Doonbeg will host the 10th annual Willie Keane Memorial Festival on the October Bank Holiday weekend. The festival will commence on Friday, October 23 and will conclude on Sunday, October 25.
On the opening evening, a session with Sligo-born singer Colm O’Donnell will feature, along with a session with West Clare singers in the village pubs.
Saturday will feature several workshops, including fiddle, concertina, set dancing, singing and seán nós dancing.
Proceeds from a fundraising breakfast in Turbridy’s on the Sunday of the festival will be donated to the Cherven orphans in Belarus, while a pictorial presentation entitled Willie Keane – Ten Years of Memories, will be held in Doonbeg hall from 1pm to 2pm.
A legendary dancer, Willie Keane had a style of battering that won him acclaim throughout Ireland and abroad. A member of the famed Mullagh Set, which won All-Ireland championships, Willie was featured on many RTÉ television programmes and toured America with Comhaltas Ceoltoirí Éireann.
He shared his passion for set dancing by participating in set dancing classes and taught battering at the Willie Clancy Summer School.
Willie was killed in a road accident in 1998. To commemorate him and pay tribute to the great gifts he possessed and shared so generously, a committee was formed in Doonbeg and the first Willie Keane Memorial Weekend was held in 2000.
For general enquires and brochures, contact Margaret Dillon at 065 9055208 or Suzanne Leahy on 087 2775568.