RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta will be broadcasting almost twenty hours of programmes live from the Willie Clancy Summer School in Miltown Malbay, Co. Clare, this year.
The live shows kick off on Sunday 7 July, with the Éire ‘s Alba concert, featuring top drawer musicians from Ireland and Scotland, and joined this year by musicians from Wales as well. They will include Iain and Mary MacGillivray, Maighread Stiùbhart and Murdo MacDonald, Shona Donaldson and Paul Anderson, Ceri Rhys Matthews and Julie Murphy, Ceri Jones and Elsa Davies, Laoise Kelly and Tiarnán Ó Duinnchinn, Thomas Mc Carthy, Catherine McEvoy and friends. The concert starts at 8 pm and will run until 10 pm, presented by RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta Music Editor, and musician, Neansaí Ní Choisdealbha.
Then from Monday to Friday, 2 pm to 4 pm, Seán Ó hÉanaigh will present Binneas Béil live from the Ródaí outside the hall in Miltown. The programme will feature interviews, live music, song and dance. If the weather is fine, some of the programmes will be broadcast outside the Ródaí, and audiences are welcome. They’ll have free beanie hats for the loyal listeners who stop by!
Neansaí Ní Choisdealbha will be at the helm on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings from 7 pm to 9 pm for her show Ceol Binn ó na Beanna. Last year, Neansaí featured a full céilí band on the programme, and the year before that she squeezed ten flute players in the Ródaí, so she might have a few surprises for us this year too.
RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta will be live from Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy all week, from Sunday 7 to Friday 12 July. Keep an eye on their social media for photos and videos from Miltown.
Owen Ryan has been a journalist with the Clare Champion since 2007, having previously worked with a number of other publications in Limerick, Cork and Galway. His first book will be published in December 2024.