uhl-tr,nhs.uk)
Tricia in he MSB, University of Leicester (tel 252 2952, pgh6@le.ac.uk)

We will also be running a raffle and we will be pleased to receive donations of suitable items for prizes.

This is one of our few non private party ceilidhs and we always have great fun at it plus it's great cause as we know first hand from our occasional bassist Neil Segrott who had a kidney transplant last year.

We are excited to tell you that the song "Queen of the May - The Congress" from the album "Celtic Fire" was nominate for a Celtic Radio Music Award in 2011.
Would you vote for us? You'll have to register and sign-up for a Celtic Radio member account to vote.

To place a vote, please visit the following link:
http://www.celticradio.net/php/celtic_radio_awards.php?year=2011
Online Awards to be announced on St. Patrick's Day!
THANK YOU!!

Govannen is starting work on recording a new studio album for Paradise Music. had to be replaced and new software installed etc.
Christo started work on 2 tracks and Dan recorded a session adding bodhran and percussion on one of them...

The annual Govannen Christmas Bash at the Kirby Twins Acoustic Club was great as always - 75 people crammed into Kirby Bellars village hall with their own picnics and drinks. Dave Kirk joined us on Wild Mountain Thyme and Cathy Lesurf joined us for the haunting Drive The Cold Winter Away. Cathy also brought the Framework Choir who played a festive set of songs.
Govannen played a very tight set, occasionally incorporating carols into the jigs & reels.
After travelling all over thru the year, playing our Christmas Bash at Kirby Twins always feels like coming home.
See photos here

December 2011
Nottingham Ceilidh - gig report
Govannen ceilidh caller Cathy Lesurf organised a winter ceilidh. Govannen heloed form part of a 7 piece band (Govannen 4 piece plus drums, accordian and Neil Segrott on bass) to a packed hall in the Polish Eagle Club in Nottingham.

Chris Conway's Celtic Dreamer CD is now out!
It's an ambient Celtic album designed for relaxation and features Govannen's Adele & Dan on 2 tracks.
Following the Irish myth of Caer Ibormeith - the princess who becomes a swan every alternate year, how she haunts Aengus' dreams and his search for her.
Read all about Celtic Dreamer here

November 2011
Mostly weddings and functions for Govannen recently including for a convention of opticians in a log cabin in the woods... .
We also played at a lovely Harvest Festival Supper at Glooston Village Hall - we were fed some lovely homemade food - yum!

Neil Rabjohn took his first ceilidh as caller for a wedding gig - he did great and he's keen to do more.

November sees us back in some pubs in Ab Kettelby, Hickling, Bourne....

Recording
Dan & Adele recorded on 2 tracks for Chris's Celtic Dreamer album
Chris Dan & Adele recorded on a track for Emmy Award winning singer-songwriter Bob Cheevers

Govannen hope to start work on their next studio album soon.

October 2011
Quite a busy September for Govannen and we had some stonking gigs - see photos below.

Joules Yard, Market Harborugh - great to return to one of our favourite venues - we got a standing ovation. Alsoi we have been featured ina painting commisioned by the owner - you can see us playing in the painting of the yard. :-) see photos

Melton Beer Festival - big crowd in the cattlemarket - we made a lot of new friends and had many equiries for bookings.

Methodist Church in Bourne Lincolnshire - a really nice theatre-style gig on a stage. Felt really posh and we had a great time.

Recording -
Govannen convened to do some recording
1. - they recorded on a track for Emmy award winning singer songwriter from Austin Texas, Bob Cheevers .
2. Dan & Adele recorded on 2 tracks for Chris's next new age Celtic album "Celtic Dreamer" for the Paradiser Music label.

September 2011
1. gigs
We had a nice surprise gig at The Musician in Leicester opening for Irish legend Davey Arthur. We hadn't played a stage concert for a while. We concetrated on tunes but also played Dan's Snow & The Fire & Chris's Long Day's Waiting.

2. recording
Ideas are coming together for Celtic Earth which we've had the go-ahead for. Still only at the planning stages.

July 2011
1. gigs
2 nice gigs in July -
1. a charity concert at Market Harborough Rugby Club on Fri 1st - tkts £10 include burger/hot dog. In aid of Friends of St Dionysis.
2. Smiths Beer Festival - in Bourne on Fri 8th.

We had a fun time at Melton Country Fayre in June - made lots of chums and sold lots of CDs playing in the beer tent on the hottest day of the year.

2. new CD thoughts.
Now Chris has finished his new songs cd Time Traveller (which feature all the Govannen team sprinled thru the album) , thoughts are slowly turning to recording a new album - some ideas are floating about - one is for a really ambient one, another is for an electro-beaty one. Chris had an idea that as we'd done Healing Waters & Celtic Fire that we ought to finish the series and do Celtic Air & Celtic Earth - would these be names of the ambient and beaty albums?

March 2011
Just one gig for Govannen in Feb - a private birthday party at a tennis club - we were a 4-piece agin and great to play together again. March is the usual annual madness that is St Patricks Month as we tour the villages with our St Patricks Night show.

Kidney Care Benefit Barn Dance , Leicester - Fri 11th March
A rare public ceilidh and for a cause close to our hearts (our occasional bandmate Neil Segrott is on dialysis) takes place on the 13th March at the Leicester General Hospital Sports & Social Club - follow this link for details. Should be a fun night.

Ceilidhs
Govannen also can provide Ceilidh Dances with our expert dance callers John McDonald and Cathy Lesurf for weddings, functions and parties. The focus on our ceilidhs is fun and informality - dance experience is not necessary and our caller on the night will clearly guide you through the steps.

...and when you've had enough Ceilidh dancing...
As a break from the Ceilidh dancing or as a great way to round the evening off, Govannen can play a range of Celtic and popular songs for everyone to have a bop.

"Thank you so much – I had such a great time.  Everyone loved you – the mix of music was perfect. Thank you all so much for a really memorable evening" - Donna, Bedfordshire

"Just wanted to say a really huge thank you to Govannen for the live music at our party.
It was a fantastic night - everyone throroughly enjoyed themsleves and the band contributed immensley to the atmosphere and fun we all had. They were brilliant in every way. Discreet setting up, flexible in their timing and responsive to the moods and tastes of our guests. I received so many positive comments about the night and most mentioned how impressed they were with the quality of the musicians. There was a splattering of Irish among the guests too, who enjoyed every minute! The band played some great choices of music and certainly got everyone up on the dance floor, which is what I had hoped for." - Sally and Andy, Rutland

"We just wanted to say a big thank you to you and the rest of Govannen for helping to make our wedding day so special. Everybody loved the band and the music/dancing was everything we wanted and more" - Jo & Dan, Rutland.

"We are back from honeymoon now and I just wanted to thank you for making our wedding so special. We have had so many people tell us how great they thought you were" - Emma, Leicestershire

"I wanted to get in touch and say thank you again for the fantastic music & service you provided during our wedding .... was really pleased at how much everyone enjoyed the music, and the dancing - we have had lots of positive feedback. John deserves a medal I think for managing to whip everyone into (some sort! of) shape. We had a lovely day, but you definitely made our evening." Heather & Tim, Bedfordshire

Dan Britton
Chris Conway
Chris Conway & Dan Britton page
Oblong Music
Paradise Music

for bookings please contact...
DGMusic Agency
Bandsandmusicians agency
Counties Folk Agency