Music and sunshine reign at Carrick-on-Suir’s Clancy Brothers Festival

Glorious summer weather contributed to the success of the 11th annual Carrick-on-Suir's Clancy Brothers Music & Arts Festival over the Bank Holiday Weekend. 

Visitors to the Festival's Riverside  Family Fun Day at Sean Healy Park on Sunday basked in the sunshine as they listened to live music from local bands, watched boat racing on the river and tried their hand at archery.

Earlier that day, about 300 people took part in the river walk from the Park to Dove Hill and the weather also attracted a good turnout to the Festival's first ever Blueway Kayaking Tour on Friday and Blueway Cycle to Kilsheelan on Monday. 

The Festival's indoor concerts and cultural event were also a big hit.  Concerts by Freddie White, Cordeen as well as a Clancy family show featuring Finbarr Clancy and Rossie O'Connell at Brewery Lane Theatre and the Bread & Beer group concert at the Nano Nagle Centre were among the highlights. 

Seán Fagan from South Lodge  won the Eoghan Power Memorial folk singing contest at Figgerty's Pub last Thursday night. Regina McClean from Faugheen was  second prize and Katie Barry from Carrick-on-Suir won third prize.

Traditional music group  Aibreán comprising Scoil Mhuire students won the overall prize at the Youth Busking Contest on Main Street on Saturday.  

Ballyneale Beats were the  Best Intermediate Group  while Ballyneale Gems won tBest Junior Group. Annie Dunne from Carrickbeg was the Best Instrumentalist; the Rambling Rogues from Ballinagranna, Co. Waterford were Best Vocal and Instrumental Group; Shauna Byrne was Best Solo Vocalist and the Melody Makers of  Piltown won Best Instrumental Group. 

Other highlights were the  live music pub and art exhibition  trails and the lunchtime  drama “The Snug” at Brewery Lane Theatre.  

A page of photos from the Clancy Festival is published in this week’s edition of The Nationalist now in shops.