Bella, Polly & the Magpies

With support from Blánid

Celtic Connections Danny Kyle Award winner Bella Gaffney (guitar, vocals) and acclaimed mandolin player Polly Bolton came together last year, fusing Celtic folk with bluegrass in an exciting new collaboration. Joined by Sarah Smout (cello) and Holly Brandon (fiddle) for 2019, this all-female four-piece is already establishing a fearsome reputation for their glittering live shows, onstage rapport and genre-busting original and traditional material.
Celtic Connections Danny Kyle Award winner Bella Gaffney (guitar, banjo, vocals) hails from Bradford. She writes folk inspired songs which she performs along with her own original arrangements of traditional pieces. Bella released her second album ‘Heaven Knows’ in the summer, and has supported folk luminaries including Jon Boden, Cara Dillon and Altan. She has appeared at festivals including Celtic Connections, Southwell Folk Festival, Bromyard folk festival, Moseley Folk Festival, Beverley Folk Festival, HebCelt and many more.
York-based Polly Bolton (mandolin, banjo, vocals) first picked up the mandolin as a child and has been touring internationally in various line ups since her early teens. She has performed at festivals including Wilderness, Boomtown Fair, Deer Shed, Festa do Avante! (Portugal), Beverley Folk Festival, Musicport, Towersey and Broadstairs Folk Week, as well as support slots with Tcha Limberger & Mozes Rosenberg, LAU and Hot Club of Cowtown. Polly is endorsed by Eastman™ (www.eastmanguitars.com)

Blánid is a talented folk singer and multi-instrumentalist hailing from Northern Ireland and Devon. With a voice that has been described as "spellbinding", "haunting" and "beautiful", Blánid attributes her love for folk music to the stories behind the songs. With her ability to connect emotionally to these stories, she breathes new life into traditional folk and embraces contemporary folk with passion.