Stage set for festival of music

South Galway’s rich musical heritage will be illuminated in the annual Cooley-Collins traditional music festival which runs over the October Bank Holiday weekend.
In its 26th year, the festival will be launched by champion piper, sean nos singer and former Radio na Gaelthachta presenter, Meaiti Jo Sheamuis Ó Fahartha on Friday night.
Proceedings commence with mass at St Thomas’ Church at 8pm followed by a session with The Four Courts Céilí Band and set dancing at 10.30pm.
A new committee took over the running of this event last spring when Mary Coen and Anne Walshe retired after 20 years service but both agreed to help out, as did Eoin O’Neill, Ardrahan.
On Saturday, registration for music workshops at Gort Community School starts at 10.30am. The workshops will feature Oliver Deveney on accordion, Marion McMahon on tin whistle, Tim Collins on concertina, Tom Cussen on banjo, Eamon Cotter on flute and Denis Liddy on the fiddle. Tuition begins at 11am and will run until 4.30pm.
At 10pm The Tulla CéilÍ Band will perform at The Cooley Lodge in Peterswell while after Sunday’s 11am mass in St Colman’s’ Church prayers will be recited at Kieran Collins’ graveside, one of the musicians in whose memory the festival is held.
The afternoon will be devoted to underage competitions in button accordion and tin whistle at 1.30pm while Sullivan’s Hotel will be the venue at 4pm for a gala concert.
On Monday prayers will be recited at the at Joe Cooley’s graveside in Peterswell cemetery at 1.30pm followed by a session at The Cooley Lodge.
The final ceilí with The Glenside Céilí Band will be held in Sullivan’s Hotel from 3pm to 6pm. There will be music sessions in all the pubs and hotels from Thursday right through to late Monday.