This article is from page 74 of the 2008-10-14 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 74 JPG
THEY are putting on their dancing shoes and literly battering the floors in the long village in preparation for this October Bank Holiday weekend.
The sounds of traditional music, song and dance can also be heard in Doonbeg as the village prepares to host the annual Willie Keane Memo- rial Weekend.
In its ninth year, the festival begins on Friday, October 24, with a tradi- tional music and singing session in Comerford’s Pub at 10pm.
The Brian Boru Céili Band will take to the stage in Igoe’s on the same night. Sessions continue throughout the weekend and the Bank Holiday
Monday.
A legendary dancer, Willie Keane had a style of battering that won him acclaim throughout Ireland and abroad. A member of the famed Mullagh Set, which won All-Ireland championships, Willie was featured on many RTE television programmes and toured America with Comhaltas Ceoltoiri. He shared his passion for set dancing by participating in set dances classes and taught battering at the Willie Clancy Summer School.
Willie was killed in a road accident in 1998. To commemorate him and pay tribute to the great gifts he pos- sessed and shared so generously, a committee was formed in Doonbeg and the first Willie Keane Memorial
Weekend was held in 2000.
In addition to the many pub ses- sions, two ceilthe will be held this year. The Abbey Céili Band will play for set dancers on Saturday, 25, at 10pm in Halla an Phobail and the Brian Boru Céili Band will play from 2.30 to 5pm on Sunday, 26 at the same venue. For the first time, a children’s céili will be held on Satur- day evening from 5 to 7pm.
Set dancing classes will also be held all day Saturday by Mary Clancy for adults (1lam to 4pm) and by Geral- dine Greene for children (1lam to Ipm). Suzanne Leahy will also lead a sean-nos dancing workshop on Sat- urday afternoon (2 to 4pm).
For those interested in singing, a
singing workshop will be conducted on Saturday from 4pm to 6pm in Comerford’s pub. The same venue hosts the ever-popular Sunday after- noon singing session.
The Memorial Mass at 10am on Sunday will commemorate Wil- lie through music and dancing. The Mass is followed by a Trad Break- fast, which is served at Tubridy’s with proceeds to benefit the Cherven orphans, Belarus.
The highlight of the weekend is the Traditional Concert on Sunday evening, which this year will feature The Fureys and Davey Arthur. Edel Fox, Cyril O’Donoghue and Jack Tal- ty will open the concert, which will Start at 8pm in Halla an Phobail.