Sun shone on Clancy Brothers Festival's feast of music, song and fun in Carrick-on-Suir

Enjoying the music at the Clancy Brothers Music & Arts Festival Family Fun Day were seated from left: Áine Power, Breda Power, Peg Clancy Power, Anne Howard and standing: Colette Joy-Blackmore and Kevin Power. pictures Anne Marie Magorrian

Carrick-on-Suir assumed the mantle of Ireland’s folk music capital over the June Bank Holiday weekend hosting a packed programme of concerts and community events for the Clancy Brothers Music & Arts Festival.

This was the 17th year of the town’s annual celebration of the musical legacy of the renowned Clancy Brothers ballad group, who hailed from William Street. Members of the hugely talented Clancy family performed during the festival, which ran from Wednesday, May 29 to June 3.

Festival Chairman Walter Dunphy said the organising committee was very happy with how all the Festival events went and they were delighted the “weather came up lovely” for the occasion.

He reported that the festival’s concerts were a great success.

The opening night variety show at Brewery Lane Theatre featuring a host of local musicians and singers was sold out as was the Clancy Family Concert at the same venue the following night. Four generations of the Clancy family performed in that show including children and grandchildren of the Clancy Brothers.

Singer Eleanor Shanley also wooed a packed audience at Brewery Lane on Sunday night as did Martin Murray and fellow music artists Paul Grant, Cliodhna Gahan and Suzanne Rowe at the Nano Nagle Community Centre last Friday night.

Carrick-on-Suir Musical Society turned Christy’s Bar in the Strand Theatre into a folk club last Friday night for a very enjoyable session of folk singing performed by the Society’s singers.

Actor, musician and playwright Robbie Power and friends hosted another rousing night of music at O'Ceilleachain’s Pub the same night as part of the Festival’s live music pub trail.

The Festival’s annual Eoghan Power Ballad Singing competition in the Old Mill Pub last Thursday night was won by Philip Hastie who travelled all the way from Wicklow Town.

He was presented with the perpetual Eoghan Power Memorial Trophy and a cash prize.

Brewery Lane Drama Group once again staged a lunchtime play for the Festival and this year’s offering was a new one-man drama written by local playwright Heather Comerford and performed by her husband Barry Comerford. Its three performances were sold out over the weekend.

The festival also boasted a wide variety of community events that were made all the more enjoyable thanks to the beautiful summer weather.

Young musicians performed at the Music Generation Concert at the Presentation Primary School’s wonderful outdoor amphitheatre on Saturday morning and Carrick-on-Suir Brass Band entertained shoppers on the Main Street in the afternoon.

The big community event was the Family Fun Day and Craft Fair at the Fairgreen Car Park on Sunday afternoon that was blessed with glorious sunshine.

It boasted an array of attractions for children such as The Nore Family Mobile Farm, which was very popular, bouncy castles, a puppet show, arts and crafts, face painting and Fire Service and Red Cross demonstrations.

The crowd was also entertained by performances from the Charcoal Grey band, Anthony Dignam, Maria O’Shea, Kevin Power, Pauline Bradley from Scotland and others.

The young dancers of DR2 Dance School also performed for visitors.

Other notable Festival outdoor events included kayaking on the River Suir, a bat walk and heritage walking tour of Carrick.

Carrick-on-Suir Lions Club’s Blueway Walk from Seán Healy Park to Dove Hill Design Centre on Sunday morning attracted over 200 people. They walked along the Blueway to Dovehill Hill where they enjoyed a slap-up breakfast in Dove Hill Design Centre.

The following day 20 people cycled from Ormond Castle in Carrick to Gurteen de le Paor Castle in Kilsheelan where they were given a tour of the gardens and house.

The festival also hosted the official opening of the Community Sensory Garden at Carrick-on-Suir Heritage Centre. The garden was created by Carrick Lions Club Young Ambassador Kendra Watson.

It was the project that helped the former Scoil Mhuire Secondary School student win the national Lions Club Young Ambassador title and place second in the European Young Ambassador competition in Zagreb. A full report on the garden will be published in next weeks edition of The Nationalist.

And check out this week's edition of The Nationalist for more photos from the Clancy Brothers Music & Arts Festival.