August 19th – 23rd, 2015 www.westcorkmusic.ie

The 2015 Masters of Tradition will open its doors to the very best musicians in the land, presenting a series of performances that cover the full spectrum of Irish traditional music, in its most authentic form. Many of Ireland’s foremost traditional musicians have performed at the festival since it began in 2002. Previous performers include: Liam O’Flynn; Moya Brennan and Cormac De Barra; Steve Cooney; Kevin Crawford from Lúnasa; Brendan Begley; Susan McKeown;  Ricky Skaggs; Maighread Ní Dhomhnaill; Donal Lunny and so many more.
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September 30th – October 4th, 2015

Oulu, Finland, www.irish.fi

Welcome to the magic of Finland and Irish culture at the 10th Anniversary Irish Festival of Oulu from September 30th to October 4th, 2015 in Oulu, Finland.

The city is gearing up for a full weekend of Irish music, dance and culture, inviting Irish music and culture fans to the most northerly Irish festival in the world.

Enter the contest at www.irish.fi for a chance to win 2 event passes and 5 nights’ hotel accommodation for 2 persons at the 10th anniversary festival. Described by fans as “original, full of craic, welcoming and intimate”, the 5–day event is known for showcasing the biggest and freshest names in the Irish music world, which have included Andy Irvine, Paddy Keenan, Altan, Dervish and Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill, Beoga, Fullset, Caladh Nua, Goitse and Socks in the Frying Pan, to name but a few.
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May 8th-10th, 2015
www.banjo.ie

The Clarinbridge Banjo Gathering celebrates its third year with a great programme of traditional Irish music, Bluegrass, Americana, sessions, exhibitions and workshops.

The weekend ‘kicks off’ Friday evening at Jordan’s with well known musicians Charlie Harris and Des Mulkere in an evening of lively music, song and storytelling. We are delighted to have Mick Moloney as our main guest artist over the weekend.  Presently associated with the Music Dept. of New York University, Mick combines the careers of professional musician, folklorist, musicologist, teacher and arts presenter and advocate (and many will remember him from his early days with the Johnstons).
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…musical evenings hosted by Gael Linn

O’FLAHERTY’S BAR ( downstairs), OLD STOREHOUSE,
CROWN ALLEY, TEMPLE BAR
( behind the Central Bank )
6p.m. – 8p.m. ( Doors open 5.45 p.m.)

TUESDAY, 21 APRIL 2015
Music and song from Oriel and beyond with
DÓNAL O’CONNOR ( fiddle/piano )
JOHN McSHERRY ( pipes/whistles )
PÁDRAIGÍN NÍ UALLACHÁIN (songs )
- a special treat in store!
ADMISSION:€15 ( includes complimentary nibbles!)

Bar open/tea and coffee available
Booking recommended ( limited space ! )
087/2547574 or niamh@gael-linn.ie

Methodist Church, Carlisle Road, Derry on Monday 16 March 8pm.
- Richard Parkes, of World champions Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band & Frank Cassidy
(accompaniment)

- Marcas O’ Murchu and family, MC & Flute player ArdOllamh, Music Laureate awardee Fleadh Cheoil 2013

- Dick & Sabina Glasgow - fiddle and harp (Glens of Antrim)

- Ciaran Kelly guitar/accordian (Fermanagh)

- Kate Crossan singer (Antrim) & Lee Cadiuex concertina (Canada)

- Award winning old style dancers Joe and Mary Mc Guiggan

…musical evenings hosted by Gael Linn

O’FLAHERTY’S BAR ( downstairs), OLD STOREHOUSE,
CROWN ALLEY, TEMPLE BAR
( behind the Central Bank )
6p.m. – 8p.m. ( Doors open 5.45 p.m.)

TUESDAY, 24 MARCH 2015
From the renowned Dublin musical family
LIAM O’CONNOR ( Fiddle) &
AOIFE O’CONNOR ( Concertina )
in the company of multi-instrumentalist from London,
JOHN BLAKE ( Flute/Guitar)
A great night’s music promised !

ADMISSION: €15 ( includes complimentary nibbles!)

Bar open/tea and coffee available
Booking essential ( limited space ! )
087/2547574 or niamh@gael-linn.ie

www.rte.ie/rnag

A Boston brother and sister are among the 15 traditional musicians who will compete for the Seán Ó Riada Gold Medal on 6 February in Cork.  The final will be broadcast live on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta at 7 pm, presented by Peadar Ó Riada.

Heather Cole-Mullen and Adam Cole-Mullen will be among the 15 fiddlers who will take to the stage to vie for the specially designed gold medal, and a cash prize of €2000.  Heather is living in Mayo, but Adam will be one of five musicians travelling from the US to Cork for the final, and they will be joined by fiddlers from Kerry, Armagh, Dublin, Leitrim, Tipperary and Waterford.
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March 14th, 2015
www.MusicCityIrishFest.com

Nashville, TN is Sister City to Belfast, Northern Ireland and that needs to be celebrated – and what better time of the year than St. Patrick’s Day? So this year Nashville is throwing a party in a big way and starting an annual festival to celebrate Irish music, dance, sport, culture and travel. Past St. Patrick’s Days in Music City have made national headline news with the pranking of the Musica Statue, the 40 foot statue of 9 naked people dancing on the iconic Music Row Roundabout. The Willis Clan pulled the shenanigans by sewing kilts and blouses and clothing the nude figures during the middle of the night. The city awakened to the most epic prank that had ever been pulled south of the Mason–Dixon line.
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March 20th – 23rd, 2015

www.inishowensinging.ie

The Inishowen Traditional Singers’ Circle is looking forward to welcoming song enthusiasts to Ballyliffin/Clonmany for a 4–day feast of traditional singing, March 20th – 23rd, 2015. This year the programme rather than focusing on a specific theme, is bringing together a range of projects and some new focus points for the weekend. Again they will feature local songs and singers with members of the Singing Circle taking part as guests. Colm Toland will open on Friday night with an audiovisual presentation The Wrecks of Inishowen, telling the maritime history of the peninsula through the legacy of song.
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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.