Kilfenora tuning up for bank holiday festival

WHERE better to be for the May Bank Holiday than in one of Ireland’s most famous music villages. Kilfenora is staging its third annual music festival from this Thursday to Monday, May 2.
Contributing to the village’s uniqueness are a web of local families who have played in groups and céilí bands for around 140 years, starting with a fife and drum band in the 1870s and brass and reed band in the 1900s. Kilfenora’s most famous céilí band celebrated its centenary in 2009 and will be appearing at home in a special concert during the festival.
The concert with the Kilfenora Céilí Band will take place in the village hall that past members helped to build in 1954 this Friday at 8pm.
Other highlights of the festival include a Céilí Mór on Saturday at 9.30pm in Kilfenora Hall with the Shaskeen Céilí Band, which celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2010.
There will be further céilís with the Four Courts Band starring various celebrated musicians this Thursday and Sunday at 9.30pm in Vaughan’s Barn. There will be a children’s dance workshop with the Aibhin Holden School of Dancing, followed by a céilí with the Young Kilfenora Céilí Band on Saturday at 11am in Kilfenora Hall. The Aifreann Traidisiúnta mass with traditional music will be held on Sunday at 11am, St Fachnan’s Church. Also on the Sunday, there will be a matinee céilí with the Four Courts, open air in the Kilfenora Square, weather-permitting, at 3pm.
On Monday, there will be céilí and old-time song and dance with Michal Sexton and PJ Murrihy at 2pm in Vaughan’s Barn.
Throughout the weekend, there will be singing and instrumental sessions in village pubs with many fine musicians from North Clare and beyond, including numerous All-Ireland winners.
Advance tickets for the Kilfenora Céilí Band concert are available from Kilfenora outlets – including the Burren Centre, Linnane’s, Vaughan’s the Burren Centre and Cois na hAbhna, with only 220 seats available. Tickets for the Saturday and Monday céilís are available on the door at the venues. For more information, visit www.kilfenoraclare.com.