Kilkenny Tradfest to feature headline acts from Kerry and Clare

With less than five weeks to go to  Kilkenny Tradfest 2024 it’s time to pick your gigs and grab your tickets before it’s too late!

This week the spotlight is on two excellent gigs from acts hailing from both sides of the Shannon Estuary that are not to be missed; Shaskeen with Katie Theasby at The Pembroke Hotel and The Leonard Barry Trio at Ryan’s of Friary Street.

Formed in 1970 in Kentish Town London, Shaskeen are one of the most enduring and best loved bands in traditional Irish music. Between the jigs, the reels, the songs and the banter, you will not find a contemporary Irish traditional band to engage with and entertain an audience so brilliantly.

Folk legend John Spillane to play Tradfest in Kilkenny

With seven core members, the band has made seventeen records, toured extensively throughout Ireland, UK, all over Europe, and North America, with sold- out venues in parish halls, arts centres, churches and festivals and major international
concert-halls.

The band are backboned by Clare musicians with a Limerick neighbour and others from Connemara and Mayo. Their celebrated singer, Katie Theasby, reflects the bands cross- channel roots as she is a London-born stalwart of the English and Irish folk-singing scenes, who has also made the Banner county her home for almost thirty years.

Shaskeen will perform at Kilkenny Tradfest in the intimate setting of The Pembroke Hotel in the heart of Kilkenny city. 

Leonard Barry is one Ireland’s finest uilleann pipers. A native of North Kerry, he now lives in Sligo where he has had a huge influence on the re-kindling of interest in the instrument.

He has played and taught the pipes in the USA, Europe, Asia and Australia, and worked with some of Ireland’s leading songwriters including Luka Bloom and John Spillane. Leonard recently released his second album, ‘New Road’ with fellow Connaught musicians Seamie O’Dowd, Rick Epping and Andy Morrow.

Leonard’s musical style is influenced by his childhood in North Kerry and the renowned ‘Sliabh Luachra’ tradition, as well as old-time Americana and the various regional styles of traditional Irish music. 
You can catch Leonard Barry  Ryan’s of Friary Street  on Monday, March 18 at 3pm.

 For more information and to book tickets go to  www.kilkennytradfest.com

Arthur Drohan of Ryan’s Bar is very excited to welcome back ‘an old friend’ who he describes as “top-class; one of the best pipers in the country”. The Leonard Barry Trio will round off a bumper weekend of traditional music at the renowned Friary Street establishment.