MUSIC Tuam Trad Festival

Tuam goes trad mad


The first annual Tuam Trad Festival will be held in venues throughout Tuam, Co Galway, from Friday, September 17, to Sunday, September 19. A feast of traditional Irish music and dance is promised, featuring famous musicians from far and wide as well as local musicians. Expect concerts, pub sessions, music and dance workshops, singing clubs, a monster céilí, sean nós dancing, a farmers’ market with open-air sessions, art exhibitions, a trad disco and even a bucket singing competition.
The festival will be officially opened by Caherlistrane’s own Dolores Keane. The opening ceremony takes place at the Tuam Shopping Centre Plaza, Abbey Trinity, where Dolores will be accompanied on stage by a host of both local and national musicians, singers and dancers. Other artists performing throughout the weekend include Dolores’s brother Matt Keane, local box player Gary Quinn, folk singer Eleanor Shanley, Galway singer-songwriter Don Stiffe and PJ Hernon, formally of Shaskeen fame.
Dancing will play a big part in the festival, and many will be really looking forward to the big céilí in the Ard Rí Hotel  in Tuam on the Saturday night, when the Kilfenora Céilí Band will be performing. Anyone wishing to brush up on their dancing skills before the céilí could attend a set-dancing workshop facilitated by Gerard Butler. If set dancing doesn’t take your fancy, there will also be a workshop in sean nós dancing by JJ McDonnell.
Catering to the more contemporary trad audience, Dundalk band Bróg will be in Tuam for the weekend, as will Donegal girl band The Henry Girls of ‘You’re a Star’ fame, alongside local groups RíRΡ and The Reel Thing.
For those interested in improving their musicianship skills there will be workshops with some of the accomplished musicians in button accordion (PJ Hernon), fiddle (Fiona Doherty), flute and tin whistle (Carmel Gunning) and concertina (Maeve Scahill). There will also be a beginners' workshop in bodhrΡn and bones given by local man Declan Donoghue.
Renowned Tuam artist Michael Tierney will be displaying his paintings in Tuam for the first time in the Corralea Court Hotel.
Local artists will also be displaying their work in shop windows around the town over the weekend, adding a splash of colour to the cultural tone of the festival.

For more information on the Tuam Trad Festival, visit www.tuamtradfestival.com.