The Sessionists Summer Jam

Join our resident ICC Sessionists for a summer showcase.

The band was formed from our regular players who all learnt music at the ICC. Now they want to share with you what they have been practicing. 

All ticket donations will go to the ICC's Music and Community programme.

Meet the Band:

Philip Cashin

Philip Cashin was born and raised in Dublin. Coming from a musical family, it was natural he would carry on in their footsteps. Philip is a ballad singer/guitarist whose main influences are the Luke Kelly(who lived a street away) and Tommy Makem and the Clancy Brothers. A stalwart of the ICC sessions, Philip had the pleasure of performing for His Majesty, King Charles when he visited the Irish Cultural Centre last year. Philip founded The Sessionists in 2022.

Alex Markham

Alex is multi-instrumentalist, producer and composer from the Lake District. He started coming to the ICC in 2017 to watch concerts (the first one being Dervish) and subsequently became a regular at the Friday trad sessions.

Ali Monaghan

Ali is a former classical violinist turned fiddle player, from New York City. She’s been taking lessons with resident fiddler Michael Sweeney at the ICC since 2017, and regularly attends the Friday trad sessions.

Conor Patterson

Starting his Irish Trad Journey 10 years ago with the legendary Brendan Mulkere, he has played in many ceili bands with many accomplished musicians. Only in the last two years has he started playing in the Friday Trad and has integrated well with the community.

Ciaran Patterson

Ciaran started playing the Tenor Banjo roughly 2 and a half years ago starting off with Karen Ryan at the Camden Irish Centre and then moving to lessons with Mick O’Connor at the ICC in Hammersmith where he was introduced to the Friday night sessions, found work and made friends.

Lydia Whitehouse

Lydia is a fiddle player from London, where she is also studying Music at university. Starting the violin over ten years ago, she pursued trad music alongside her classical teaching, learning through attending sessions and regularly practising trad music with her uncle, another musician. She first came to the ICC in 2021 to take part in their Friday evening sessions.

David Kelly

David is a Dublin born husband, dad of 3 and English teacher who has reinvigorated his Irish roots after passing by the ICC window in 2019. His newfound addiction to session music led to 2 years of Irish guitar backing and Bodhrán lessons with Tad Sargent, and singing at weekly Friday sessions at the ICC. He came for the music and stayed for Mick O’Connor’s dad jokes.