Fun-filled Feakle ready for festival

IF YOU love live music, song and dance then the Feakle Festival is the place to be from Wednesday, August 8 to Monday August 13. 

This year’s progamme as ever offers a wide choice of events for all traditional music fans from Workshops with Master Tutors, concerts featuring the finest traditional musicians, sessions from noon till late, céilís, poetry, children’s activities including the addition of art classes, and so much more.

Many of the events are free and this year the Festival is grateful to the Arts Council for a small grant that has enabled concert ticket prices and workshops fees to remain the same as last year.

Highlights are the three main concerts on the Thursday, Friday and Saturday of the festival. This year’s line up for the Café Style Concert on Thursday, August 9 is the renowned Galway singer Sean Tyrell, the legendry concertina player Chris Droney and the Boruma Trio featuring Eileen O’Brien, Dr. Geraldine Cotter and Andrew MacNamara.

Advance tickets can be booked direct from Glór or via the Festival web site. Ticket price includes complimentary glass of wine and artisan food.

Friday night’s Music Recital in St. Mary’s church is on many music fans bucket list and early booking is advised. Besides it being the annual homecoming concert for Feakle’s own Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill the concert will also feature another festival favorite Joe Fitzgerald and Seamus Begley.

Feakle is delighted to introduce singer Heidi Talbot together with Breandán Ó Beaglaoich, aided and abetted by award winning multi-instrumentalist John McCusker and guitarist Paul Meehan. Rejoice in the energetic polkas and slides of West Kerry and waltzes, marches and reels from Scotland.

Saturday’s Gala Concert is a very lively elective mix presented by Cork legend Con Fada Ó Drisceoil. A Gradam Ceoil TG4 winner Con’s comic songs always entertain.

The lineup includes the highly respected uilleann piper Mick O’Brien, his daughter Aoife Ní Bhríain and flautist Emer Maycock. The dynamic band Breaking Trad. Folk singer Lynda Cullen with guitarist Fintan Lucy. Sean-Nós dancers Irene and Ashline Cunningham from Connemara and Clare’s own Tony Linnane teams up with Kerry’s Danny O’Mahony.

Other highlights include: Poetry Reading with Rita Ann Higgins. Lakeside Stories a film produced by the young people of the area. New this year, children’s Art classes with Edain O’Donnell from Thursday to Saturday from 2 to 5pm. For full details of all events go to www.feaklefestival.ie.