September 21st – 23rd, 2012
www.goilin.com

This year’s Frank Harte Festival will take place from Friday, September 21st to Sunday, September 23rd, 2012, and will be at the Teacher’s Club, Parnell Square, Dublin.

Frank Harte was born, raised, and lived in Chapelizod Dublin where his family ran The Tap Pub. He was introduced to traditional Irish songs at the age of fourteen, when he heard a tinker singing and selling ballad sheets at a fair in Boyle. Frank was fascinated with songs that tell stories and was an avid collector for many years. He amassed over 20,000 songs, mainly from people he met at various Singing sessions. Over the years he researched the historical and social context for many of the songs, and annotated, and catalogued them to an extensive database.

Drawing on this database he produced a series of CD’s each of which are little masterpieces telling the story of major historical events in Irish history through the songs they inspired. The CD’s covered such events as the Great Famine, 1798 Rebellion, Napoleon Bonaparte and of course Dublin songs. The last one he completed concerned the lives of the Irish navvies in England. It is certain that the value and reputation of this collection will grow over the years.

Guest singers at this year’s festival include: Breanndán Ó Beaglaoich, Co. Kerry, Cormac Ó Beaglaoich, Co. Kerry, Bréanainn Ó Beaglaoich, Co. Kerry, Peter “The Racker” Donnelly, Co. Wicklow, Áine Uí Cheallaigh, Co. Waterford, Fergus Russell, Dublin, Grace Toland, Co. Donegal, Gerry Cullen, Co. Louth, Fran McPhail, Co. Louth, Phil Callery, Dublin and Siobhan Miller, Scotland.

For further information www.goilin.com