Wexford’s festive start to Seachtain na Gaeilge
Craobh Loch Garman is delighted to host the first Wexford Trad & Folk Fest. It takes place March 1-3, 2019 at various venues around the town. There is a great weekend of activities in store which includes concerts, sessions, lectures, workshops and dance displays. The festival will showcase some of the wonderful musicians and dancers which Wexford has to offer as well as hosting concerts by some of the biggest names in Irish music.
Tá an-áthas ar Chraobh Bhaile Loch Garman an féile cheoil tradisiúnta seo a chur ar siúl i mBaile Loch Garman. Beidh imeachtaí de gach saghas ar siúl timpeall an bhaile, idir cheolchoimeacha, seisiúin, léachtanna, ceardlanna, taispeántais damhsa agus go leor leor eile. Beidh scoth na gceoltóirí agus ndamhsóirí ó Loch Garman ag glacadh páirte ann. Anuas ar sin beidh scoth na gceoltóirí náisiúnta le cloisteáil thar an deireadh seachtaine freisin. Ceiliúrann an féile seo an neart cultúr tradisiúnta sa cheantar. Agus tá fáth eile féile a baint amach anois: is é seo Mí na Márta, tús Seachtain na Gaeilge.
The two must-see concerts take place at the National Opera House. On Fri, March 1 Ciaran Tourish, fiddle player with Altan, Kevin Doherty of Four Men and a Dog and keyboardist James Delaney will be joined for their show by special guest Liam Ó Maonlaí. The following evening Zoë Conway and John Mc Intyre are delighted to welcome accordion player Máirtín O'Connor as their special guest.
Kíla's energetic frontman Rónán Ó Snodaigh performs an intimate early evening show on Sat, March 2 in Macken's, The Bullring (upstairs). Organisers predict that this will be the first show of the festival to sell out, especially as tickets are capped at a very reasonable €10.
No less enticing a prospect, albeit possibly a less obvious one, is the Sunday afternoon show at St Iberius Church featuring Mark Redmond (uilleann pipes) & Patrick Fitzpatrick (clarinet, whistles, trad. flute). The duo’s sell-out show at TradFest 2019 was a sensation. With both hailing from Gorey expect Wexford music to feature strongly in their set. Tickets €10 pp (€5 per child) from Wexford Arts Centre.
Wexford Library hosts two free events on Saturday which are sure to draw the crows to Mallin Street. Ciaran Tourish & Kevin Doherty share stories, songs and tunes at 11am, while musican and academic Louise Mulcahy tells 'The Story of Women Uilleann Pipers’ at 1pm. In both cases, advance booking recommended. Tel 053 9196760.
On Saturday afternoon at the same venue the focus will be solely on Wexford musicians and singers at the Flavour of Wexford show (Blas Ceolmhar Loch Garman). This free event features a selection of the best local traditional musicians and singers.
The top late night show looks like being the 'Festival Hootenanny' at The Sky & The Ground pub. An assortment of talented Wexford musicians, led by Mick D’Arcy of Corner Boy, will be joined by some of the visiting musicians for a no-holds-barred jam.
For musicians keen to learn from the masters there are music workshops at 11am Sunday morning with Zoë Conway (fiddle), John Mc Intyre (guitar) and Máirtín O'Connor (accordion). €10 pp. Tel/text 086 2427981.
Wexford Folk & Trad Weekend is a very welcome addition to the County's event calendar not least for its focus on Wexford’s vibrant traditional arts scene. The fact that the festival comes at the start of Seachtain na Gaeilge is a happy, but appropriate, coincidence. Wexford Trad and Folk Weekend is organised by Craobh Loch Garman Comhaltas and is supported by Wexford County Council, Creative Ireland and na Macallaí.
www.wexfordtradandfolk.com
