Expect plenty of traditional music from May 19th through the 21st in Howth as Féile Binn Éadair, formerly known as Howth Tradfest, takes place in the popular fishing village, which is located on the outskirts of Dublin.
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Six venues are expected to serve up 27 free gigs and sessions around the village and hill of Howth in a packed schedule while some special headline acts will perform ticketed concerts at other venues.
Visitors will have the chance to wander from gig to gig, similar to Ireland’s Electric Picnic event but without the entry fee.
Headlining the festival will be Iarla O’Lionóird with Cormac McCarthy in a special candlelit concert in the 19th-century church at the gates of Howth Castle.
St. Mary’s Church is the perfect venue for twice Grammy nominated artist O’Lionóird.
The artist is best known as the lead singer with Irish-American supergroup The Gloaming but his groundbreaking work to date encompasses much more, making him one of the truly great Irish singers of our time, say the festival’s organizers.
Also headlining the musical event will be folk singer Daoirí Farrell, who has just released his fourth solo album.
Farrell has received numerous musical honors, from BBC Radio 2’s Folk Awards to the The American Celtic Listener Supported Celtic Music Awards.
Also on stage will be Chris Kavanagh performing “The Legend of Luke Kelly – Dubliner”
The show is not merely a tribute but a journey through Kelly’s music that over the years received rave reviews in Ireland and abroad.
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From the genre-bending, high-energy folk sound of Bog Bodies to the electronic trad reggae of Manglam PI, Féile Binn Éadair has something for everyone, the festival organizers add.
The full lineup is as follows:
Iarla Ó Lionáird with Cormac McCarthy – Bog Bodies – Daoirí Farrell – The Legend of Luke Kelly Dubliner – Sin A Deir Sí – Saltaire – Noiníní – The Beermats – Niamh Parsons & Siobhan Moore – Manglam PI – Flog The Dog – The Crooked Jacks – The Bogs – Leo Rickard – DJ Danny Deepo – Billy Treacy & The Scope – Green Waves – The Macks – Tradify – Strings & Things – The Dead Irish – Eachtra – The Dublin Rovers – Howth Chamber Orchestra – Derek Copley – Folk Alley – Celtic Breeze – Trad Session Trail.
In addition, there will be musical voyages each afternoon around Ireland’s Eye, a small uninhabited island off the Dublin coast that can be reached by ferry from Howth.
Popular Howthd native and uilleann piper Leo Rickard will also be giving a piping workshop on Saturday morning, May 20th.
The venues that will hosting the music include The Summit Inn, McNeills, The Bloody Stream, The Harbour Bar, Findlaters, The Waterside, O’Connells, The Abbey Tavern, Howth Sea Angling Club, and St. Mary’s Church.
Tickets for Iarla Ó Lionáird with Cormac McCarthy, Daoirí Farrell, and The Legend of Luke Kelly – Dubliner can be purchased at Tickets.ie.