The Michael Dwyer Festival is an annual traditional music festival organised in honour of the late Michael Dwyer, a renowned tin whistle and fiddle player from Ardgroom, Beara, Co. Cork.
This year marks the 21st year of the festival, and the 22nd anniversary of Michael Dwyer’s death. An exciting programme of traditional music sessions and intimate performances has been organised for the weekend at various venues throughout the village.
The Festival commences on Friday evening at 6pm with an Art Exhibition by Linda Loughnane in the Allihies Mine Museum. This will be followed by Seán Wholihan’s CD Launch at 7pm.
Music will commence at 8.00pm in O’Neills with Seán Wholihan & Liam Sherry. Then at 10pm it will be the turn of The Ceili Allstars & Sister Bernadette at The Light House Bar. There will also be an Open Session starting at 9pm in Jimmy’s.
Saturday sees a full programme of events starting with a series of Workshops. The workshops and tutors will be for Mandolin/Banjo: Seán Wholihan; Singing: Caitlín Ni Lórdaín; Fiddle: Eoin O’Sullivan; Whistle: Mary Donegan. These will be followed by a Tin Whistle Competition in the Hostel at 1.30pm.
Between 12pm and 4pm there will be an Art Exhibition by Bill Griffin in North Allihies.
A lunch time session with Reel Women will commence at 3pm in the Lehanmore Community Centre. This will be followed at 3.30pm by a ‘Dance performance’ at Jimmy’s.
John Dwyer and Leah Murphy & friends will be performing in O’Neill’s starting at 4pm and at 5.30pm it will be the turn of the Cork Singers Club at Jimmy’s.
A celebratory concert in honour of Michael Dwyer will take place at Allihies Copper Mine Museum featuring Paddy Keenan & Alan Burke, John Dwyer & Leah Murphy, Richard Dwyer, Richard Lucey & Mary Donegan starting at 8pm.
At 9pm the Murphy’s Men will be playing in Lighthouse Bar and at O’Neill’s, Finbar Condon, Hughie Kennedy, Conor O’Sullivan will be in session. Paddy Keenan & Alan Burke will be in session in Jimmy’s at 10.30pm.
Sunday will start with a lunchtime concert at 1pm in the Hostel featuring Matt Cranitch & Jackie Daly. Later on in the day at 4pm Richie Dwyer & Richard Lucey will be in session at Jimmy’s. Early evening will see a ‘Local Session’ in O’Neill’s at 6pm. Then at 9pm there will be Matt Cranitch & Jackie Daly in session in Jimmy’s and at the Lighthouse Bar Johnny Ahern, Con Ryan & Iain MacClean will be performing.
For the latest details of all events and workshops, please visit the festivals Facebook page or the website MichaelDwyer.ie. If you have any queries about the festival, then please send an email to [email protected].
