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 20th year of the festival, and the 21st 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 Allihies Artists in the Hostel. This will be followed by the opening of the Finn Harper Art Exhibition in the Copper Mine Museum at 7pm.
Music will commence at 8.30pm in O’Neills with Manus Maguire & Emily Flack. Then at 10.30pm Two Time Polka will be on the outside stage at The Light House Bar.
Saturday sees a full programme of events starting with a series of Workshops. The workshops and tutors will be for Singing: Emily Flack; Fiddle: Eoin O’Sullivan; Whistle: Mary Donegan. These will be followed by a Tin Whistle Competition in the Hostel at 12noon.
A lunch time session with Moya Fitzgerald, Liam Lyons, Seanie Hogan, Donal & Katie Lyons will commence at 2pm in the Lehanmore Community Centre. This will be followed at 3.30pm by a ‘Dance performance by young people’ at Jimmy’s.
Reel Women 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 John Dwyer, Richard Dwyer & Robert Dwyer, Matt Cranitch, Jackie Daly, Manus Maguire, Emily Flack, Mary Donegan, Sean Wholihan & Liam Sherry.
At 9pm the Ceili All Stars will be playing in Jimmy’s and at the Lighthouse Bar, Mike Walsh, Shane Meehan & Jon Hicks will be in session with John Dwyer & Carol Leader being in session at O’Neill’s.
Sunday will start with a lunchtime concert at 1pm in the Hostel featuring Sean Wholihan & Liam Sherry. 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, Moya Fitzgerald, Liam Lyons, Seanie Hogan, Donal & Katie Lyons.
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].
