Ardara gears up to celebrate local music and dance traditions
The Johnny Doherty Festival September 23-25
Celebrating local music and dance traditions, the hugely popular annual Johnny Doherty Festival, held in honour of this esteemed fiddler, will make its post-Covid return with a variety of events between Friday next, September 23, and Sunday, September 25.
John Doherty was a world-renowned traditional musician who was born in and spent much time in Ardara, and he is the figurehead of this festival. This year the organisers present, in concert and informal settings, the best local traditional artists as well as some internationally renowned musicians, singers, and dancers. They also run traditional dance workshops and céilí over the weekend.
This year's Friday night concert will feature Zoe Conway and John McIntyre as the headline act. Zoe is a world-renowned fiddler and singer.
The main concert on Saturday will be with the Irish American supergroup, Cherish The Ladies. With their rousing blend of traditional music, captivating vocals, and propulsive step dancing, they always draw a crowd in Ardara.
The concert on Sunday evening will be a rare chance to see three well-known and much-loved names in Donegal music. Dermot Byrne, Brid Harper, and Steve Cooney.
There will also be many pub sessions around the town over the weekend, with plenty of opportunities for visitors to join in.
Ardara is a renowned Donegal holiday destination on the Wild Atlantic Way and offers many accommodation types including hotel, B&B, and Airbnb options.