Seamus Grant Traditional Music Festival 2024
Friday 11th October
Concert - Market House 8:00 PM
Doors open 7:30pm - Upstairs venue - wheelchair access available .
Jack Houston.
Jack Houston is a fiddler from Burt, in Inishowen. He has spent many years studying and working in Glasgow. Jack’s playing and composition styles are influenced by local fiddlers in Inishowen and East Donegal. This is a relaxed evening where Jack will be joined by a variety of local and visiting musicians, dancers and singers including:
McGonigle family. Featuring well known members of this local musical family.
Valerie Harkin School of Irish Dancing
Neil Kemmy. Neil toured as Folk’n About and is making a welcome appearance for his fans tonight.
Following the Concert
Music Sessions 10:00 PM
Square Bar
Saturday 12th October
Workshops - St Francis National School
Advanced Fiddle Workshop
Jack Houston
12:00 AM - 1:30 PM Fee : €15 (under 16s €5)
Playing for dancing.
Workshops will focus on musicians playing for dancers. Learn to play a local Barndance and Highland.
12:00 AM - 1:30 PM Fee €5
BOOKING ESSENTIAL FOR BOTH WORKSHOPS- Tel: 0860733018
The workshops will be followed by a family session in the School Hall
Clonmany Genealogy and Heritage Group
Exhibition : “Cures ,Remedies and Old Wives Tales”
Open : Saturday and Sunday
Admission : Free
BLAZIN’ FIDDLES. One of the world’s most prolific fiddle groups, Blazin’ Fiddles formed for a one-off tour of the Scottish Highlands in 1999 and are still raising roofs far and wide well over two decades later. Encompassing a rare and virtuosic selection of the fiddle’s diverse Highland and island voices, with ensemble and solo-led sets both backed by powerhouse guitar and piano, the Blazers pack all the power, passion and sensitivity of Scotland’s traditional music, into a single show.
Following the Concert
Music Session 10:00 PM
Ballyliffin Hotel
Sunday 13th October
1:30PM – 2:30 PM Market House
Screening of From a Forest to a Fiddle.
We are delighted to share this magical film From a Forest to a Fiddle_Forais Go Fidil. It captures master craftsman Jim Mc Killop making a fiddle in his rural workshop in the Cooley Mountains.Jim, who studied in Cremona and whose violins are played in orchestras and sessions throughout Europe, has stopped making instruments but was persuaded by Zoë Conway– who buys all her fiddles from him – to make just one more so his process could be captured. Film maker Patrick Conway masterfully documented each stage over six months to truly encapsulate Jim’s work.This meditative timelapse art-film features a soundtrack of Zoë’s own score, performed by Zoë on fiddle and John Mc Intyre on guitar.
2:45 PM Market House
Short presentation by Orla Corrigan who is the recipient of our new “Seamus Grant Bursary”.
Orla, a student of the Magee Campus of The University of Ulster will give a recital and presentation on some of the music of Seamus Grant. Orla won the Senior fiddle competition at the All Ireland Fleadh in Wexford in July.
3:30PM - 5:30PM Market House
Open session of music, songs, ceili dances.
Featuring local musicians and singers.
All age groups welcome
Final Festival Pub Session