Six young trad musicians to promote Sligo at Cambridge
Sligo Live is taking six young trad musicians to Britain’s oldest and most prestigious Folk Festival at Cambridge this weekend.
It’s in a joint bid with Sligo County Council’s Creative Ireland Committee to promote Sligo Music City and Sligo Live.
The musicians, two of whom have Sligo roots, will entertain festival goers Thursday-Sunday with informal open sessions each afternoon and evening. They will also perform on the main stages during the weekend before 14,000-strong crowds.
The six include Sligo flute and low whistle player Tiernan Courell, current Fiddler of Dooney Jason McGuinness from Dromore West, Sligo Sessions regular Richie Delahunty (Banjo and Guitar), Hannah Kelly (Concertina), Donal Linehan (Accordion) and Caoimhe Kilkenny (Fiddle and Bodhran).
Sligo Live Director, Rory O’Connor said: “Our message with these six superb musicians is to convince British music lovers that Sligo is closer to Britain than many would think. We have great music, great people and great fun in a wonderful environment. ”
Cambridge Folk Festival Operations Manager, Rebecca Stewart said: “Together with Sligo Live, we brought the in- formal Irish session to Cambridge last year as an anchor for sessions in the festival bars and cafés. The initiative proved very popular and it reinvigorated one of the most endearing features of Cambridge Folk Fes- tival, the informal jam sessions around the main programme, often continuing into the early mornings.”
Sligo Live takes place from 26 th to 31st October with 100 indoor gigs this year.