www.anbhoth.ie

Scotstown, Co Monaghan plays host to a feast of traditional music on the 12th-14th October. The weekend entitled ‘Scoil Cheoil na Botha’ will see some of Irelands finest traditional musicians descend on the village to take part in workshops, sessions, and a celebrity concert.

The North Monaghan village of Scotstown has a long association with traditional music, with musicians of the calibre of Michael Rooney, Mattie Connolly, Michael McCague (At the Racket) and Seán Mc Elwain (Téada) all hailing from its environs.

RTE’s Ceilí House presenter Kieran Hanrahan will officially launch the festival in Mc Cagues Bar on Friday 12th.

Saturday sees a unique opportunity for local musicians to learn from current masters of traditional music on their own door step. Workshops will be given in fiddle, flute, uilleann pipes, banjo, harp and piano accordion. The tutors include TG4’s musician of the year, John Carty on fiddle, Galway virtuoso Enda Scahill on banjo, along with Leitrim pairing Damien O’Brien and Oliver Loughlin on fiddle and piano accordion respectively. The line-up is completed by Ireland’s finest harper, Michael Rooney from Tyraverty, Scotstown, his wife, the equally talented June Mc Cormack and Monaghan uilleann piper Tiarnán Ó Duinnchinn.

Workshops will take place in St Mary’s National School and applications can be made by contacting Pauline Rooney at 89161 or through the website at www.anbhoth.ie.

The tutors will perform alongside special guests, including the Éamonn Ó Muirí Grúpa Ceoil and All-Ireland Senior Fiddle Champion Laura Beagon, on Saturday night at 9pm in Urbleshanney Hall.

For a complete line up, check out the website www.anbhoth.ie