Well known in Denmark and Ireland, ASH PLANT are based in Copenhagen and have enthralled audiences since 1981.
Ash Plant have built up a reputation as strong, exciting performers of Irish traditional music, and their ever-growing repertoire also features a lot of traditional Danish material as well as original compositions.
The present line-up is: Peter Sørensen, Martin O'Hare, and Seamus Cahill, all original members, Henrik Bjørslev and Joakim Friis-Holm, both former members of Harp'n'Drum, who were also active in the early 1980s. Instrumentation includes: Irish harp, wooded flute, bodhrán and fiddle.

About Ash Plant
Martin O'Hare (Bodhran & bones)
I was first introduced to Irish music in the mid-seventies. I played various instruments but finally settled for the bodhran. I played with different bands up until I left school. I came to Denmark late in '81 and joined Ash Plant shortly after. Besides playing with Ash Plant I am a member of another band called Trad Lads. I have also been privileged to play with a number of great Irish musicians, such as Mary Bergin, Tony MacMahon, Gerry O'Connor, Mairtin O'Connor, Desi Wilkinson, and Ronan Browne.

Peter Sørensen (Fiddle)
I was introduced to fiddle playing by a friend, Jens Hansen, a great enthusiast of traditional Danish music. That was around 1973. Recordings of Danish music were scarce, and we listened to music from other countries. Irish music gained special attention, and another friend, John Brennan, introduced me to a lot of tunes, recordings, and above all his father, John Brennan Sr. (R.I.P.), veteran flute player from Ballymote, Co. Sligo. Meeting and listening to old John and many of his musical friends resulted in nearly total surrender to Irish music. I am also a member of Trad Lads.

Henrik Bjørslev (Flute, fife, tin whistle)
At high-school I became a member of a band playing traditional Scottish and Irish music, but after beginning to study at The Music Conservatory of Copenhagen, classical flute playing took over ever more of my time. Watching a TV programme featuring the Irish flute player Matt Molloy, my interest in Irish music grew very strong, and in 1981 I was asked to join the group Harp'n'Drum. Later I played a large number of school concerts in the trio, Carolan's Welcome, with various Irish pipers such as Jimmy O'Brien-Moran, Ronan Browne, Sean McKiernan, and Liam O'Flynn. Since 1988 I've been a member of Ash Plant.

Joakim Friis-Holm (Irish harp & Irish bouzouki)
Throughout my life, music has always been a close companion: As a boy scout I played in the brass band, in school I played in a "Jimmy Shand" type of dance band, and later at the music conservatory, classical music was the only thing on the agenda. Throughout the years I have been playing guitar, harp, and bouzouki. Even today, having played as a busker, theatre musician, studio musician, soloist, and in several bands, the harp and the bouzouki are still my main instrument. Lately, as well as pulling harp strings, I have been pulling pints in a traditional music café in Copenhagen, of which I'm the co-owner.

Séamus Cahill (Guitar, Irish bouzouki and vocals)
Séamus originally comes from Cork in Ireland but has settled in Denmark. He has been playing Irish traditional music since the early seventies. Séamus has played in numerous bands, among them "Ash Plant" with whom he recorded two albums in the late eighties. He has frequently lent his considerable skills as an accompanist to Irish musicians visiting Scandinavia, among them Frankie Gavin, Paddy Keenan and Mary Bergin. Now back again with Ash Plant.