The band

Photo: Maaike Schotsman 2008

The musicians of Kilshannig are (from left to right):

With their substantial repertoire, Kilshannig tries to give an overview of the large variety of traditional Irish music, both in ballads and in tunes. However, contemporary music (though modelled upon tradition!) as well as music from other Celtic regions are also represented. In addition, the singing of Kilshannig is characterized by their polyphonic performance of ballads, all after own arrangements.

Kilshannig is an official non-profit association. The band has a fully equipped PA-system (digital Roland M-400 V-Mixer, JBL EON powered speakers and Dynacord AM12 monitors), suited for pubs and smaller concert halls. However, whenever possible the band prefers to perform without amplification. 

For additional information and bookings, please contact us via e-mail, 
or phone +31 (0)228 563869 (Jan or Maria Postma). A contract form will be sent to you upon request.

More about the members of Kilshannig

Photo's: Maaike Schotsman 2008

has his roots in bluegrass music, but changed without catch to the Irish folk of Buskers in 1985. 
Both with his baritone voice and his double-bass or bass guitar he forms the basis of the sound of Kilshannig. During instrumental tunes he generally plays the bodhrán.

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joined Buskers in 1988 as singer/guitar player. He is now one of the driving forces of Kilshannig and definitively the most Irish-looking member of the band. 
With his characteristic voice he markedly contributes to the sound of Kilshannig, in lead as well as in background vocals.

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started playing and singing Irish music when he joined Buskers in 1985. His sonorous tenor now forms the trademark of Kilshannig. He is at his best when singing sensitive ballads. 
He generally accompanies ballads on guitar, and tunes on Irish bouzouki or, occasionally, on bodhrán. In addition, he is responsible for the musical arrangements of most of the ballads and tunes on the bands repertoire.

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Laura Schuit

plays violin from childhood and came in touch with Irish music when she was only 15 years of age. Lessons from Jack Schroevers made her a "Donegal style fiddler" and summer 2008 she decided to join Kilshannig

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Louis Kouwets

became involved in Irish music through his elder brother Frans in the early 90's of last century. 
Sessions in O'Ceallaigh Irish Pub in his former hometown Groningen induced him to buy his first bodhrán in 1996, and an anglo-concertina in 1999. He also plays a variety of low and tin whistles, and he likes to sing as well! 
He took the opportunity to join Kilshannig in early 2005.

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More about our instruments and amplification

Some of the items in this section are linked to their respective internet sites!

Guitar

During gigs, Frans used to play a Takamine EN25C guitar with built-in amplification. The CD-recordings were made with a Gibson G50, and with a nylon stringed Zen-On guitar (listen to "The City of Chicago" on our second album "our chief delight"). 
Rob changed his old Ibanez years ago for a nice but relatively unknown, amplified K. Jairi guitar. 
However, in 2001 the band bought two beautiful jumbo-sized Lowden guitars: Frans plays a 010 and Rob a 012 model (see the photograph below). Both are stringed with a set of 0.12 strings (Rob prefers those of Elixir) tuned in the classic tuning EADGBE. However, a workshop on accompanying Irish music in DADGAD tuning, given by Ed Boyd from Flook!, set them thinking...

Frans en Rob with two brand-new Lowden guitars, preparing for their gig at the 3rd Vlaardingen festival in 2001. The small black clip at the rim of the sound-hole, near the neck, indicates the position of the microphone inside the body

Bouzouki

Inspired and enraptured by the playing of De Dannan member Alec Finn at a festival in Zwolle in 1985, i.e. shortly after he joined Buskers, Frans bought himself a Greek-style, 8-string EKO bouzouki, which can be heard on their album "Kilshannig" (see also the photograph on the "Buskers" page). It was tuned GDAE. 
 

Ten years and lots of problems with stringing and tuning later, he changed it for a "Celtic" Sherwood bouzouki, tuned GDAD. This had a big impact on the repertoire and the sound of the band, now in the new line-up of Kilshannig, as can be heard on their album "our chief delight".

Finally, in 2001 he bought a very nice long neck, arch top, "signature" Fylde bouzouki, which now is his standard instrument during gigs. This bouzouki, too is provided with the PM-system of Jan Verweij (see above).

Frans playing his Fylde bouzouki at the 3rd Vlaardingen Festival, November 2001

Bass

Depending on the setting, Jan plays double-bass or acoustic bass guitar. After some minor problems with his previous instruments (after all, the old double-bass appeared NOT to be of a foldable model), he now has a Russian made double-bass provided with a Fishman element, and an Aria bass guitar, made fretless and amplified by, again, Jan Verweij (see above). 

Jan playing his Aria bass guitar 
during a rehearsel with Kilshannig 
(photo Maaike Schotsman, March 2005)

Jan playing the double-bass at a gig 
in "Koogerkerk", Oktober 2000

Whistles

Louis has an ever-growing collection of Chieftain low whistles, Susato whistles and ordinary and tunable tin whistles (see also www.burkewhistles.com).  

Anglo-concertina

Louis playing his concertina

Bodhrán

Jan used to play a tunable bodhrán handmade by Brendan White, amplified with a Shure drum microphone (see photograph). A similar single-skin bodhrán is occasionally played by Louis.

Jan playing bodhrán at the 2nd Vlaardingen festival in 2000. The bodhrán in the foreground at that time was played by Frans who bought it at Waltons in Dublin in 1994; maker unknown.

Jan playing his favourite bodhrán. Note the mechanisms
at the inner side of the rim to tune the skin