Trad festival visitors travelling from far and wide

EIGHTY-eight-year-old Matt Talty was one of the thousands who joined in the music and fun during the Ennis Trad Festival this week.

A Kilnamona native, Matt has been living in the Bronx, New York since 1958, where he had six bars, all called The Shannon View over the years. He is still the owner of one of these bars.
This was his first time at Ennis Trad Festival.
“I’ve never been at Ennis Trad Festival before and it was very important to me to come before I couldn’t come at all. I came over just to hear great music. I play the concertina myself and I wanted to join in with the music and have a good time. There’s nowhere like Clare for the music. I’m more than delighted to be here for the festival and can’t believe I’m here. I’ve heard much talk of the Ennis Trad Festival over the years, so I really wanted to make it over to it one year,” he said.
Every week, Matt travels into Manhattan to join in a Monday night session and, when he can, travels to join in other sessions too. As a result of his involvement with music, Matt was invited to the Glucksman Irish House at New York University to record his life history and experiences for an oral history project. He spent two hours at the university recalling his history and playing his concertina and the recording is among the archives at the Irish House. Always willing to share his talents and music, Matt also volunteers at local nursing homes, playing with fellow musicians and entertaining the residents.
Dick Hogan, a native of the Doon area of Tipperary, now living in Dublin, comes to the Ennis Trad Festival every year.
“It is the greatest celebration of traditional music in Ireland each year. I go to other festivals too but Ennis is special. I think how good it is, is down to its organisation. The organisers just seem to know what the right thing to do at Ennis Trad Festival is. Musicians and non-musicians come to the festival every year. It’s an absolutely fantastic event. I’m a singer myself and I always join in the sessions. I wouldn’t miss Ennis Trad for the world,” he commented.
Eamonn Coyne, a fiddle player from Liverpool, now living in Boston, who lived in Miltown Malbay for a number of years, says the Ennis Trad Festival is an event he would not miss.
“It is brilliant. The mix is just right and there are always seriously talented musicians here, so many of them together at one festival in one town. I come every single year and have only missed one in the 17 years. My brother, Michael, was also one of the brains behind the festival at the beginning, so I have that connection too.
“At some festivals the headline acts are great but the rest falls flat. With Ennis Trad, the sessions and the headline acts are top class and in fact many of the musicians who play at the main concerts play at the sessions too. It is a truly enjoyable event and one which I’ve recommended to many and brought a lot of people to over the years,” he said.
Lisa Lawless from Wigan, Lancashire, doesn’t play music but comes to the Ennis Trad Festival every year to soak up the atmosphere and to catch up with friends she has made through her visits to Ennis.
“This is my eighth year in-a-row coming to the festival and it’s a must for me every year now. It’s quite a magical experience every year at the festival; so much brilliant music in one town in just a few days. It’s a wonderful break from the normal routine of everyday life and a great lift. I have been to other festivals and enjoyed them but nothing to the extent that I enjoy Ennis,” she remarked.
The Ennis Trad Festival was held from last Thursday to Monday evening with in excess of 15,000 visiting the town for the event.