March 25th – 29th, 2015

www.carrickmacross.ie and www.comhaltas.ie

Since 2007 Comhaltas have organised a traditional music festival in honour of the 19th century harper Patrick Byrne Held annually on the Palm Sunday weekend the féile takes place in and around Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan.

Topping the bill this year are Goitse, Live Ireland’s ‘Trad group of the Year for 2015’. The band have been exciting audiences all over the globe with their creative, high energy performances and their concert on Saturday March 28th promises to be a real treat for traditional music fans. The festival will open with a recital by Zoë Conway and John McIntyre on Wednesday March25th. Described by the BBC as “simply one of the best folk duos on the planet”, the pair will give an intimate performance in the atmospheric setting of St. Finbarr’s Church, Carrickmacross.

There will be a strong local flavour to this year’s féile with musicians from the Our Dear Dark Mountain recording project performing in the Community Centre, Corduff, Carrickmacross on Friday March 27th. The brain child of Téada’s Seán McElwain, this CD brought to light long forgotten music from the Sliabh Beagh area of Monaghan and Fermanagh. As well as Seán the concert will feature TG4 Gradam Ceoil winner Dónal McCague among others in performing music from the album. Along with the concerts, there will be workshops, a session trail, a sets céilí with Rise The Dust, an art master class and workshop plus heritage events.

Details are available on the websites www.carrickmacross.ie, www.comhaltas.ie and Facebook.