Incredible guests lined up for this week's Late Late Show trad special

This Friday night, Patrick Kielty throws open the doors for the seisiún of all seisiúns. On a night dedicated to celebrating traditional Irish music, some of the greatest trad musicians from Ireland and around the world - including many of the standout artists appearing at this year’s TradFest - gather for unforgettable performances, stories and surprises.

Expect incredible instrumentals, surprise collaborations and some of the best-known songs in the Irish music tradition, interspersed with conversations with guests throughout the night.

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American folk legend Peggy Seeger joins the line-up for the Late Late Show Trad Special. She will reflect on her seven decades in the music industry and still performing and releasing music at 90. She’ll pay tribute to her late husband Ewan MacColl with a performance of The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, the iconic song he wrote for her. Audiences can also look forward to a special group performance of Dirty Old Town, another of MacColl’s classics.

Actor Ricky Tomlinson, beloved for The Royle Family, will also drop in for a chat. He’ll discuss his passion for singing and playing the banjo, his connection to Ireland and why he has no intention of slowing down any time soon. He’ll reflect on the joy he finds in performing and in true seisiún spirit, might even treat audiences to a tune of his own!

Lisa Canny, founding member of all-female trad supergroup Biird, will also chat to Paddy about the incredible year she’s had with the band – from launching their debut Irish tour to taking the stage at All Together Now, the Fleadh and the 3Arena, all while squeezing in a tour with Ed Sheeran and a feature in Vogue. Lisa will also look ahead to the year to come, sharing how 2026 is shaping up to be just as big for both her and the band, with even more music and milestones on the horizon.

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In between performances, Patrick will also catch up with other well-known musicians – including Kevin Conneff of The Chieftains, Dónal Lunny, Fiachna Ó Braonáin and Zoë Conway – as they share stories, songs and their passion for keeping the tradition alive. And in a Late Late Show first, one musician will be inducted into The Late Late Show Trad Music Hall of Fame.

All of this and lots more this Friday night on RTÉ One at 9.35pm.