March 2026

Our next guests at Folk at The Barlow, on 17 th April will be Mick Ryan and Paul
Downes. Mick Ryan and Paul Downes are a highly acclaimed British folk duo known
for their blend of traditional songs, original songwriting, and tight musical harmonies.
Combining Ryan;s distinctive baritone vocals with Downes' virtuosic string playing
(guitar, mandolin, banjo). Both performers have deep roots in the folk scene, with
Paul Downes having previously played with the Arizona Smoke Revue and has
toured with Pete Seeger. They perform a mix of traditional material and original
songs, including those from Mick Ryan’s folk operas such as The Navvy;s
Wife and The Pau;s Path. Their live shows are characterized by a warm rapport
and humour, frequently touring folk clubs and festivals across the UK. This will be a
cracking evening, so don’t miss it.
Support of Mick and Paul will be in the form of Geoff Miller who, with help from Simon
Blatchley and Nick Mallion, will present Icebound, a collection of songs from and about
the whaling trade.
Please note that this concert will begin at 7.45pm rather than our normal 8pm start. This
is to accommodate Geoff’s item which is a little longer than our normal support acts.
The next singaround at Folk at the Barlow is on Friday 3 rd April. As always, you are
welcome to come and sing or play, or just to sit and listen. We have information (from
the Bolton News) that Chapeltown Road is closed just where it becomes Wellington
Road until Friday 3 rd April, but we do not know what time it reopens.
If you’re coming to the Singaround on Friday, you might want to detour round Bradshaw Road and
Bury Road. 
 
For details of these events, booking details and future events at Folk at the Barlow,
please visit our website at www.folkatthebarlow.com We ask that wherever possible
that you book your places in advance via our website, or alternatively pay at the door
by Debit or Credit card. We will, of course, always accept cash, but if we can keep
this to a minimum it will make life much easier for us.
Rgular sessions take place at the Rose and Crown in Edgworth. Songs are on the
first Monday of each month, and tunes on the third Monday. Hence, the next song
session is on 6 th April and tunes on 20th.
There is a regular session on Tuesday evenings at The Plough, on Lee Gate in
Harwood. Contact Fiach and Amber McDonald, or Kirsty at The Plough for further
details.
On 18 th April, The Friends of Helmshore Mills present a free concert about the Power
Loom Riots of 1826. The concert tells the story of the Weavers Uprising (also known 
as the Power Loom Riots) of 1826, when thousands of people took to the streets of
East Lancashire and smashed the power-looms newly installed in mills, including
Turner;s Middle Mill at Helmshore.  Although this performance is sold out, for those
of you that missed out on tickets for the 18th April performance of The Lancashire

Loom-Breakers, there is a repeat performance on Sat 18th July 1:30pm-3:30pm at
the Museum. There are still a few tickets left for this. It is written by Nick Caffrey and
features Mark Dowding, Sid Calderbank, Ed McGurk, Nick Caffrey and others.
Tickets are free from lancsocsecretary@gmail.com but the museum always
appreciates any donation. Please don;t book unless you can definitely come. The
performers are : Sid Calderbank, Mark Dowding, Nick Caffrey, Ed McGurk,
Robin Madge, Alex Fisher and Julie Proctor. There will be song, narrative, poetry,
music and dance. The museum is always grateful for any donations of course, and
also stocks an excellent book "Riot!" by (a different) William Turner about the
uprising.
On the evening of Saturday, 18th April, Louise Rogan with Poppy Weatherall and
Jimmy Patrick, appear in an evening concert at Greenmount Church. It’s just 4 miles
from The Barlow! Doors open at 7.00pm and wine/soft drinks will be available for
purchase. Tickets for this event are available now using this link
https://wegottickets.com/event/695346/ Enquiries on 07725 647980. The evening
promises to be a wonderful night of music in a wonderful setting.
For fans of open mic style sessions, The Saggy Bottom Girls hold their events at the
Masons’ Arms in Egerton. The next one is on 15 th April, and again on the third
Wednesday of each month thereafter.
The Met, in Bury present a varied and interesting programme of related music. Visit
their website at themet.org.uk/whats-on/folk-music/ .

3.4.26 Singaround, Folk at The Barlow, 8pm
6.4.26 Song Session, Rose and Brown, Bury Road Edgworth. 8pm
20.4.26 Tunes Session, Rose and Brown, Bury Road Edgworth. 8pm
15.4.26 Folk Evening Masons’ Arms, Egerton
17.4.26 Mick Ryan and Paul Downes, supported by Geoff Miller with
‘Icebound’, Folk at The Barlow www.folkatthebarlow.com
7.45pm

18.4.26 The story of the Power Loom Riots, Helmshore Textile
Museum,  lancsocsecretary@gmail.com 1.45pm
18.4.26 Louise Rogan with Poppy Weatherall and Jimmy Patrick,

Greenmount Church, 7pm. Tickets from
https://wegottickets.com/event/695346/ Enquiries on 07725
647980.

18.7.26 The story of the Power Loom Riots, Helmshore Textile
Museum,  lancsocsecretary@gmail.com 1.30pm

Tuesday
Evenings

Song and tune session, The Plough, 157 Lea Gate. Harwood
Bolton, BL2 4BQ