Pass the hat for some cool tunes in Cashel

From June 30th Cashel will be in Festival mood with the EU Rural Charter coming to town and the City of the Kings celebrating its annual Town Walls day on July 3rd. Both events are bringing in a number of performers who will be playing at the various festival venues.

Folk Around the Festival is the idea of Irish Music Magazine Editor Sean Laffey who told us “ I’ve played festivals myself and one of the biggest thrills for artist is to find a nice session pub and have a bit of craic with the locals. So I thought why not make sure that it happens in Cashel during the big festival weekend? Wwe have some great acts lined up for the Heritage Trust’s Town Walls day on Sunday July 3rd and I thought it would be an ideal chance for local session players to meet them and have a few tunes together.

“We have two pubs lined up already with more likely to come on board as we get closer to the event. On Friday night the Armagh Rhymers will host a session at Mikey Ryan’s pub on the Plaza. On Saturday night Wynddebag The Piper is set to get the punters into the Medieval spirit with an acoustic set in Davern’s Bar.  The session will start 15 minutes after the acts on the mainstage have finished. Around 10pm most nights.“

The Armagh Rhymers will be in town from the Wednesday as they will give a performance for the children at St. John the Baptist Schools.

“The pub sessions are open to anyone, it’ll be a ‘sit around the circle and have a few tunes set up’ no stages, no lights, no PA. It’s all unplugged and unpaid,” said Sean. Explaining further he told us the musicians are giving their services free to the pubs to encourage more visitors in town over the weekend. Sean added; “It’s a pass the hat gig. Well have a black top hat ready to pass around the crowd and hopefully they will be generous with the odd few Euro. The money we collect will go back to the guest musicians to help them cover their food and transport costs. It’s a win win for everyone”

If any other pubs would like to host a Folk Around the Festival gig, please call Sean on 06262685 or 0879821916.