Trad festival launches its 17th programme

ENNIS Trad Festival needs significant annual funding from central government to become the major festival that the town and county is looking for.

Director of the festival, John Rynne, said that Ennis Trad Festival is the town’s largest festival, now in its 17th year, and has the potential to be the major event that the business community wants, if it gets the necessary financial support.
He pointed out that the festival is run completely by volunteers, primarily by musicians who have an interest in showcasing traditional music to the wider community. “There is tremendous goodwill towards the festival, which helps to make it such a success year on year. Many people travel from abroad to take part every year, or to soak up the atmosphere. People who are involved in international festivals, such as the Washington Irish Festival and the Milwaukee Festival come to Ennis Trad every year and are continuously amazed at what the festival delivers with the limited budget available. It is a testament to the success of Ennis Trad Festival that a number of other traditional music festivals around the country have modelled their festival on it,” Mr Rynne remarked.
He added, “People are constantly saying that Ennis needs a major festival but those involved in the Ennis Trad Festival and supporters of traditional musicians in general already see this as a festival with the potential to be that. Every year, I’m told by hotels that all of the local hotels and accommodation providers are full to capacity during the trad festival. Every year, funding is an issue, as we get no commitment or guarantees regarding financial support until the next year’s festival is already organised,” he added.
The festival organisers feel that politicians and local agencies need to co-operate and present a strong voice to get the necessary funding from central government to invest in Ennis Trad Festival.
“That is the only way the festival can be developed to reach its full potential and become the major festival that people want Ennis to have. It is saddening to see frequent political voices calling for a major festival for Ennis, without significant moves to secure ongoing central investment in the festival,” the director said.
This year’s Ennis Trad Festival which will run from Thursday, November 11 to Monday, November 15, was launched this week.
Mr Rynne said that once again this year, people can expect a diverse programme showcasing the best of tradtional music, song and dance, with high-quality acts to appeal to a cross-section of tastes.
“As always, the festival will offer music master classes, workshops, céilís, sessions, concerts, CD launches and a trad disco.
“Top-class local musicians take part in the festival, accounting for approximately one-third of events. The other participating musicians come from all over Ireland and the world, including Sweden, the United States, Italy, France and more. Up to 25,000 are expected in Ennis during the festival.
There is one major competition during the festival, which is the festival’s flagship event – Ard Gaisce na mBuíonta, a competition for senior céilí bands.
“This will be the fourth year of the competition and it’s been very popular for the past three years. Mainly céilí bands from Ireland take part but a few also from the UK and the USA. It will be held on Saturday, November 13 in Glór. We will have four judges, including one local judge. They will be unaware who the band playing is as they will be screened off from the stage and will only be able to hear the band play, so their votes will be completely impartial. The competition is also decided by an audience vote. There will be cash prizes for the top three bands from €5,000 to €1,000. Last year, the competition was won by the Awbeg Céilí Band from the Limerick area. The standard was very high last year and we’re expecting the same this year. Part of the competition will be broadcast at a date to be confirmed on TG4 and will be aired also on RTÉ Radio One,” he said.
Over the years, the festival’s headline concerts have also proved very popular. On each of the five nights of the festival there will be a concert, at various venues, with one leading act, and some support acts. 
On the first night of the festival, Any Old Time will perform. This band, comprising Mick Daly, Matt Crannitch and Dave Hennessy, disbanded a number of years again but the festival organisers have persuaded them to perform together again at this concert.
On the Friday night, Máirtín O Connor, Cathal Hayden, Seamie O’Dowd and Jimmy Higgins, will perform.
“They are one of the strongest and most experienced trad acts in the country at the moment,” Mr Rynne said.
On Saturday night, November 13, the ever-popular Dave Munnelly Band will play in The Auburn Lodge Hotel. This concert will coincide with the trad disco and ticket holders will be allowed access to both events in the hotel on the night.
The following night, The Brock McGuire Band, made up of Paul Brock, Manus McGuire, Enda Scahill, with special guest harmonica player, Noel Battle, will be the headline performance. At the finale concert on Monday, November 15, Charlie Harris, Maeve Donnelly and Eamonn and Geraldine Cotter will perform.
Throughout the festival, there will also be a number of free events, particularly CD launches of up and coming musicians and bands. The new traditional group, Ciorrus, formed on TG4’s Lorg Lunny, will launch their debut CD during the festival. Others launching CDs at the festival include Sligo flute player, Dave Sheridan, Stevie Dunne, banjo player from Belfast, and the live recording of Kevin Griffin, Eoin O’Neill and Quentin Cooper.
There will be top-class musicians giving masterclasses on the Saturday of the festival, including Paul Brock, Manus McGuire, Enda Scahill, Marco Pollier, among many others. Classes will be offered in accordion, fiddle, pipes, banjo, flute, concertina and, depending on demand, in piano, harp and other instruments.
Further information on classes and the programme schedule can be found on www.ennistradfestival.com, which will be updated regularly between now and the festival.
The main focus of this year’s trad festival, as always, in on sessions. There will be sessions in over 25 venues, including bars, cafés, restaurants, hotels, shops on Friday night, Saturday afternoon and night and on Sunday afternoon and night. Céilís will also be held in a number of venues on Sunday evening.
CEO of Ennis Chamber, Rita McInerney, commented that Ennis Trad Festival is hugely beneficial to the local economy, particularly at a time of the year when business tends to be slow. “It also keeps alive Clare’s spirit of traditional music at all levels. We very much welcome the festival and hope that it will continue for a long time. I call on all businesses to support the vent in anyway they can,” she said.