FAQs
What makes Onóra Irish Music Events different?
When you're looking for Irish musicfor your event, that's exactly what you get with Onóra. We are all authentic Irish traditional musicians who have played Irish music since childhood. We live and breathe it, and this is evident in our rhythm and phrasing.
How long does it take you to set up?
We arrive approximately an hour before the start time to set up the equipment. There will be minimal disruption to our event as we are respectful and efficient.
How long do céilís usually last?
For a wedding, 3x 45 minute sets is usual but it is entirely your preference. You may prefer 2x 45 minute sets if you are having alternative music afterwards. We can provide this as well. 45 minutes ensures enough time for your guests to participate but not tire too easily.
What type of music do you play?
For céilís, we play Irish traditional music. For background music this can include jigs, reels, waltzes, hornpipes etc. In terms of songs, depending on your preferences, we sing traditional Irish songs, Irish pub songs and Irish Country songs. Take a look at Our Repertoire.
How much do you charge?
This depends entirely on the line up, playing time, travel distance etc. so please make an enquiry to receive a no obligation quote.
What happens during the break?
We can play any genre of music as background music during the breaks or you can plug your phone into our system. We do offer a bespoke party service where you can combine a céilí with other music of your choice. This does take the hassle and responsibility of playing 'DJ' off your shoulders. Your bespoke playlist can then be played during the breaks and after the céilí. We can curate a personalised playlist for you to suit all of your guests. Particularly at a wedding or birthday, it is important to have music that appeals to everybody present to ensure the dance floor is filled all night long and we are adept at doing this. Take a look at our Services page for more information.
What do you wear?
Generally smart casual as musicians in particular need to feel comfortable when playing. For a wedding or funeral, we tend to dress smart.
Do the band require refreshments?
Most people usually include the musicians in their food arrangement numbers as we are usually travelling and performing over meal times. People usually offer drinks as well, which is always much appreciated!
What instruments do you play?
We play button accordion, fiddle, guitar, flute, whistle, concertina, bodhrán and banjo but we know many musicians so let us know if you have a particular instrument request.
What céilí dances do you do?
We have a range of céilí dances in our repertoire. If you have any special requests, make that known in your enquiry and we will be happy to accommodate.
Do you need parking spaces?
We appreciate parking for 2-3 cars and require somewhere close to the venue to unload and load our equipment.
Are your céilís suitable for beginners, those with SEN and/or children?
Of course. We provide a caller who will teach and lead all the dances and we have a range of dances to suit all abilities.
How much space do you need?
Roughly 1m x 2m per musician so a 4 piece band would need 4m x 2m. We can discuss this with you, if you think space might be an issue and see how we can work around it.
What if the venue has a sound limiter?
We can work around this easily and do the necessary checks and adaptations during our sound check.
What power supply is required?
We bring our own PA system but require a minimum of 2x wall sockets within 5 metres of the band set-up area.