October 1st – 4th, 2015 www.corkfolkfestival.com

Cork is the place to be this October if you’re looking for a taste of southern traditions. Song will feature strongly at the 36th Festival so in preparation take time to learn a verse or two of The Boys of Fairhill. The line–up for the Cork Folk Festival will be a feast of music, song, and dance and stories all reflecting the thriving traditional scene in the city. As expected local musicians will strongly feature on the bill, including: Jimmy MacCarthy, Jimmy Crowley, John Spillane, The Four Star Trio, Matt Cranitch & Jackie Daly, Noel Shine & Mary Greene, The Cork Pipers and Singers Clubs and many more. The line–up also includes some of Irelands leading traditional groups including; Sligo’s finest trad band, Dervish featuring Cathy Jordan on vocals, Danú from Na Déise with Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh, Cherish The Ladies with Joanie Madden from USA, Buille featuring the Vallely brothers from Armagh and Gerry Cullen, Phil Callery and Fran McPhail of The Voice Squad. Also this year the festival will include Donal Lunny, Paddy Glackin and Paddy Keenan who all famously featured in The Bothy Band.

Over the 36 years of the festival the international element has always added variety and interesting combinations. Travelling from the UK will be ace guitarist Martin Simpson who last featured in Cork in 1980 with June Tabor. Also coming from the UK are musical comical geniuses, The New Rope String Band who are on their final tour. Bayrisch will be coming from Germany; they are a trio of Bavarian musicians and will perform with Eoin O Riabhaigh, Timmy and Tony McCarthy. Some of the other interesting acts include Balkan Alien Sound based in Derry, The Céili Allstars, Frankie Lane & Paul Kelly, Two Time Polka, Arundo, and visitors from the Warwick Folk Festival. The festival happens over 4 days and it will feature 250 musicians, 30 concerts, 60 gig trail sessions, a Céili Mór, workshops & classes and talks.

A weekend pass covering nearly all events will be available online from tickets.ie with prices beginning at €98. For people who love song there will be many events to choose from, including competitions for budding songwriters, song classes, singers club events, a talk by Jimmy Crowley on his new book, Songs from the Beautiful City and the launch of a new book by Seán Ó Sé. So now here is your chance to learn a verse of Jimmy Crowley’s famous song and see ya in October.

Come boys ’tis there you’ll see lads and lassies in their glee

Evergreen bowlers would make your heart thrill

The boys they won’t harm you the girls soft will charm you

Here’s up them all cried the boys of Fairhill.

For further information visit www.corkfolkfestival.com