UK Folk Festivals - Ireland

A diverse range of acoustic music in small venues.
70 events, 15 venues!
Over 4,000 people visit the festival every year as there is something for everyone. It's a folk festival, a traditional session fleadh, a bluegrass hoedown, a blues jam, a céilidh, an international festival, all bound by the enjoyment of music!

Dublin's biggest and best festival of Irish Music and Culture, the Temple Bar TradFest will be back for the 7th year from January 25-29th 2012. The 2012 festival will include headline concerts in Christ Church, City Hall and The Button Factory. Other highlights include over 200 free events, music trail, singers club, open session, two outdoor stages, the international Celtic Irish dance festival, master classes and showcases, gigs for kids, children's club, pipe bands, street performers and much more.

An event for both students and the general public of Cork. Featuring the best of Irish musicians from around the country.

A highlight of Irish cultural calendar this year's programme includes a superb mix of live concerts, set dance classes, instrument workshops and lectures. The festival brings together young and old, from near to far, for a truly unique festival!

The Russell Memorial Weekend is a traditional festival held in Doolin on the the last full weekend in February each year. The festival began in 1995 as a remembrance ceremony to Micho Russell, the world-famous traditional musician, who died in 1994.

The Inishowen Traditional Singers' Circle was formed in 1988 to celebrate, encourage, foster and perpetuate the folk song and ballad tradition of the Inishowen Peninsula.

A feast of traditional Irish music and dance is promised, featuring famous musicians from far and wide as well as local musicians, with wide-ranging events including an all star concert, session trails, music, song and dance workshops, a singing session, a Ceili and Sean Nós Dancing workshops.

In its 15th year. Mainly workshops in Irish traditional music, song and dance,

By now a national institution and an international buzz-phrase among the Americana / Roots movement...Ireland’s most compact and hospitable music festival, where virtually everything is low-key but high grade.

Mixture of genres. All forms of music under the Americana/Roots banner are well represented over the four days.

Now in it's 20th year. Well established event attracting some great fiddlers.

As usual there'll be a selection of top class workshops and numerous sessions going on all weekend.

A weekend festival comprised of ceili dancing, music sessions, street entertainment and competitions in music, singing, dancing and storytelling. Under 12 and 12/15 competitions will take place on Saturday May 12th, while 15/18 and Senior competitions will take place in Sunday, May 13th. This year set and céilí dancing competitions will take place prior to the Fleadh weekend in Coachford.

This one is a bit different. It covers music from the 17th Century onwards. Contact them for more details.

There are many Irish traditional festivals organised throughout the summer months but there are few people who will dispute that Fleadh Nua which started in Dublin in 1970, is the forerunner of them all. Gets thousands of visitors each year.

Competitions, concerts, workshops, street entertainment, ceili, sessions, singing.
What do you expect? It's Ireland.

An abundance of music, song and dance at the many impromptu sessions as well as set and céilí dancing venues around the town.

Traditional Music and dance.

Site incomplete at time of last visit.

This is a week long traditional festival of music, song and dance named after the man who did so much to promote the cause of Leitrim and his beloved town.

It began as a one day event, progressed to a weekend one and now extends to eight days and seven nights of music, culture and craic. With up to 200 events the festival caters for music fanatics, families who wish to enjoy a safe, child focused festival, and those who come just to soak up the scenery, the friendliness and the free outdoor music.

The 35rd annual Ballyshannon Folk and Traditional music fesitval is the place to be as the sounds of traditional & folk music echo from the streets, pubs and theatre once again.

Another top class lineup has been announced so make sure to book early to avoid disappointment. As well as plenty of pub sessions and street entertainment this will no doubt be another memorable festival weekend.

The Festival was started in Keadue in 1978, to commemorate the famous Harper Turlough O'Carolan who lived in the area and is buried beside Keadue. Keadue is a small village of 200 people located on the shores of Lough Meelagh at the foot of the Arigna Mountains. The Festival includes Concerts, Ceili, Tuition on the Harp, Set Dancing, Harp Recitals and a Harp Competition with €2500 in Prizes.

The Feakle Festival will celebrate it’s 25th Anniversary in 2012.

Variety of events over a week long festival.

A 10 day feast of visual art, classical music, theatre and dance, jazz world and traditional Irish music, literature, film, architecture, indie music, craft and children's events.

As ever Ireland’s unique Irish Traditional Music Festival will be headlined by Martin Hayes, the fiddler from East Clare, whose distinctive touch and extravagant virtuosity has brought the tradition to new levels. His famous trance-evoking sets with Dennis Cahill have mesmerised audiences all over the world.

Celebration of Irish traditional, American bluegrass and folk music.

There are jams, sessions, busking, and concerts. Music is available in abundance all weekend long....on the streets, on the 'Market Square' stage (in the centre of town), in the pubs and in our nightly concert venues.

Spirit of Folk is a family friendly festival running from 21-23 September in the stunning grounds of Dunderry Park, Co Meath.

Traditional music from Ireland and England too. One of the major Irish festivals.

A wide variety of genres, not just folk music. Run at Queen's University for over 30 years.
Spread over many days.

Sligo Live Sessions is a national festival celebrating traditional, roots and acoustic music. Now in its sixth year, it has carved out a niche as one of the most relaxed, intimate and enjoyable music festivals in Ireland. Sligo Live.

100 events, 80% free, All Indoors. Intimate Concerts.Street Markets.Over 350 artists.Dynamic pub sessions. Cafe Culture & Sligo Live Showcase.

Spread over many days, this is an incredible mix of music of all sorts Irish.

Traditional sessions, ceol agus craic will be a major feature of the weekend so that Ballaghaderreen is definitely the place to be for all lovers of Irish traditional culture!

The festival for lovers of traditional and contemporary music.

A spectacular and invigorating celebration of culture as visitors and performers from all over Ireland and the globe descend on Dún Laoghaire.

The 18th James Morrison Traditional Music Festival commemorates the musical genius of Sligo's James Morrison and his contemporaries. Born in Drumfin near Riverstown, Co. Sligo, he emigrated to America in 1915. James died in New York in 1947.

A celebration of Irish Music, Culture and Heritage as expressed in the South Sligo Style of music played by Michael Coleman and other musicians of his time.

Not much info available on the site, a typical myspace webpage.
The Féile Patrick Byrne is being held to honour the 19th century Monaghan harper Patrick Byrne, “the last of the great Irish harpers” and the first Irish traditional musician ever photographed.

Fleadh by the Feale will bring together traditional Irish musicians from all over Ireland, Europe and America to Abbeyfeale town center in West Limerick for the seventeenth year! Clearly a long standing event.

Workshops in Fiddle, Tin Whistle, Traditional Singing, Poetry & Story Telling, Bodhrán, Junior & Senior Harp, in the Ard Scoil Phadraig, Ballinalee Road, commencing at 10am until 1pm each day.

A galaxy of fine musicians - including many All-Ireland winners from the locality and beyond - will appear daily in the pub music sessions for which Kilfenora is so celebrated

Traditional music festival in Ireland

Féile na nDéise is a traditional Irish music and culture festival held in Dungarvan, Co. Waterford, Ireland every May Bank Holiday weekend. It features the best that Waterford has to offer in terms of top quality traditional musicians and dancers and also diverse range of street entertainment and exhibitions. Performers and musical groups from all over Ireland and Europe perform at Féile na nDéise.

Few details available on our last visit

Many of Ireland's leading traditional artistes will both teach and perform to keep Skerries firmly on the traditional venue map. Recitals, concerts and workshops will take place at several venues in the town. Workshops again this year and singing & banjo classes are now a permanent feature of the workshop choices.

Festival with a variety of music styles.

Stunning Setting, Multiple Stages, Free Camping, ‘Slow Food’ Village Poetry Tent, Workshops, Talks, Exhibitions and much more!
Family Friendly

This year marks the 10th year of the GalWay SESSIONS and the second year of our growing partnership and friendship with Stirling in Scotland. We welcome back the Scots who brought great life and excitement to the streets, pubs and concert halls of Galway last June. We look forward to more of the same! We also welcome new friends from Newfoundland, a friendship we intend to nurture in future years making the Galway Sessions an inter-Celtic and trans-Atlantic Festival.

BuskFest is an international busking festival which takes place in Banbridge, County Down, Northern Ireland. The event, which is now in its 8th year, attracts 6000+ people from across the globe to Banbridge Town Centre.

Once again Castlewellan will be centre stage of the musical diversity that is Celtic Fusion during the July holiday period, with a fantastic programme of musical events for you to enjoy.

The Festival began way back in 1995. There has been a wide variety of music, ranging from Cajon to Trad to Rock. Musicians have come from all over the world to play on the main stage, on the streets and in the Pubs. Of course its not just famous bands that have played at the Festival, local musicians have been taking part also showing off their musical talents.

The festival aims to bring together musical traditions across all cultural divides and the direction pursued in recent years has been to incorporate the Ulster Scots tradition alongside Traditional Irish music. This has greatly enhanced audience participation in a diverse range of events. People from different sides of the community have become exposed to music, song and dance that they may not have been familiar with before.

Website was being constructed when we last visited.

Uses a 2,000 capacity marquee, so can't get rained off.

The Festival aims to host the best of traditional entertainment, to encourage musicians to revisit Tuam and to bring together the very best of Irish musicians, singers and dancers for a weekend feast of Traditional music, song and dance.

Not just folk music.

Drive in movies, Acrobatic theatre and of course the usual mixture of world music, jazz, street theatre, exhibitions, theatre, poetry, litrature, childrens events, school events, dancing, and much more....

The ninth festival. Building on a tradition over the last eight years of bringing top artistes to Strokestown, Féile Frank McGann are delighted to welcome back all the great musicians that have shared so many memorable festivals with us and, with a high profile array of workshop tutors, talks as well as music and singing sessions planned for the weekend, you will undoubtedly be treated to the very best weekend of the year.

5th event.
Sessions, concert and classes.

A festival for those who love to hear (or play) Irish Traditional music of the highest quality in its most natural setting. The festival brings together the very best of Irish traditional musicians, singers and dancers in a relaxed and informal atmosphere.

The William Kennedy Piping Festival celebrates the life and work of William Kennedy, the 18th century piper, pipe maker and inventor.

Now in its 5th year.
Traditional Irish fiddle music and singers.