Raymond McCullough {:-{> the band



	*Raymond McCullough* Author, media producer, radio & podcast host and Celtic folk/rock singer/songwriter

T H E B A N D

Kelly Fitzpatrick is Raymond’s eldest daughter. Both she and her sister, Connaire, have accompanied Raymond off and on since 1993, when for three weeks they performed in town centres and other venues all over the south of Ireland, using a rented mobile coffee-shop bus – the ‘Tea Trawler’ - in a show called, ‘Let the Flame Burn!’.

Kelly is a professional photographer and took the shots shown in the Gallery. She is also an aspiring keyboard player with a Diploma in Media Studies, from Belfast Metropolitan College – with a focus on TV production and camera work – and a Degree in Professional Development. At present, she works full time in administration.

Connaire McCullough is Raymond’s younger daughter, and has also been performing since 1993, when both girls also took part in an all-Ireland tour of music, mime and dance called, ‘Bridge the Gap’. Later that same year, the girls accompanied Raymond to Israel, when they performed in Jerusalem, Tiberias, Haifa and Tel Aviv.

Connaire, an accomplished writer and poet, graduated from Queen's University, Belfast, in English and Drama, completed a course in Newspaper Journalism (2005) and another course in Media Production, leading to placement with BBC Northern Ireland. She is currently learning guitar and drums while working with the BBC in Belfast.

Guest musicians on the Into Jerusalem album:

Niall McClean, Bangor, Co. Down is a peripatetic (travelling) music & violin teacher and one mean fiddler! Niall comes from a gifted family of fiddlers and other musicians and also regularly plays/tours with Brendan Monaghan. He has some of his own music available on CD.

Davy Hamilton comes from Bangor, Co. Down. He plays Irish flute, (wooden flute); tin whistle, low whistle and other whistles; bodhran, bongoes, djembe, etc.

He has performed in such prestigious venues as Belfast’s Ulster Hall, City Hall and the Europa Hotel; as well as at pubs, festivals, etc. all over Ireland. He has also travelled and performed in Cyprus, (St. Patricks Day events this past five years); and in Spain, and in Germany.
(Davy passed away in October 2016).

George Eggleston lives in Co. Roscommon. He plays the Uilleann pipes, whistle, low whistle, accordion and mandolin and puts in an appearance at many an Irish music session.

We also had accordion on some songs from John Walker, from Newtownards, who plays around Belfast/North Down and has also been known to lead worship in the Belfast area.