Sean Keane will get the Foxford Traditional Weekend under way on a high note this evening.

Trad weekend in Foxford

MUSIC lovers from far and near are about to enjoy a feast of traditional music, song and dance as Foxford Traditional Weekend gets underway.

Taking place from today (Thursday) to Sunday (October 8), the festival has a serious line-up of musicians participating.

The internationally acclaimed Seán Keane will kick-start the event with a concert tonight (Thursday) in the secondary school hall, starting at 8 p.m. He will be joined by Pat Coyne on guitar and two well-known local musicians who are part of his band, David Doocey and Stephen Doherty. It promises to be a great night and the perfect start to a jam-packed musical weekend.

A session trail of music around the town will commence following the concert and will continue at different times, day and night, for the whole weekend in all seven public houses. The high energy session trail will include some of Ireland’s finest musicians from all parts of the country and is sure to lift your heart and get your feet tapping. All musicians are invited to join in the session trail or initiate their own session in one of the many nooks and crannies.

The standard and quality of music from the younger generation is inspiring and a showcase of their talent will be on show during Teen Trad in Cruiser’s tomorrow (Friday) evening at 7 p.m. This event will feature many All-Ireland Fleadh Cheoil winners and finalists from all over Connaught, and will not disappoint.

A series of workshops and master classes will take place over Saturday and Sunday with some of Ireland’s leading tutors. The guest tutor for the weekend is the renowned concertina master from Co. Clare, Noel Hill. Noel has taken the concertina to stages throughout the world as an awe-inspiring performer and music teacher, and his arrival in Foxford will surely cause great excitement amongst concertina players young and old.

Other workshops over the weekend include tin-whistle, flute, fiddle, banjo, accordion, harp, piano accompaniment, bodhran and singing.

A performance master class will be held to cater for proficient musicians. They will be guided under the instruction of David Doocey – a master musician himself – and will have the opportunity to perform at the Saturday night concert alongside greats like Noel Hill, tutors and many, many more fabulous musicians.

One of the classes which will be of interest to a lot of people is the mixed instrument adult class, which would perhaps suit adults who may have played music at a younger age but realise now that their mother was right and they should have kept it up! This might just be the push needed to get them back into the ceol.

Sean-nós dancers will be put through their paces on Saturday afternoon with the dancing competition at 4 p.m. in the Mayfly Hotel. There will also be individual competitions for the cailíní agus na buachaillí, and all ages are catered for. The music will be provided by melodeon player, Tom Doherty, who is well known to the sean-nós scene. His sweet rhythmic music is a treat to behold!

The Féile concert on Saturday night at 8 p.m. in the Mayfly Hotel will feature Noel Hill. It’s a guaranteed great night of ceol, damhsa agus craic. The concert will also feature many of the weekend tutors and visiting musicians, singer and dancers – a must for all true Irish music lovers.

With set-dancing, a singing club, storytelling, junior sessions and lots, lots more, tune up your instruments, polish your shoes and don’t miss this exciting musical event on your doorstep. For full details on the weekend, check out www.foxfordtraditionalweekend.com or telephone (086) 3999774.