Murfi agus a cháirde

Irish / Aussie Bush-Band

Established Darwin NT 2000

Murphy and friends are:

Sarena Wegener - flute
Caroline McNair - fiddle
Glenn Bellis - guitar and vocals
John 'Canadian John' Emsley - bass guitar
Kay Robins - vocals
Ben Boekema - vocals
Martin Goreing - lagerphone, bodhrán and vocals
Mara Dobrini - dance caller
and many guests and friends of friends of Murphy over the years...

Please contact Murphy and friends via secretary@topendfolkclub.org or phone Martin on 0488 105 044. We play weddings parties anything...

2002

Graeme 'Cowboy' Harte, Martin Goreing, Peter 'Mac' Marron,
Buz Culletin, Mic Travers and Marian Corbett

2004

Serena Wegener and Caroline McNair became Murphies...

2006

Martin Goreing (percussion & vocals), Serena Wegener (flute), Caroline McNair (fiddle),
Glenn Bellis (guitar & vocals), 'Canadian John' Emsley (bass & vocals)

Click here for more photographs of Murphy and friends

Gigs

School bush-dances at most primary schools around Darwin
Weekly sessions every Thursday evening, Dolly O'Reilly's Irish Pub Leanyer (two years)
30th & 32nd Top Half Festival Mary River Park June 2000, 2002
Friends of the Darwin Symphony Orchestra Dinner 2001
Bruce Watson Live at the Rock Concert
Deck Chair Cinema Amnesty International Benefit
Nightcliff Sunday Markets
Jesse's Wish Youth Suicide Prevention benefit, Casuarina Reserve
Darwin Entertainment Centre as Part of Top End Folk Club Big Band November
Marrara Stadium John Farnham Roving Support Act
The Rock, Doctors Gully
Raintree Park and Smith Street Mall - monthly residency
Darwin Sailing Club - monthly residency
Dinah Beach Yatch Club
Mindil Beach Markets Ampitheatre
Trailer Boat Club
Top End Hotel - Toe Sucking Cowgirls Support
Live to air on Radio Larakeya, 94.5 FM
plus many school, community and charity bush dances, fairs and wandering minstrel performances.

Mara Dobrini

Mother of four girls and Primary teacher at Leanyer Primary School.
She loves dancing.

In her busy working and being a mother week she also does: International folk dancing, Playford, Scottish Country, Highland, Scottish Step (or Cape Brereton) and Irish dancing.

Mara teaches folk dancing to children under 8's on Monday and under 12's on Tuesday lunchtimes at Leanyer Primary. Both dance groups have performed at the Eisteddfod and for various functions.

Sarena Wegener

orchestral flute player

Musical achievements
Member of Darwin Symphony Orchestra
Member of Darwin Chamber Orchestra
3rd year uni student of Bachelor of music
favourite type of music - Irish and classical

Other musical activities
member of adult training orchestra
member of wind ensemble
flute, oboe and mandolin

Caroline McNair

Caroline has been playing the violin for over ten years, and is recently received her Bachelor of Music with the Charles Darwin University, majoring in Classical violin under the expert guidance of Martin Jarvis. Caroline is also a violinist with the Darwin Symphony Orchestra, the CDU Chamber Orchestra and has recently performed with a small orchestra for the Darwin production of Les Miserables.
Caroline also tutors beginner violin for the Centre for Youth Music at NTU.
Born in Scotland, she enjoys playing folk fiddle with the Top End Folk Club and Murphy and Friends in her spare time.

Glenn Bellis

Glenn started playing guitar in High School, but quickly learned that guitarists were expected to sing as well. Apart from the odd solo gig while living in Townsville, he didn't perform regularly until arriving in Darwin where he spent 12 years singing with local a capella groups Trebles without Accord and Mixed 4 Tunes. A not-so-regular participant in Top End Folk Club gigs, he played guitar in the local production of Reedy River in 2004.

Glenn joined Murphy and Friends in 2003 where he tries to keep up with the furious jigs of Sarena and Caroline, sings the odd song and provides some harmony backup vocals.