Kilkenny's Tradfest ready to elevate Marble City music scene to the next level

Now in its 14th year, Kilkenny Tradfest is set to feature 10 headline concerts, top class workshops and masterclasses and over 100 free gigs and sessions as part of the Bulmers Music Trail.

The festival has been showcasing the very best of traditional Irish music, song and dance since 2013 – providing a platform for grass roots trad musicians in Kilkenny as well enticing some of the top perfromers from around the country and indeed the world.

In tandem with St Patrick’s Festival, it has helped to elevate the marble city to its current status as one of Ireland’s most attractive destinations at this time of year. The combined energy of these complimentary festivals culminates in an electric atmospehere which can be seen, heard and felt on the streets of Kilkenny all through the bank holiday weekend.
READ NEXT: IT'S WHEELS-UP FOR THIS YEAR'S KILKENNY TRADFEST

This year’s festival will deliver an impressive line-up with both breadth and depth. It includes post-parade entertainment in collaboration with St Patrick’s Festival. To give you a sense of what is to come, and to help you plan your weekend; here is an overview of the festival from start to finish:

Friday, March 13
The festival kicks off with a trail gig in Doherty’s of Friary Street at 6pm – courtesy of Conor & Alexa, two of Kilkenny’s finest. St Canice’s Cathedral will host one of the standout shows of the festival at 7.30pm – hosting an all-star lineup of Iarla Ó Lionáird, Cormac McCarthy and Aoife Ní Bhriain, supported on the night by The Lady Desart Choir. This show will be swiftly followed by Clare Sands and her band – who will take the stage at 9pm in Billy Byrne’s. A native Irish speaker and multi-instrumentalist, she never fails to deliver a standout show.
Roll on to Saturday, March 14, which sees a swathe of workshops at the beautiful, historic Rothe House. TG4 star Sibéal McDavitt will host back-to-back Sean-nós dancing workshops at 12pm for kids and 1pm for teens and adults. Local legend Tommy Lanigan returns with his ever-popular Bodhrán workshop at 4.30pm, and welcomes players of all ability levels.

Music Trail highlights on Saturday include Laois/Kilkenny ensemble Abbeyfolk, who will play The Barrel Yard at 5pm, and Cork-based trad-rockers Two Time Polka, who will take to the stage at Paris Texas at 9.30pm.

The headline shows of the day are Emma Langford, who returns to Cleere’s Theatre at 7pm with her inimitable brand of trad/folk fusion and of course Mundy who will be joined by a full band in Kyteler’s Inn at 9pm. This one is sure to lift the roof.

Sunday, March 15, sees arguably the busiest day of the festival. Emma Langford, fresh from her show at Cleere’s, will host a songwriting masterclass at The Pembroke Hotel at 1pm.

Rothe House plays host to special show at 3pm with another Cork man Brian Leach, a master of the hammered dulcimer, fusing traditional melodies with modern sampling. The performance will be preceded by a talk from Kilkenny musicologist Oisín Quigley.

Laois legends Buíoch, a high energy trad-band who compose their own tunes, will raise the tempo with a performance at Sullivan’s Taproom, while Kilkenny favourites and rising stars Burnchurch take the stage at The Left Bank at 6pm. ‘An Céilí Mór’ at the Rivercourt Hotel, sees the highly regarded Blackwater Céilí Band from county Tyrone make their Kilkenny debut. Hosted and led by Craobh Osraí - the local branch of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann -this event is open to all, and sure to get everyone moving.

Well-known Cork songwriter Pat Carey brings his ‘aggresively quiet’ solo project ‘How I Became a Wave’ to Cleere’s for a one-off intimate show at 7pm, before nationally acclaimed Connemara sibling duo, Séamus & Caoimhe Uí Fhlatharta close out the night at Billy Byrne’s at 9pm. This is probably the hottest ticket of the weekend. The full programme and tickets are available HERE.

Monday, March 16 allows a slight reprieve before gearing up for St Patrick’s Day, however, some of the best gigs of the festival will take place on Monday evening. Local trad supergroup Up She Flew will perform at Ryan’s Bar at 6pm, while BRIARS, a 6-piece powerhouse from Cork will play a free gig at Sullivan’s Taproom at the same time of 6pm. Finally, Aran Island native and bilingual songwriter extraordinaire Pádraig Jack makes his return with a 9pm headline show at Billy Byrne’s. He will be joined on the night by his band and perhaps even a special guest… READ NEXT: IT'S WHEELS-UP FOR THIS YEAR'S KILKENNY TRADFEST

St.Patrick’s Day, Tuesday 17th March, is packed full of sessions on the music trail including a 2nd show for Up She Flew in Sullivan’s Taproom at 6pm and appearances from some of Kilkenny’s finest including Anthony McCauley, Billy Carrigan, The Savage Jim Breen, Whiskers of Lichen, The Pontiffs, Mick Citern Walsh, Oisín Mac Cinnéide and many many more. The Bulmers Music Trail also features some of the very best players from around the country – but you’ll just have to pick up a programme and explore to find out more!
Of course the St.Patrick’s Day Parade is the highlight of the day, and who better to top it off than the ever-colourful Jerry Fish, with a show-stopping performance on the festival stage at 4pm. The full programme and tickets are available HERE.

Nothing left to do now but grab your tickets and enjoy some of the very best entertainment in the land, right here in Kilkenny this St.Patrick’s weekend.

For more info and tickets check out www.kilkennytradfest.com and follow us on social media for news and updates. Bígí Linn!