Tullamore TradFest Trail to feature 118 musicians across five days

The full programme for the Tullamore TradFest Session Trail has been unveiled, with organisers promising five days of traditional music across the town featuring 118 musicians, 39 sessions and 14 venues.

The trail will get underway on Thursday, March 26, with a 9pm session at The Goalpost featuring Shane Lynam, Sean Bourke and friends.

Music continues across multiple venues on Friday evening. Annie Kelly’s hosts a 6.30pm pop-up session with Róisín O’Hara, Annalise Whyte and Aoibhe Kettle, while The Brewery Tap at 7pm features Keelan McGrath, Fionn O’Hanlon, Tom Morrow and Tríona Morrow. At the same time The Old Harbour Bar hosts Michael Curran, Stephen O’Hanlon and James McCaffery as part of the “Tyrone Trad on Tour” session.

Spollen’s will host Jane Walls, Cara Walls and Ciara Tighe at 8pm, while the Bridge House Hotel’s Library Bar hosts an open teen session led by Fiadhna Leamy and Holly McKiernan. At 8.30pm Digan’s will feature Kealan O’Connor, Gearóid Curtin, Rachael Masterson and Cathal Guinan.

A number of sessions take place at 9pm on Friday, including Daithí Gormley, Elaine Reilly and Jason McGuinness in Annie Kelly’s; John McCann, Molly Walls and Laura Jo Callaghan in John Lee’s; Aidan Shannon, Fergus Bogue and Joanne O’Connor in Paddy’s Bar; Aaron Glancy, Ava Glancy and Seán Browne in the Old Warehouse; and Conal Nevin, Jamie Strappe and Eamon Ryan in the Tullamore Court Hotel.

Saturday begins with an Open Youth Session and Rising Stars Competition at the Credit Union at noon, followed by an Open Teen Session at Flynn’s Café on Bridge Street at 2.30pm hosted by Scott Flynn, Con Little and Fionn Connolly.

Pop-up sessions follow in the afternoon with Lucy O’Brien, Aisling Walshe, Mikaela Murphy and Meadhbh McCarthy at Digan’s at 4pm, TradSoc Ollscoil na Gaillimhe at The Phoenix at 5pm, and UUM TradSoc from Ulster University Magee in Spollen’s at 6pm.

Evening sessions include Colm Browne, Aoife Kilmartin and Liam Browne at The Brewery Tap at 7pm, and Tim Collins, Joanne O’Connor, Tom Morrow and Tríona Morrow in Annie Kelly’s. The Phoenix hosts Luke Maher, David Bracken, Mark Bracken, Donal Ryan and Seamus Kinsella at 8pm.

Digan’s will feature Daithí Gormley, Elaine Reilly and Rebecca McCarthy Kent at 8.30pm, while a number of venues host 9pm sessions including Tara Breen, Fergus Bogue, Aisling Neville and Aidan Shannon in Spollen’s; Gearóid Curtin, Rachael Masterson, Ciarán Scully and Jack Scully in John Lee’s; Cara Finn, Luke Finn and Oisín Hannigan in Paddy’s Bar; Greta Curtin, Jessie Healy, Kealan O’Connor and Éilís Murphy in The Goalpost; Jason McGuinness, Noel Stapleton and Eamon Ryan in the Old Warehouse; Aaron Glancy, Ava Glancy and Jamie Stappe in the Bridge House Hotel’s Library Bar; and Vince Jordan, Katie Jordan and Martin Donohoe in the Tullamore Court Hotel.

Sunday’s programme begins at 3pm with a teen session led by Beomhar Siamsa in the Bridge House Hotel’s Library Bar featuring Lucy Molloy, Jack Higgins, Áine Kinsella, Kieu Conroy, Polly and Lila Nolan, and Fionnán and Tadhg Dalton. Also at 3pm The Brewery Tap hosts a pop-up session with Mary I Trad Soc.

At 4pm John Lee’s hosts a County Colours pop-up session featuring Lusarí Ryan, Darragh Ryan and Conal Nevin, while Annie Kelly’s features Amy Murphy, Luca McPartlin, Eimear Buckley and Michael Buckley.

A singing session takes place in Paddy’s Bar at 5pm with Seamus Brogan and Shauna Denmead, while The Old Harbour Bar hosts The Kinsella Family, this year’s Hall of Fame inductees.

Evening sessions include Grace Corrigan, Graham Lynch and Mark Haines at The Phoenix at 7pm, and Keelan McGrath, Darren Culliney, Joanne O’Connor and Fergus Bogue in John Lee’s at the same time. At 8pm Jane Walls, Cara Walls and Ciara Tighe perform in The Goalpost, followed by Greta Curtin, Jessie Healy and Kealan O’Connor in Digan’s at 8.30pm.

The festival will conclude on Monday, March 30, with a farewell open session at The Goalpost at 3pm hosted by the Tullamore TradFest committee, with all musicians welcome to take part.