Ennis Trad Fest returns after Covid-enforced break

THE Ennis Trad Fest returns to the county capital this week following the cancellation of last year’s event due to Covid-19.

The 27th year of the festival, running from Thursday November 11 to until Monday, November 15 will be a scaled back event from previous years because of the ongoing effects of the pandemic.

However a host of events have been organised including a session trail throughout the town, album launches, trad discos and concerts.

Highlights include three concerts in the Queens Hotel featuring renowned performers. On Friday night Tola Custy and Cyril O’Donoghue will perform live tracks off their critically acclaimed 1994 album “Setting free” followed by a trad disco with DJ Ollie Mullooly.

Saturday night the popular and multi-award-winning quintet Goitse will perform with another trad disco afterwards. And on Sunday Angelina and Peter Carberry, Dan Brouder and John Blake, the Five Star Quartet and Colm Murphy will take to the stage.

Organisers say they are “delighted” to welcome music fans back to Ennis for the festival this year. This year’s festival will also see the return of the popular Trad for Teens event on Saturday at 1pm at Treacy’s West County Hotel. This is a free event hosted by: Sorcha Costello, Jakob Vester and Elaine Reilly.

A host of musicians will be launching their albums during the festival, including Clare’s Aisling Lyons. The multi-award winning musician, releases her debut harp and concertina album Aistear featuring her original compositions amongst traditional Irish tunes.

She says, “Aistear is a collection of some traditional tunes I grew up playing, my own compositions & tunes of other composers I admire.

“Music is an incredibly important part of my life and the compositional aspect has allowed me to express and explore emotion during difficult times.

“Aistear is an expression of my journey to date – including the death of my Dad in 2019 and experiencing grief through the Covid pandemic. Aistear is also an expression of the fun and humour that I enjoy in music, the playful elements as well as the profound.”

In August 2021, Buíochas, the first single from Aisling’s solo debut album was released & featured Paul O’Driscoll (double bass), Fergal Scahill (fiddle & viola) and Seán Lyons (guitar).

The track, which was an original composition of Aisling’s, received great attention. This was the first of her own compositions released, more of which will be heard on the album.

For more on Ennis Trad Fest check http://www.ennistradfest.com/