Great line-up announced for Feakle Traditional Festival

THE programme for this year’s Feakle Traditional Music Festival was recently announced with booking now available for the event, which takes place from August 4-8.
Confirmed for this year’s festival are big name acts Martin Hayes and Denis Cahill, Eddi Reader and The Brock McGuire Band.
In recent years, the festival’s opening ceremony has evolved to become a platform to honour and pay tribute to musicians, singers and dancers that have contributed to the culture of County Clare and this year is no exception.
The festival has chosen to celebrate and honour singer Robbie Mc Mahon, launching the 23rd annual event by showing the documentary Last night as I Lay Dreaming.
Following the success in recent years of a festival walk, it was decided to continue this and those attending will be able to enjoy the beautiful landscape of East Clare exploring the stunning scenery around Lough Graney.
Workshops this year will be offered in a range of instruments with well known tutors offering their instruction, including Denise Glass, Brendan Larrissey (fiddle), Martin Hayes, Pat O’Connor (fiddle intermediate/advanced), Colm Gannon (accordion), Kate McNamara (concertina), Mary MacNamara (concertina intermediate/advanced), Sean Ryan (whistle), Billy Clifford (flute), John Kelly (flute intermediate/advanced), Denis Cahill (guitar), Angelina Carberry (banjo), Phil Callery (traditional singing), Ann Meenaghan (sean nós singing), Suzanne Leahy (sean nós dancing), Kevin O’Halloran and Deirdre Nihill, (set dancing).
Among the highlights of the festival will be The Friday Night Recital, with two outstanding acts performing.
First to take to the stage at St Mary’s Church will be Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill, considered to be the most dynamic and talented duo of  traditional music.
Eddi Reader and her band will perform at the festival for the first time. Glasgow born Reader is widely acclaimed for her unique singing style, known both for her work with Fairground Attraction and an enduring solo career.
This year’s youth concert will not only showcase the many fine young musicians taught by concertina player Mary MacNamara but will also feature Marie and Solveig from Oslo who will be playing traditional Norweigan tunes on hardanger fiddles.
Meanwhile the gala concert, entitled Clare Connections, will include The Brock McGuire Band; Tony Linnane, Mick Connelly and Jim O’Connor; Vincent Griffin and Mary Corry; Andrew MacNamara and Cormac Begley.
Caher House will host a concert with Dave Flynn (guitar) and West Ocean String Quartet with Maighread Ni Dhomhnaill. There will be céilithe with The Four Courts Céilí Band, Michael Sexton Céilí Band and The Tulla Céilí Band.
Other genres to feature will be a poetry reading with Ciaran O’Driscoll and Teri Murray, a photographic exhibition by Amanda Hooke, an Aifreann Gaeilge, cross-road dancing and singing sessions with Robbie McMahon, Donie Nolan, Seamus Begley, Maeve Begley, Deirdre Scanlan, Phil Callery, Ann Meenaghan, Róisín White, Brian O’Rourke, Helen Hayes and Paddy Commane.
There will also be a screening of the film Inside Out, a charming and revealing film about the changing patterns of country life filmed in early 2009 by a group of young people from Lough Graney Youth Club.
Two outdoor performances are also planned (weather permitting) and feature male choir the FloraShantys from Heerenveen in the northern Dutch province of Fryslan. Formed in 1997, the choir will be led by their female director and accordionist in their performance of songs from Fryslan, the Netherlands and Ireland.
Rick Epping and Seamie O’Dowd will also take to the outdoor stage as these individually talented musicians combine to create a high energy performance, featuring an eclectic repertoire from their many musical influences.
As part of the Riches of Clare lunchtime concert series held throughout the county, the festival will host Murty Ryan, Karol Lynch, Marcus Moloney and John Moloney at the community centre in Feakle.
A host of children’s activities are also planned including a puppet show and face painting.
For further details and booking information visit www.feaklefestival.ie.