Festival to run from 16th to 18th June

www.doolinfestivals.ie

John Creedon: “This is a true ‘boutique festival’ – small and super cool, where the music really matters.”

Philip King: “Out there on the edge of the country,Doolin allows both musicians and audiences to reconnect.”

The disarming and haunting Lisa Hannigan will this year be the latest to beat a path into the West for one of Ireland’s leading boutique festivals when she joins an all-star cast for the fifth annual Doolin Folk Festival.

The Stunning, Sharon Shannon, Altan, Mundy, Malian vocalist/guitarist Vieux Farka Touré, Duke Special & Ulaid, John Spillane and many more will gather for the biggest festival in the West Clare area since the halcyon gatherings at nearby Lisdoonvarna of the late 1970s and early ‘80s.

The festival is a modern incarnation of those great events and the organisers have worked hard to build its reputation to a level where it now attracts folk fans from across the country and some from abroad.

Festival organiser and Hotel Doolin manager Dónal Minihane explains “The festival is now five years on the scene but feels like it has been going on a lot longer as it has gathered that much of a following. Doolin is synonymous with folk music in Ireland and so many musicians and music lovers have a connection with the area, the festival just feels so natural. The weekend is a celebration of Doolin and the music that has drawn and continues to draw people here from all corners of the world.”

The size of the festival means that tickets are limited with the last three editions selling out.

Dónal Minihane adds:  “We’re not interested in being a big festival. That’s the beauty about The Doolin Folk Festival, our size allows us to create a unique atmosphere, presenting powerful music in an intimate setting and ensuring that audiences and musicians can feel at one and just enjoy the communal spirit of such festivals.”

The Doolin Folk Festival continues its musical diversity, with a broad mixed programme of acclaimed artists to cater for anyone’s taste. The combination of this, and Doolin’s incredible hospitality, makes it one of the most unique and intimate festivals in Ireland.

Festival Programmer Conor Byrne says: “Our audience at The Doolin Folk festival know their music, it is truly a music lover’s festival, so there is great pressure to deliver each year and we certainly hope we have delivered with this 2017 line-up. As well as some big hitters from the Irish traditional and folk music scene, including internationally acclaimed artist, Lisa Hannigan,  trad super-group ALTAN, and the collaboration of Duke Special and Ulaid, the year also features international acts such as Mali’s Vieux Farka Touré,  described as ‘The Hendrix of the Sahara”, and Quebec’s acclaimed ‘Le Vent Du Nord’.

“In celebrating local talent, we are very excited to have Ennistymon natives, Steve & Joe Wall return with their band The Stunning, who have been rocking the nation for over twenty years, and no doubt this sort of homecoming will be a great occasion for all present.  Speaking of local talent we are also delighted to welcome back Sharon Shannon. Sharon continues to amaze audiences worldwide with her incredible music”

Full line-up: Lisa Hannigan; The Stunning; Sharon Shannon; Vieux Farka Touré; Altan; Duke Special & Ulaid; Mundy; Beoga; Le Vent Du Nord; Dubh-linn; John Spillane; Flook; Hedge Schools; Dermot Barrett; The Heathers;The Kane Sisters with John Blake; Edel Vaughan; The Horsenecks; Dermot McLaughlin & Robbie Hannon; Sheila Garry & Elaine Hogan.

The festival is also in association with RTE Radio 1. “RTÉ Radio 1 has over fifty hours of quality music shows a week and across a year covers over twenty Irish music festivals. Irish music is central to our programming so we’re delighted to be part of this festival with its brilliant line up of music acts in beautiful Doolin, Co. Clare.” – RTÉ Radio 1

More announcements will follow for the White Horse Sessions Stage.

Day and Weekend Tickets for the Doolin Folk Festival are now on sale from www.doolinfestivals.ie and www.tickets.ie