This article is from page 28 of the 2007-11-06 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 28 JPG
THE 14th annual Ennis Trad Festival kicks off this week and organisers are hoping that a bumper programme will attract big crowds.
This year’s event takes place from November 8 to 12 across numerous venues. An intensive programme features free day and night sessions with afternoon, evening and night concerts, recitals, singing, work- shops, presentations, CD launches and the ever-popular Trad Disco.
The legendary accordion player and composer Finbar Dwyer will Open the concert programme on Thursday, November 8. Finbar, who recently returned to public perform- ance after a break of 17 years, will
be accompanied by Brian McGrath. On Friday night Four Men and a Dog will unleash their highly energetic repertoire on the festival.
The band comprises Cathal Hayden (fiddle), Donal Murphy (accordion), Gino Lupari (bodhran, vocals), Ger- ry O’Connor (banjo) and Kevin Do- herty (guitar, vocals).
Workshops dominate Saturday’s events with classes for beginners, intermediate and advanced level given by the some well-known names ThA Mpa el Utss Come: baXe MOE-bO(Gos
A new addition to last year’s festi- val was the Trad-themed table quiz, which will test knowledge of trad musicians, records, CDs and trad triviality.
This year will see the presentation
of the Ennis Trad Festival Gradam Ceol to concertina player Sonny Murray. Sonny, from Knockalough, Kilmihil, is one of the many fine con- certina players from the area such as Solus Lillis, Bernard Sullivan, Tom McCarthy and 2005 Gradam recipi- ent Tom Carey.
Sonny lives in Ennis and has had a major influence on the Ennis music scene. This presentation is a fitting compliment to a man regarded as a master of the concertina.
A new feature of this year’s festival is the Ard Gasce na mBuinte Senior Ceili Band competition, which will be adjudicated by a panel of four adjudicators and an audience. Some of the best bands in Ireland and abroad such as The Thatch, Tribes
and Ceolteor1 na Mainstreach will compete. There will be many CDs launched this year including artists such as Kane O’Rourke and Geral- dine Bradley.
The guiding ethos for organisers since the festival’s inception has been to bring musicians of all generations and styles to Ennis to share their tunes, songs and steps in a relaxed session environment.
The festival committee has pur- posefully organised the sessions to allow opportunities for artists to per- form with others that they wouldn’t normally get to meet. Accordingly, a great social dimension is always present at this festival.