Carrick-on-Suir tunes up for Clancy Brothers Music & Arts Festival
Luka Bloom will also perform at the festival celebrating the musical legacy of the Clancy Brothers
Well-known folk music artists The Highstool Prophets and Luka Bloom will be the headline acts at Carrick-on-Suir's annual Clancy Brothers Music & Arts Festival over the June Bank Holiday Weekend.
The community festival honouring the renowned Clancy Brothers ballad group, three of whose members Liam, Paddy and Bobby Clancy hailed from the town, will run from Wednesday, May 27 to Monday, June 1.
Along with concerts and music sessions in the town's theatres and pubs, the festival will boast a strong line up of community events.
The Highstool Prophets, who won Best Folk Band award at the 2025 Irish Entertainment Awards, will perform at the Strand Theatre on Friday at 8pm.
Folk singer/songwriter Luka Bloom, meanwhile, will perform at Brewery Lane Theatre on Sunday, May 31 at 8pm.
Another music highlight of the festival will be the Sionnach concert at the Nano Nagle Community Resource Centre on Saturday, May 30 at 8pm featuring Martin Murray, Paul Grant, Mick Forristal and Tommy Keane. Tickets for this show can be booked by contacting the Nagle Centre at (051) 642418.
The festival kicks off on Wednesday, May 27 with an opening night show at Brewery Lane Theatre featuring performances from a range of local singers and musicians. Tom Myles, a long-time visitor to the festival from New York, will have the honour of officially opening the five-day event.
The popular Clancy Family concert of music and song from the Clancy Brothers’ many talented relatives takes place at the same venue on Thursday, May 28 at 8pm.
Folk singers will vie to win the Eoghan Power Memorial Folk Singing Contest at The Old Mill Pub on the same night. Entries are now being taken for the contest, which starts at 9.30pm.
Brewery Lane Drama Group will, once again, stage a lunchtime play for the festival at Brewery Lane Theatre on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, May 29, 30 and 31.
The group's performances of Lady Gregory's - Spread The News - will be followed by a light lunch for the audience.
Other cultural events include A Friends of Bridgewater House cultural evening in Ormond Castle courtyard and recital by Carrick Brass Band on Main Street on Saturday, May 30
The big community event will be the Family Fun Day and Craft Fair of children’s entertainment, music, games and dance at the Fairgreen Car Park on Sunday, May 31 from 2pm to 5pm.
Earlier that day, Carrick Lions Club will host its popular annual Blueway Walk from Sean Healy Park to Dove Hill Design Centre starting at 9.30am.
The festival concludes on Monday, June 1 with the Wild About Carrick Blueway Cycle from Ormond Castle to Kilsheelan, starting at 11am.
Brewery Lane Theatre events can be booked via www.ticketsource.eu/brewery-lane-theatre or (086) 127 4736 while Highstool Prophets concert tickets are available via: www.ticketsource.eu/strandtheatre For more details check out the Clancy Brothers Festival Facebook page.