Exciting line up for Feile na Tana
THERE’S an exciting line-up for this year’s Feile na Tana festival taking place in Carlingford this weekend.
Now in it’s fifth year, the festival is organised by a voluntary committee, with local musicians Zoe Conway and John McIntrye as musical directors.
As two of the country’s leading musicians, Zoe and John are well placed to bring the best of Ireland’s traditional musicians and singers to the Cooley peninsula for a weekend of workshops and concerts.
The line-up of renowned musicians includes Caoimhín O Raghallaigh, Mary Bergin, Mick O Brien, Laoise Kelly, Éamon De Barra, Mairtín O Connor, Edel Fox, Mairead Ní Mhaonaigh, Cathal Hayden, Robbie Harris, Des Cafferkey, Edwina Guckian, who will be joining John Mc Intyre and Zoe Conway. The musicians will be leading the workshops in Bush Post Primary School in Bush on Saturday .
The weekend gets underway on Friday night at 7PM with the launch concert St. Michael’s Hall, Newry Street, featuring Laoise Kelly on harp with Zoe Conway on fiddle and John Mc Intyre on guitar, and the Traditional Orchestra of Scoil Naomh Lorcan, Omeath, followed by a young musicians’ session
Saturday is given over to workshops in Bush Post-Prima- ry School, with easy introductory workshops in singing, sean nos dancing and tin whistle for beginners. All the other classes are for students with three or more years experience, and cover a wide range of instruments - fiddle, whistle, uileann pipes, flute, harp, concertina, accordian, guitar, banjo and bodhran.
Later that night, the tutors’ concert takes place at 7.30pm in St Michael’s Hall.
This promises to be a great opportunity to see some of the country’s top traditional musicians and singers performing live on stage. Admission to the concert is just €10 and is free to all Feile na Tana students.
This will be followed by a big session in the Village Hotel, McKevitts in Carlingford at 9.30pm - all are welcome to come along and join in or simply soak up the atmosphere!
Another highlight of the festival will be the Sunday afternoon concert featuring world renowned performers, Máirtín O Connor from Galway on accordian and Cathal Hayden from Tyrone on fiddle and banjo.
There will also be performances from some of Ireland’s best young musicians including Music Generation Louth Harp Ensemble, CCÉ Craobh Dún Dealgan Grupa Cheoil, Faoi Gheasa De La Salle College, Dundalk and players from Dublin and Laois also.
This unique concert will be at 4pm in St. Michael’s Hall in Carlingford.
There will be another session in the Four Seasons Hotel at 6.30pm.
Féile na Tána is kindly funded by Create Louth and The Arts Council, and sponsored by Carlingford Guest House, The Four Seasons Hotel, Councillor John McGahon and Lee Opticians Warrenpoint and Crossmaglen.
For full details and registration for the workshops,go to www.feilenatana.com.