Nuala to open festival

Former All-Ireland champion accordion player Nuala Hehir will be one in a line-up of distinguished musicians heading up the Willie Keane Memorial Weekend in Doonbeg.
Nuala will be performing at the welcoming session of this year’s festival in Igoe’s, on Friday night. Singer and guitarist Mary Conroy, fiddler player Nuala Donlon, flautist Eoin Conway and James O’Halloran on banjo, will join her.
The late Willie Keane was Doonbeg’s best-known personality and a great exponent of traditional dancing. He came to prominence with the Mullagh set that won numerous competitions throughout Ireland.
After frequent appearances on TV, he toured the US and regularly taught set dancing at the Willie Clancy Summer School.
His passing in 1998 left a huge void in Doonbeg and the weekend of music, song and dance is the community’s tribute to him.
Nuala, from Kilnamona, was a member of the great Ennis Céilí Band that won three Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann titles in succession.