Hat Fitz & Cara Robinson
HAT FITZ and CARA ROBINSON
What a combination!
One of Australia’s festival favourites and perennial showstopper Hat Fitz is now joined on stage by Northern Ireland’s critically acclaimed vocalist extraordinaire and multi instrumentalist Cara Robinson on drums, washboard, flute and tin whistle.
Recent overseas performances in 2010 have seen the duo play nearly 100 shows including some of the world’s most prestigious festivals, across England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Belgium and The Netherlands to packed houses and rave reviews before returning to Australia for the 8 week “Beauty and the Beast” CD launch tour across 5 states in October, November and December.
The Legend of FitzMulholland
Our tale begins nearly 10 generations ago in a place once known as Eire.
Twas in 1822 that Robert Fitzpatrick, the son of a poor but honest stonemason was sentenced to a life time of hard labour in recently colonised Sydney, Australia.
His crime, the theft of a duck. These were indeed desperate times.
Not only was he forced to leave his homeland but also the one great love of his life, a fair maiden from the foot of the Mountains of Mourne, Ruby Mulholland. Carrying only a small hessian sack and a lock of Ruby’s long red hair he was lead away in chains to Belfast harbour and taken to London, eventually setting sail in October, 1822, bound for Botany Bay.
Records from that period are not clear as to what may have happened to him on that journey but, alas Robert did not arrive in New South Wales. Ruby knew in her heart of hearts however that one day they would be reunited and it is said that she never gave up hope of holding her man again.
Fast forward and the year is 2008, the setting, Larry Roddy’s Castlebar Blues Festival in County Mayo, Ireland. Upon advice from his colleague Sinclair, Hat Fitz a regular performer at Byrne’s bar makes his way to Cara Robinson’s show at the TF hall and is instantly mesmerised. Likewise she also feels a strong connection although it would be many hours of deep conversation before they realise that destiny has brought them together again, for they are the descendants of Robert and Ruby, and as such the legend of the FitzMulholland is born.
A Celtic myth ? A true story ? You be the judge.
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