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Milwaukee Irish Fest has long been recognized for its celebration of Irish heritage. Through its ties to Ireland, it continues to be the premier Irish festival in the world, bringing the best in Irish culture and entertainment to the Midwest. The 2008 festival will host one of the organization’s largest collaborative efforts to date in its partnership with Milwaukee’s sister city and Ireland’s cultural heart – Galway.
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July 28th - August 3rd, 2008
The annual Scoil Acla summer school takes place this year from july 28th until august 3rd on Achill Island, Co. Mayo. Scoil Acla is possibly the best kept secret in the circuit of summer schools in the country. It is Irelands oldest summer school, originally founded in 1910 and relaunched in 1985 by a dedicated committee who had the vision to re-establish it.
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June 23rd – July 4th, 2008
www.blas.ie
Blas International Summer School of Irish Traditional Music and Dance 2008 runs from Monday June 23rd until Friday July 4th.
The Blas Summer School at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance (formerly the Irish World Music Centre) took place for the first time in 1997, under the directorship of Dr Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin, Professor of Music. Now in its 12th year, the summer school has gone from strength to strength, attracting students from Britain, Europe, the United States and Japan, as well as local, national and international media attention.
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August 1st – 4th, 2008
www.ocarolanharpfestival.ie
The O’Carolan Harp and Traditional Music Festival, Keadue, Co. Roscommon, Ireland, now in its 30th year has established itself over the years as one of Ireland’s leading musical events.
The 2008 Festival which is held under the auspices of C.C.E. takes place over the August Bank Holiday weekend from August 1st to August 4th while the O’Carolan Summer School in Traditional Music Song and Dance precedes the Festival and takes place from July 28th to
August 2nd.
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A festival celebrating the song, poetry and music of Raftery takes place in Loughrea on Friday 28th to Sunday 30th March.
Local accordionist Joe Burke and fiddle maestro Charlie Lennon head an impressive musical line-up and expect to see young Spiddal sean-nós dancer Seosamh Ó Neachtain liven things up with a step or two!
On the singing front, Raidió na Gaeltachta’s Meaití Joe Shéamuis and others will showcase some of Raftery’s finest songs, while one of our greatest modern day poets, Louis De Paor, will also feature.
This years organisers have pulled out all the stops to provide a full and exciting programme of events. Including workshops in poetry, song and fiddle music, a singers’ circle, sessions, a talk on Raftery and a grand concert in his honour, Féile Raifteirí 2008 will be a fitting celebration and commemoration of the legendary Raftery.
The official opening will take place on Friday 28th March at An Teach Beag at 9pm sharp.
Galway’s own Joe Mc Donagh will be on hand with just the right amount of wit and gravitas to get the festival weekend underway!
Further Information:
Contact: Pádraig Ó Baoill
Tel: 091-870718
or email: prua@lochariach.com
Irish debut for new Dervish multi media show at Tri Pod
10th April 2008, Tri Pod, Dublin - Tickets On Sale Now
Known worldwide for their innovative and progressive approach to Irish roots music, trad giants Dervish are now taking Irish music to new heights and bringing their new multi media experience to Irish audiences for the first time in Tri Pod, Dublin on April 10th 2008! Tickets are limited in numbers for this fully seated show and can be purchased from Ticketmaster or online at www.ticketmaster.ie
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13th – 19th July 2008
www.sssschool.org
Nestled at the foot of the Ox Mountains, the south Sligo town of Tubbercurry is the setting for the 22nd South Sligo Summer School of traditional music, song & dance this July.
Classes are held each morning in several traditional instruments including fiddle, flute, harp, concertina, uilleann pipes, traditional guitar, banjo, bodhrán and piano and button accordians. A tinwhistle masterclass is a very popular feature of the school as are the masterclasses in the South Sligo styles of both fiddle and flute playing. Singing classes in sean nós and traditional styles are very popular and so too are the set dancing classes under the expert tuition of Pat Murphy & Betty McCoy and the daily afternoon sean nós dancing class ably taught by Brenda O’Callaghan.
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May 16th – 18th, 2008
www.skerriestraditionalmusic.com
The 7th Skerries Traditional Music Weekend has become a well-established cultural event throughout Ireland and further a field and is proving to be a very popular traditional event at the beginning of each summer. In 2008 the traditions of the North Fingal Community will continue to grow from strength to strength with the introduction of old Fingal tunes the archives taught by tutors from the Fingal area.
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The 20th. Joe Mooney Summer School will run from 19th. –26th. July 2008 in Drumshanbo, Co. Leitrim.
A full programme of traditional workshops is planned for this well-established week on the traditional calendar of events 2008.
Workshops in flute, fiddle, button accordion, concertina, whistle, harp, banjo,
uilleann pipes, mandolin, bodhrán, piano accordion, traditional and sean nós singing and set dancing.
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www.paviliontheatre.ie
Pavilion Theatre
Marine Road, Dun Laoghaire
Sunday 30th March 2008
Tickets: €18/14/10
Booking: 01 – 2312929
and new online booking: www.paviliontheatre.ie
Pavilion Theatre audiences can look forward to the fantastic night of paying tribute and enjoying the music of the legendary Luke Kelly. Chris Kavanagh brings his Legend of Luke Kelly show back to Dun Laoghaire on Sunday, 30th March.
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