Riverside fun day will be a highlight of Carrick-on-Suir’s Clancy Festival 

The Riverside Fun Day in Carrick-on-Suir's Seán Healy Park Sunday, June 2 is the highlight of the programme of family events lined up for the upcoming Clancy Brothers Festival of Music & Art. 

The event kicks off at 2pm and will feature amusements and merry-go-rounds, local and international traditional crafts, face painting, Irish dance, food stalls and a free open air concert. 

There will also exciting river races with traditional cots and rafts in association with the Carrick-on-Suir River Rescue.

Music entertainment at the fun day opens with For the Birds, an acoustic trio from Carrick-on-Suir, including sisters Ashling and Saoirse Cummins and Seán Flynn covering music genres rangin from folk to rock to Motown with performances in both English and Irish. 

Also performing will be folk and trad group Gael Force 4 from Co. Clare, who have a  strong local connection. 

The group comprises multi-instrumentalists father and daughter Gerry and Niamh Phelan, Liam Leahy on vocals, guitar and bouzouki, and Seán Cummins on button accordion and cajon. 

 Another musical attraction will be The Backyard Band, who include two former members of Tweed, Brendan Ryder and Gay Brazel, along with Peter Dowley and Mick Grace

 Festival walks

A programme of walks and tours is also planned for the Clancy Festival. The first will bea walking our of Carrickbeg Places and Faces led by Brian White, which takes place on Thursday, May 30 at 7pm, May 30. 

Teresa Moran, artist and national tour guide, will lead a heritage walking tour of Carrick at 10am on Saturday June 1. It will cost (€5). 

There is the popular River Walk to Dove Hill at 9.30am on Sunday, June 2, which includes breakfast at Dove Hill Design Centre. Walk and breakfast cost €10. 

And Brian White will lead a cycle from Ormond Castle to Kilsheelan on Monday, June 3 at 12.30pm, stopping along the way for stories from guest raconteurs highlighting the nature and history of the River Suir along the way. This guided cycle costs €5. Call (086) 833 4844 to book.

Children's workshops

A range of children’s and youth workshops is also being organised for the Festival.  There will be a Make & Do workshop with Maura Barrett and the Bridge Water House Community, drama skills with Julie Anne Denby, tin whistle with Michael Perigoe, fiddle olaying with Lisa O’Leary, piano accordion with Caroline O’Brien, an Animation Showcase with students from LIT Clonmel, and Fun with Flower Power Face Painting with Laura Regan. The children’s and youth workshops take place in various venues around Carrick-on-Suir and all cost €3. You can book a place on them by contacting the Tudor Artisan Hub, 42 Main Street, Carrick-on-Suir, Tel: (051 )640921. 

There will also be a songwriting workshop with acclaimed songwriter and musician, John Spillane, on Saturday, June 1 from 12.30pm. 

It is suitable for anyone over 16 years and costs  €25. You can booking your place through the Tudor Artisan Hub, Tel: (051) 640921. 

For further information  check out:  www.clancy brothersfestival.com.