Trad singing festival this week-end
THE Sligo Traditional Singers Circle launched the 11 th Frank Finn Traditional Singing Festival at a function held in Harry’s Bar, Rosses Point last week.
Speaking at the launch, Mr. Vince Hearns, producer and presenter with Ocean FM said: ‘while we remember and indeed commemorate the life of our dear friend Frank Finn we do so through the medium of song, and rightly so, for Frank loved song, he loved singing songs, he loved composing songs, and he loved listening to songs. Singing was important to Flank so much so that he was directly responsible for founding the Sligo Traditional Singers Circle seventeen years ago.”
The Frank Finn Singing Festival takes place in Rosses Point on the weekend of Friday, September 29 th through to Sunday, October 1st.
The festival will commence with an official opening ceremony on Friday night at 8.30pm performed by Frank Carter, Chairperson of the Sligo Traditional Singers Circle, and that will be followed by a singing and story telling session.
Organisers will again introduce patrons to island hospitality as they bring those attending out to Coney Island for the workshops, and into the homes of the islanders (there are only eight residents on the island). However, after the workshops, McGowan’s, the only pub on the island, will open for a singing session. Mr. Hearns said that Elle Marie O’Dwyer and Caitriona Ni Cheannabháin will conduct the singing workshops.
An unusual aspect to the visit to the island this year is that Francie Boylan and his team from Ocean FM will attend and record the event for subsequent broadcast. On Saturday night the guest speaker will be RTE Northern Editor, Tommie Gorman.
Sunday will host the Frank Finn Perpetual Cup singing competition for singers under the age of 18 years. After which there will be farewell singing session.