All you need to know about Longford’s inaugural Féile Thomas ‘Blind’ Kiernan

The inaugural Féile Thomas ‘Blind’ Kiernan takes place in Ballinamuck on the weekend of September 25 to 27.

This festival celebrates Thomas ‘Blind’ Kiernan (c.1807–87), a famous fiddle master from Cartron, Drumlish, whose teaching led to the emergence of a strong Irish traditional music region in County Longford and south Leitrim in the 19th century.

The festival kicks off at 7pm on September 25 in The Haggard, Moyne, with a concert featuring two legends of Irish music, John Daly and Connor Connolly. Tickets can be purchased on www.eventbrite.com; entry is €10. There is a limit of 50 tickets for this concert, so please book early to avoid disappointment.

Music workshops will be held in Ballinamuck NS on Saturday morning at 11am, covering fiddle (John Daly), banjo (Elaine Reilly and Daithí Kearney), accordion (Daithí Gormley and John McCann) and tin whistle/flute (Andrew Beirne).

Entry is €5. These workshops are filling up already so please contact Darren Culliney on 087 7118797 to book a place.

For those interested in the uilleann pipes, we’re hosting a free workshop at 1pm in the school, Try the Pipes, with Tommie Martin of Na Píobairí Uilleann, which is open to all.

Singing sessions with Fionnuala Maxwell and Sean Owens will take place in Dillon’s Bar at 4pm.

On Saturday night, the grand Thomas Kiernan Concert will take place in The Ballinamuck Hall at 7pm and will feature an array of local talent, as well as the vibrant music of The Walls Family from County Antrim. Entry is €10, with free admission for children and seniors.

The Friday and Saturday night session trails will take place in The 98 Bar and Dillon’s Bar, starting at 9pm and featuring an exciting line-up of local and national musicians, dancers and singers. 

The festival concludes with a bang on Sunday at 4pm in The 98 Bar with The Hybrid Roosters, a local trad band featuring Mike Lennon, Seán Sweeney and Luke Casey.