Festival celebrating Shane MacGowan returns to midlands for second year

THE Broad Majestic Shannon Festival, a celebration of Shane MacGowan in his ancestral home parish of Kilbarron, Co. Tipperary, returns for a second year on Saturday September 13th and Sunday September 14th.

The festival indeed promises to celebrate Shane’s legacy of music, lyricism and song, launching in the village hall on Saturday evening with the ‘Lynch’s Kitchen’ session, a recreation of Shane’s maternal family’s legendary musical and storytelling sessions that had such a profound impact on the young Shane and greatly inspired his work. Finishing with an open session, the audience will be invited to participate in the traditional Irish way. The limited tickets for this event, priced at €17.07 are available through Eventbrite: https://lynchskitchen.eventbrite.ie/

On Sunday afternoon, from 2-6pm, the village square hosts a lively performance of open-air music by Trad/Rock/Folk band Tradstone, and award-winning traditional musician Keelan McGrath and friends, with the crossroads dancers, so loved by Shane, taking to the boards.

Revellers can feast on barbecue, home-baking and coffee at the food stalls. Sunday afternoon also features a very special exhibition of Shane memorabilia, with a selection of mementoes provided by Siobhan MacGowan, rarely seen.

Also on display will be two special pieces for auction, available to bid for now (online only) in aid of the Capuchin Day Centre, Dublin: a unique embroidery crafted especially for the festival, by American artist, Maggie Donovan, inspired by Shane’s Sick Bed of Cúchulainn, plus a mounted and enlarged replica of the official An Post Shane MacGowan worldwide stamp, from their iconic Irish Voices series 2024. Both items will be accompanied by a personal note from Siobhan MacGowan to the winner.

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There is also an option to donate only. All donations made in Shane’s name will be presented to the Capuchin Day Centre by the MacGowan family on the donors' behalf and in Shane’s memory. To donate or make a bid go to http://bmsfc.betterworld.org/auctions/broadmajestic-shannon-fest-cele or Facebook @Broad Majestic Shannon Festival for link.

More information on what promises to be a very special weekend can be found on: Facebook @Broad Majestic Shannon Festival.

Village eircode is: E45 XY28.

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