Seán launches Dan Paddy Andy
AS soon as the cuckoo makes himself known along the stretches of the Stacks Mountains, you can be sure the year is moving fast and there’s no better way to mark its turning than by heading to Lyreacrompane to celebrate the Dan Paddy Andy Festival which takes place over the August Bank Holiday weekend, July 29 to August 1.
The late matchmaker Dan Paddy Andy was renowned for his ability to bring people together and he did so posthumously last Friday evening when a large crew gathered at John B Keane’s to officially launch the festival – a task bestowed upon Kerry’s favourite Cork man, Séan Ó Sé, who was well matched with Gabriel Fitzmaurice, Eoin Hand, Jim Malone and the best of traditional music from Sarah and Maurice O’Keeffe.
“The launch was a great event and it was very appropriate that it should have taken place in John B’s given his connection with Dan Paddy Andy and Lyreacrompane,” Joe Harrington said.
This year’s festival once again sees a great lineup with the festival marquee the focal point for ceilí, set dancing, storytelling and the ever popular waltzing competition on Sunday evening. The weekend also includes a dog show, Kingdom falconry display, a bog walk and turf cutting exhibition - but above all else, it’s a weekend that brings community together. Thanks to the festival the joy and entertainment of his famous dance hall has been rekindled and Dan Paddy Andy himself would be proud to hear the accordions, fiddles and bohráns still piercing the late evening air around Lyre.
“New to the festival are Tim Joe and Ann O’Riordan from Cork. Also new is the Kingdom falconry display. We have a great committee who are wellversed in organising the festival and we’re delighted it’s still going. We like to call it Ireland’s real rural festival and it’s the furthest you can be from a town or a village and still be on dry land while enjoying yourself,” Joe added.