Gathering Festival to draw crowds

A well-established traditional music festival is expected to draw a crowd of around 10,000 to Killarney.

The 13th Gathering Festival, which gets underway tonight and continues until Sunday, will attract musicians, singers and dancers from around the country and beyond.

Highlights of the programme, based in the Gleneagle Hotel, include the Saturday night céilí with the Kilfenora Céilí Band, performances by Danú, Liz and Yvonne Kane, Jackie Daly and The Raw Bar Collective.

“This festival is firmly established as one of the most popular celebrations of Irish song and dance. It has grown in strength since its inception way back in 1999 and incorporates a finely tuned mix of concerts, céilís, sessions, workshops and master classes,” said chairperson John O’Shea.

“Every year, we welcome visitors from as far afield as Canada, the US and all over Europe, it is such a rarity to have so much talent under one roof,” he added.

There will be concerts by The Duets Living Legends and a singers’ concert as well as performances by Seán Tyrell, Ronan Browne and Kevin Glacken, Gerry Harrington and Billy Clifford, Edel Fox and Jack Talty, Colin Farrell, Martin O’Neill, Peter Browne, Tony Byrne; Jackie Daly, Matt Cranitch and Paul de Grae.

Also there will be the Alan Kelly Gang, Conal O’ Grada, Colm Murphy, Benny McCarthy, Dave Sheridan, Nell ní Chronin, Paddy Cronin and Gearoid Dineen. In the schools outreach programme, pupils and teachers from a selection of local primary schools are treated to a feast of toe-tapping tunes by local musicians and dancers. This provides them with a unique insight into their culture and heritage in a fun and interactive way.

Set-dancing workshops for beginners, advanced dancers and children will take place throughout the weekend, while the instruments and singers master classes will continue all day on Saturday.

A sean nós dancing workshop will also take place on Saturday.