Countdown underway for Tullamore TradFest
Prepare to be swept away by a wave of jigs and reels as Tullamore TradFest takes over Tullamore once again from March 22nd to 24th! The Tullamore-based festival with its central Midlands location and dedication to showcasing the very best of traditional Irish music, is growing year on year acting as the ideal destination for both traditional music enthusiasts and late-night revellers alike.
Organisers are thrilled to announce the legendary Four Men & A Dog as the headliners for the main concert on Friday night at The Bridge House Hotel.
Festival Organiser, AnnMarie Kearns, expressed her excitement, saying, "Four Men & A Dog have been a traditional music powerhouse for over three decades since coming together in 1991. With seven albums recorded, high energy performances that blend traditional with a touch of rap, rock and roll and blues, they have captivated audiences worldwide and we are expecting an electric night in Tullamore! “
Supporting acts on Friday night include a stellar line-up of festival tutors: Clara Mannion (concertina), Elle Marie O'Dwyer (vocals), Céin Sweeney (flute), Ademar O'Connor Stones (fiddle), and Fergus Bogue (accordion). Saturday's early concert at The Bridge House Tullamore features the reigning All Ireland Senior Céilí Band Champions, 'Pipers Cross Céilí Band.'
Festival Organiser Ciara McKeogh, notes: "Their sit-down concert will showcase the band's dynamic céilí tunes, combined with soulful singing and sean nós dancing, making it an unmissable experience for all. This is a family friendly concert that begins at 5pm, and offers a ticket that gets the whole family in to enjoy at just €25.”
The Festival Club on Saturday night boasts a double-bill headline with SUPERCÉILÍ and a performance by Greta Curtin (concertina), Jessie Healy (fiddle), and Eoin Murphy (guitar). Festival Organiser, Claire Guinan hints there may be a few surprises to this line-up yet, stating: "We can’t wait to have SUPERCÉILÍ along with Greta, Jessie and Eoin but the full line-up may not finish at that, there may be a few additional surprises in store for our Festival Club attendees, so get your tickets quick as this is our most popular concert and has sold out in the last few years."
Sunday sees the introduction of a new addition with a céilí by Rise The Dust, inviting set dancing enthusiasts to join in the weekend’s fun. The céilí takes place from 4pm to 7pm again at The Bridge House Hotel. Tickets are €10, available at the door (cash only). The festival also offers instrumental workshops on Saturday morning at Coláiste Choilm, however, all are sold out already due to huge demand.
“We launched our workshops before Christmas hoping that they might act as a stocking filler, but they have exceeded all expectations and are all sold out including the additional workshops we added due to demand. There are over 200 participants coming to our workshops from all over Ireland and even abroad, varying in age from 7 right up to 70," Festival Organiser, Sineád Durkan comments.
She expresses thanks to the local community in Tullamore who are so supportive of the TradFest weekend and looks forward to the festivities in March For more information and to secure your tickets, visit www.tullamoretradfest.com.