Alan Dillon to perform official opening of Scoil Acla

Scoil Acla have announced that former Mayo senior footballer and current Fine Gael TD, Alan Dillon will perform the official opening of the summer school later this month.

The Mayo TD will officially open the Scoil Acla Summer School in Ted's Bar in Cashel, Achill on Monday, July 24 at 8pm. The festival will take place this year from Saturday, July 23 to July 29 in various locations across the parish of Achill.

The Scoil Acla Summer School which has been running for almost 40 years, is a week-long celebration of Irish culture, offering a unique opportunity to learn from experienced tutors, explore the beautiful scenery of Achill Island and immerse oneself in the local community.
This year, as always, the Summer School will feature classes in traditional Irish music, song, dance, writing and Gaeilg' Acla, taught by some of the most renowned tutors in the country. In addition, there will be a range of workshops, lectures, launches, readings, concerts and sessions taking place throughout the week, providing participants of all interests with an unforgettable experience.

Fiddle maestro, Fergal Scahill, will join the summer school this year as their Artist in Residence and follows in the footsteps of musicians like Laoise Kelly, Breanndán Ó Beaglaoich, Kieran Hanrahan and Des Cafferkey who have been past Artist in Residence at Scoil Acla.

Fergal Scahill is a virtuoso musician whose journey in the industry spans over two decades. At the tender age of two, he discovered his love for music and began playing the bodhrán. By the age of five, he was already taking the stage with the Siamsa show in Galway and performing in front of captivated audiences.

Over the years, he has accumulated an impressive list of accomplishments, including multiple All-Ireland titles on the fiddle, bodhrán and guitar accompaniment, as well as many group competition wins.

At 18 years of age, Fergal took his talent to the professional stage and has since performed in several shows, including Ragus and Celtic Legends. He has a rich discography, including five solo projects, two albums with his band Freewheel and seven albums with his current band We Banjo 3, which has also received numerous awards including the Traditional Album of the Year award from the Irish Times, the Album of the Week accolade from RTÉ Radio 1 and best folk album at the 2018 RTÉ Folk Awards.

For more information and to book classes please visit www.scoilacla.ie, email info@scoilacla.ie or phone Scoil Acla on 085 881 9548 and keep up-to-date with Scoil Acla on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!