High Kings and Henry Girls to perform at Carrick-on-Suir's Clancy Brothers Festival

Two of Ireland’s most popular folk groups – The High Kings and The Henry Girls - will perform concerts at Carrick-on-Suir's annual Clancy Brothers Music & Arts Festival over the June Bank Holiday Weekend.

The festival celebrating the musical legacy of the town’s famous Clancy Brothers ballad group is offering a mouth watering programme of concerts, music sessions and community events from Wednesday, May 28 to Monday, June 2.

Clancy Brothers Festival Chairman and PRO Walter Dunphy said The High Kings are the festival’s headline act and will perform at the 360 seat Strand Theatre on Friday, May 30 at 8pm.

The group that includes Carrick-on-Suir’s Finbarr Clancy, son of the late Bobby Clancy of the Clancy Brothers, will perform the show as part of their Step It Out World Tour.

Walter reports a big demand for tickets for the concert and advises fans planning to attend to book as soon as possible.

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The festival will kick off on Wednesday, June 28 with an opening night show at Carrick’s Brewery Lane Theatre featuring performances from vocalists Phila Grace, Maria O’Shea Enright, Neill Bourke, Walter Dunphy, Anthony Dignam, Kevin Power, Eibhlín, Emily and Mollie Foskin.

The popular Clancy Family concert featuring performances from the Clancy Brothers many talented relatives including children, grandchildren and a great granddaughter will take place at the same venue on Thursday, May 29 at 8pm

Meanwhile, folk singers will vie to win the Eoghan Power Memorial Folk Singing Competition over at The Old Mill Pub on New Street the same night.

Entries are now being taken for the contest, which starts at 9.30pm on May 29.

Martin Murray, Paul Grant, Suzanne Rowe and Cliodhna Gahan will perform in concert at Carrick’s Nano Nagle Community Centre on Saturday, May 31 at 8pm.

Another live performance highlight of the festival will be The Henry Girls concert at Brewery Lane Theatre on Sunday, June 1 at 8pm.

The Donegal folk and roots music group comprises sisters Karen, Joleen and Lorna McLoughlin. They have performed with Moya Brennan, Donal Lunny, and Mary Black.

Brewery Lane Drama Group will, once again, stage an one-act lunchtime play for the festival at Brewery Lane Theatre on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, May 30, 31 and June 1.

The performances of Sean O’Casey's, A Pound on Demand, will be followed by a light lunch for the audience.

The big community event of the festival will be the Family Fun Day and Craft Fair at the Fairgreen Car Park on Sunday, June 1 from 2pm to 5pm.

A Music Generation Showcase at the Presentation National School and recital by Carrick Brass Band on Saturday, May 31 and DR2 Dancers exhibition at the Fairgreen Car Park on Sunday before the Family Fun Day are among the other musical and dance gems to check out at the festival.

Art exhibitions will also be staged at the Tudor Artisan Hub and Brewery Lane Theatre over the bank holiday weekend.

The main event on Monday, June 2 will be the Carrick-on-Suir Lions Club’s Wild About Carrick-on-Suir Blueway Cycle along the River Suir from Carrick to Kilsheelan. It starts from Ormond Castle at 11am.

The Lions Club is also hosting a Blueway Walk from Sean Healy Park to Dove Hill Design Centre on Sunday, June 1 at 9.30pm.

It will finish off with a slap up breakfast at Dove Hill.

For more information on Clancy Brothers Festival events and how to book tickets for them log onto www.clancybrothersmusic
festival.com or the festival’s Facebook page.