October 24th - 27th, 2008
www.patrickokeeffe.com

DRAWS FREE SPIRITS FROM ALL OVER THE GLOBE AND BEYOND

The Patrick O’Keeffe Traditional Music Festival has been held in Castleisland, Co. Kerry every October bank holiday weekend since it was founded in 1993. Great music, singing, dancing, poetry, book and CD launches are the staple fare on offer annually at this lively gathering of free spirits from all corners of the globe and beyond imagine that!
This year the event runs from Friday, October 24 to the following Monday 27. In its relatively short history the festival has established itself as one of the most highly respected of its kind in Ireland today. It has been attended by all the leading exponents on the trad scene throughout the country over the course of its reign.

The festival was founded in 1993 after a hint from RTE Radio 1 producer, Peter Browne – who had just finished a documentary on the life and times of The Last of the Great Fiddle Masters to coincide with the 30th anniversary of his death. The four part radio documentary has just been repeated over the Wednesday nights of August.

From its inception in 1993 the festival has adopted a nurturing approach to the Sliabh Luachra style of music and playing; a style which Patrick O’Keeffe is widely credited with harbouring and imparting through the bad years - years before it became all the go.
There has been greater emphasis, in more recent times, on the educational aspects of the festival with classes on the traditional instruments of the Sliabh Luachra area being brought increasingly into focus each year.

For the benefit of patrons: a pocket sized booklet will be available in all pubs and venues. These will outline the events of the weekend and list all local accommodation and food centres.

The festival website will also be updated with these details as the time draws near – check it out on: www.patrickokeeffe.com