New Irish Folk & Trad Music Festival announced

Luka Bloom
Cover of Luka Bloom

Details of Ireland’s newest folk and traditional music festival have been announced in County Clare.

Luka Bloom, Martin Hayes, Donal Lunny, John Spillane, Steve Cooney and Hermitage Green are amongst the acts lined up to perform during the inaugural Doolin Folk Festival on June 14th to 16th 2013. Sponsored by Smithwick’s Pale Ale the three-day festival will take place on the grounds of Hotel Doolin, less than a mile from the site of the famous Lisdoonvarna Festival of the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Musician and Event Promoter, Conor Byrne explained that the Festival will feature “traditional and folk musicians who have had a connection with the area over the years as well as up-and-coming, cutting-edge folk and Trad acts to the village thereby reviving Doolin’s reputation as a hub for Trad and Folk musicians.”



The Doolin Folk Festival line-up so far includes Luka Bloom, Scullion, Steve Cooney, Martin Hayes, We Banjo 3, Iarla O’Lionaird, Donal Lunny, Hermitage Green, Andy Irvine, Fidil, I Draw Slow, Beoga, John Spillane, Socks in the Frying Pan, and JP Trio with plenty more acts to be announced in the coming weeks. The festival will also feature food stalls, a traditional crafts fair and a farmers market.

Commenting on the decision to host a folk music festival in Doolin, Festival organiser and Hotel Doolin manager, Donal Minihane stated: “The festival will celebrate all that is good about music in Doolin and North Clare, further enhancing Doolin’s reputation as a centre of excellence in Traditional & Folk Music and bringing Folk music to a wider audience. We hope that this festival will be an annual event and that it will become one of the highlights of the Clare Summer Events Calendar. The festival will share the ethos of the much loved Lisdoonvarna Festival, albeit on a much smaller scale. In fact many of the artists featuring over the weekend such as Donal Lunny and Luka Bloom would have played at the original Lisdoonvarna Festivals.

“The Doolin Folk Festival has the potential to be the best Boutique Folk Festival in Ireland,” Mr. Minihane added.

“We believe we have all the ingredients in to make this a huge success. We have the right location, plenty of accommodation locally at all price ranges from camping to hostels to BB’s and hotels. We have the musical expertise and contacts, experience in running events and festivals, beautiful scenery, a reputation for traditional Irish Music that is renowned worldwide, great restaurants and pubs and other ancillary attractions such as the Cliffs, the Aran Islands and The Burren. We believe the event will be well received and supported locally and give a great boost to the area with up to 2,000 people expected in Doolin over the three days. We are particularly delighted that RTE Radio 1 has been named as the event’s official media partner,” he concluded.

Hotel Doolin is investing approximately €100,000 in three festivals during 2013, including the Doolin Folk Festival, Doolin Writers Weekend & Short Story competition from 24th to 26th May 24-26, and the second annual Doolin Craft Beer Festival August from 23-25 August.

Day and Weekend Tickets for the Doolin Folk Festival are on sale from www.ticketmaster.ie

Further information from www.doolinfolkfestival.com


New Irish Folk & Trad Music Festival announced » Irish Music Magazine:

Related articles

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Irish Music School of Chicago Announces 4th Annual Francis O'Neill Irish Arts Week Kids Day Camp

Image
Chicago Police Chief Francis O'Neill 1901–1905 (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) The Irish Music School of Chicago proudly announces its fourth annual Francis O'Neill Irish Arts Week Kids Day Camp from July 21-26, 2014. The week provides a unique learning opportunity by bringing master traditional Irish musicians to Chicago to teach the many facets of traditional Irish arts to children ages 6-14. The Kids Day Camp teaches a wide range of subjects including traditional Irish music, singing, dancing, language and Celtic arts and crafts to children with no experience necessary. The camp takes place at Chief O'Neill's at 3471 N. Elston Ave. in Chicago Monday, July 21 through Friday, July 25, 9am-3pm with a finale recital for friends and family on Saturday, July 26. Buffet lunch including many traditional Irish dishes is provided Monday-Friday for the campers and is included in the cost of camp ($300 early registration through May 15, $350 late registration begin...
Read more

'3' is the magic number

Image
By Sean P. Feeny This month a trio of three young Donegal fiddle players who are continuing to push the boundaries of Irish traditional music are releasing their first album together. Fidíl began as a duo with Aidan O'Donnell and Ciaran Ó Maonaigh taking the Irish music world by storm with their 2008 self-titled debut album. Having used modern technology to create a unique, multi-layered fiddle sound on their album, the two musicians soon brought in fellow Donegal fiddle player, Damien McGeehan, to recreate that sound in a live environment. Aidan, who is Limerick County Council's current Artist-In-Residence at lectures at the University of Limerick (UL), said it has been an eventful year since the Dunkineely native and Ciaran from Gaoth Dobhair launched their debut album last summer. "The core idea behind our first album was to record the sound of two fiddles as a duet playing the traditional Donegal music, but with a difference. "Rather than using conventional tradit...
Read more

Shannon’s Lovely Vale

Image
English: Listowel Bridge, Co Kerry. Bridge of the River Feale in Listowel, Co. Kerry (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Debut Album set for release by the All–Ireland Champions Shannon Vale Céilí Band www.shannonvaleceiliband.com Following on from their St. Patrick’s Day performance at Áras an Uachtaráin, Kerry’s award winning Shannon Vale Céilí Band are preparing to launch their debut album in Listowel, Co. Kerry on June 7th. Shannon’s Lovely Vale takes it’s title from a newly composed tune by renowned musician and composer, Maurice Lennon, of Stockton’s Wing fame. Having composed this piece in honour of the band, Lennon also features as guest artist on the recording. The album includes music and song of North Kerry, much of which previously has been unrecorded. The band comprises an impressive line–up of musicians featuring Sheila Garry and Colm Kissane (Fiddles), Marianne Browne (Flute/ Whistles), Joe O’Sullivan (Flute/Vocals), Mike Collins (Banjo/Mandolin/Flute), John ...
Read more