Renowned Wrafter Family Band record Offaly poet and lyricist's tune

THE Wrafter Family Band have announced the forthcoming release of a brand new single, set to be the first original offering from the famed Kilbeggan group. The song, titled 'That Tune', was written by Offaly poet and songwriter Anthony Sullivan, and is pencilled in for a release to radio and across all streaming and download platforms early in 2025.

Some fans of the Wrafters, however, will have the opportunity to hear the song in person before then,when the band return to the stage of the Tuar Ard Arts Centre in Moate for their Christmas concert, Christmas with The Wrafter Family Band - A Seasonal Celebration, on December 13th.

"We've had some brilliant and lovely evenings playing in the Tuar Ard over the last few years", observed band-leader Peter in looking ahead to both the concert and the single's January release, "so we couldn't think of anywhere better for the first performance of this song."

Peter continued, "This single, 'That Tune', is a big moment for us, as the first time that we've recorded and released a song that's going out into the world for the very first time, and a song that will be doing that with our name attached to it. But it's something that we're all very excited about, to be honest. It feels like the obvious next step for us, and it feels like the right moment to take that step too. When Anthony sent us on the song, there was just something about it that both myself and the two lads, Conor and Thomas, were drawn to straight away. There are some songs that just make you want to play them, but then they make you want to play them for others to actually hear. And this is one of those songs. Since we made the decision to go into the studio with it, the whole family - Noreen and Aimee, as well myself and the two lads - have been working away on putting a 'Wrafter Family Band' stamp on it. And it will be a proud moment for us when we get to play it in front of an audience for the first time."

The song's writer, Lusmagh poet and lyricist Anthony Sullivan, is also looking forward to December's Tuar Ard concert, and the general release of That Tune some time in January.

"'That Tune', almost as soon as I'd written it and listened back to it a couple of times, I could hear the Wrafters playing it. So when Peter came back to me after I'd sent it onto him and told me that they really liked it, that was just a wonderful moment. It's a love song essentially, but one that's tinged with a little bit of regret, enough to make it bittersweet in a way. And that kind of a lyric, or story, when paired with a folk/country fusion musically, just works so well. Throw in the talent that runs right through the Wrafter Family Band, and this becomes such an exciting project to be involved with. It's really an honour for me to have the Wrafters record 'That Tune', and I think it will be quite a powerful and emotional moment when they play it in the Tuar Ard next month."

The Wrafter Family Band came to national attention on St. Patrick's night in 2017 when they charmed the country with a performance on The Late Late Show. Since then, they've gone on to perform in Leinster House, at the G.P.O., and on TG4, sharing stages with household names like Nathan Carter, The High Kings, George Murphy, The Fureys, Johnny McEvoy, Finbar Furey, and more. They also released their debut EP, The First Verse, in 2019.

~ Tickets for Christmas with The Wrafter Family Band - A Seasonal Celebration, are one sale now , from www.tuarard.ie, or by calling the Tuar Ard box-office on 090-648 2042. Tickets are also available from www.universe.com/events. For more information on The Wrafter Family Band, including details on the release of their forthcoming new single, 'That Tune', check out www.thewrafterfamilyband.com, and follow the band on Facebook and Instagram.