Thursday 4th August  

7:30 pm Opening Night:

Tulla native, Mary MacNamara is a stalwart of the East Clare Music Tradition. From an early age Mary found herself in company of the great masters of East Clare Traditional Irish Music, such as John Naughton, Martin Rochford, P. Joe Hayes, Francie Donnellan, Joe Bane, Mikey Donoghue, Paddy Grogan and Bill Malley. Mary will present “Sunday Sessions at Lena’s”, a selection of the recordings and tunes from the 1970’s featuring some of these local greats. Playing, she will be joined by her son and daughter, Padraig and Sorcha Costello and her brother Andrew MacNamara.

Wine and Food reception – all welcome

Venue: Community Hall

Adm: Free

10am – 1pm: Workshops

2pm – Lunch time concert: Featuring the talented tutors teaching at the festival. Martin Hayes, Eileen O’Brien, Mary MacNamara, Hugh Healy, Páraic Mac Donnchadha, Conor Connolly & Edwina Guckian.

Venue: Community Hall Adm: €10

7:30 pm- Music Recital featuring:

Conor Connolly, Sorcha Costello, and Jakob Vester.

Accordionist Conor Connolly from County Galway epitomizes the South Galway style of music. The talented musician and singer’s music transports you back to the era of the legendary music of Joe Cooley and the late Joe Burke. Conor was awarded the title of “Young Musician of the Year” in TG4’s Gradam Ceoil Awards 2019. Conor will be joining forces with his good friend and fellow “Young Musician of the Year” recipient 2021, fiddle player, Sorcha Costello. Sorcha from Tulla, County Clare comes from a family steeped in the riches of traditional Irish music. Her mother Mary MacNamara and Uncle Andrew MacNamara have influenced Sorcha’s musical journey.

Both Sorcha’s and Conor’s music and playing is full of heart and soul. They will be accompanied by guitarist Jakob Vester.

Barry Kerr & Síle Denvir

Barry has been a professional musician and visual artist over a career spanning twenty years. He is an accomplished multi-instrumentalist playing the uilleann pipes, flute, guitar, and bouzouki and is also a singer-songwriter.

Síle Denvir is a singer and harpist from Connemara in Co. Galway. Síle has toured and collaborated with The Chieftains, Liam Ó Maonlaí and Peter O’Toole and is a founding member of the group Líadan.

Edwina Guckian

Dancer Edwina Guckian hails from outside the village of Drumsna in Co. Leitrim. From a young age Edwina learnt her dancing from her mother and the local dancers of Leitrim and Roscommon. Her style of dance is rhythmic and full of soul. In April 2022, Edwina was awarded the “Outstanding Contribution 2022” Gradam, for her work in the Irish music and dance scene.

Martin Hayes, Brian Donnellan & Conal O’Kane

Debut performance in County Clare for this trio. Martin Hayes is one of the world's most celebrated fiddle players and an influential figure in Irish traditional music. His soulful interpretations of traditional Irish music are recognised throughout the world for their exquisite musicality and irresistible rhythm. Multi-instrumentalist (Bouzouki, Concertina, Harmonium, Piano), Brian Donnellan hails from an East Clare family steeped in traditional Irish music. He is a member of the highly renowned Tulla Céilí Band and the newly established quintet, Martin Hayes & The Common Ground Ensemble. The pair will be joined by guitarist Conal O’Kane to bring this dynamic group to a show stopping performance.

Venue: St. Mary’s Church Adm: €25 (tickets in advance)

CD Launch – Hugh Healy, concertina player, will launch his album Debut Solo album 'Ceolaire’

Venue: Marquee

10am to 1pm- Workshops

2pm – Festival walk – Assemble outside the festival office

3:30pm – Singing Session

4:00pm - Tómas MacConamara (More Detail)

7:30pm – Gala Concert featuring:

Charlie Harris, Maeve Donnelly & Geraldine Cotter

Accordionist Charlie Harris a fine exponent of the South Galway style of music, influenced by the playing of Joe Cooley. Charlie is a member of the legendary Tulla Céilí Band. He will be performing with fiddler, Maeve Donnelly, who is one of the top Irish traditional fiddle players is known for her unique style. To bring this pair to full intensity, they will be accompanied by pianist and tin-whistle player Geraldine Cotter. All recognised as fine exponents of traditional music and individually they are known nationally and internationally for their unique approach and interpretation of Irish tunes.

Lisa O’Neill & Cormac Begley

Cormac Begley is a bass, baritone, treble and piccolo concertina player who hails from the infamous Begley family on the Dingle Peninsula. His recent solo album ‘B’ explores the sounds of the Bass and Baritone concertina range. Begley captivates his audience with heart stopping performances. Recently he has brought immense joy to his listeners as he has travelled around the country in his campervan ‘Beauty’ for an outdoor concert series.

Cormac will be joined on the night by the Irish singer and song writer, Lisa O’Neill. The Cavan native started writing songs and music from an early age where she delved into the Irish traditional and folk scene while studying in Dublin. Her unique and distinctive voice has catapulted her into the preforming world nationally and internationally.

Dónal Murphy, & Family accompanied by Steve Cooney

Dónal Murphy from Abbeyfeale in County Limerick is one of Ireland’s most highly regarded accordion players. Dónal is a founding member of the band ‘Four Men and a Dog’ and most recently ‘Breaking Trad’. Murphy has recently launched his album ‘Tailored’. Dónal will joined by his daughter, Melanie on fiddle and son, Eoin on guitar.

The Murphy family will be accompanied by Australian born guitarist, bassist, producer and didgeridoo player; Steve Cooney, who is one of the most dynamic modern performers in traditional music. He has composed his own material and is one of the most sought-after musicians, producer/arranger in traditional music. In 2021, Steve received the TG4 Gradam Ceoil award for composer of the year.

Venue: St. Mary’s church Adm: €25

11am Aifreann Gaeilge with Nóirín Ní Riain

1:30pm – Cuimhneach an Chlár -

Venue: Adm: Free

3pm – Gala Outdoor Concert with the Begley family and the Whileaways

The Whileaways

The Whileaways are Noelie McDonnell, Noriana Kennedy and Nicola Joyce, three accomplished singers and songwriters who had each toured and recorded extensively with their separate projects before coming together as a band. The trio been nominated for Best Group and Best Album in the RTÉ Folk Awards. The band have recently launched their fourth album titled ‘In all honesty’.

The Begley Family

The Begley Family are no strangers to Irish traditional music and to Feakle. Accordion player and singer Séamus Begley is one of the most popular Irish traditional musicians. Séamus’s style is unique and he is considered by many to be one of the finest players of dance music. Séamus will be bringing his West-Kerry music to life with his son Eoin and daughter Maeve. Eoin is an established concertina and accordion player who carries on the family tradition while bringing his own style to the famous Kerry slides and Polka’s. Maeve is a singer, songwriter and musician who immerses music in the Irish language, song and music of West Kerry.

10pm: Grand finale Céilí with the Tulla Céilí Band

Venue: Marquee Adm: €10

CONTACT

Feakle, County Clare, Ireland
Phone (Gary Pepper): +00 353 61 924322 or +00 353 87 9678020
Phone (Tina Nelson): +00 353 87 6473537
Email: