Sean McCarthy Memorial Weekend Festival

This Festival honours the balladeer Sean McCarthy and takes place annually in Finuge, Co. Kerry over the August Bank Holiday Weekend. It is now in its 24th year.

Sean McCarthy was born in Listowel on July 5th 1923. He was one of a family of ten children. He attended Listowel Primary School, where his teacher for a time was Dr. Bryan McMahon, who once said of Sean that “he was always a special person, I’ll even go so far as to say he was unique.”

Among his best known songs are “Shanagolden”, “Red Haired Mary”, “Highland Paddy”, “Murphy’s Volunteers”, “Step it out Mary”, “Mountain Tae, (Hills of Connemara) and “In Shame Love, In shame”.

He played a major role in promoting “The Rambling House” on Radio Kerry, which is now continued at Sheahan’s Thatched House, Finuge over the winter months.

The Sean McCarthy Memorial Weekend provides a fitting tribute to an individual who will always be remembered for his kindness and generosity.

This years Memorial Weekend will start on Thursday 2nd August with an Art Exhibition with Shaun Johnson & Christie Roache. This will commence at 7 pm in the Thatched House.

On Friday the 3rd Sean Keane will be in concert with Fergus Feely & Pat Coyne. This will commence at 8.30pm in Teach Siamsa, admission will be €20.00 and booking can be done by phone by calling +353 (0)87 904 9371. Afterwards, there will be music in McCarthy’s Bar with “The Nightingales” from 10.30 pm.

On Saturday the 4th there will be Children’s Art with Artist “Mary Finucane” from 11.30am to 1.00pm. This will be held at The Thatched House and will cover Art, Clay, Sculpture & Paint. Later on for those interested you can assemble at the Thatched House for a walk around Finuge with Niamh Ní Dhuill & Catriona McCarthy for a discussion on Biodiversity & Wildflowers. This will start at 2pm.

McCarthy’s Bar will be the place to be for an afternoon Trad Music Session. So come along and enjoy an afternoon of great trad music. All musicians most welcome. This will be from 4pm to 6pm.

At 8.30pm in Teach Siamsa we will see the final of the Sean McCarthy Ballad Competition. Admission for this event will be €10.00.

Then at 10.30pm to finish the day off there will be music in McCarthy’s Bar with the Premier Blue Boys.

Sunday 5th will see music with “Heart and Soul” between 6pm – 8pm in McCarthy’s Beer Garden.

The final of the Mick McCarthy Story Telling Competition will be at 8.30pm in Teach Siamsa with Special Guest TV Personality Katherine Lynch. Admission for this will be €10.00. Later on in the evening there will be music with John McAuliffe starting at 10.30 pm in McCarthy’s Bar.

On Monday the 6th at Teach Siamsa will see The Rambling House, between 3.30pm – 5.30pm, all Musicians & Singers are most welcome. Light Refreshment will be served.

The Annual Bank Holiday BBQ will take place in the Beer Garden of McCarthy’s Bar between 5pm and 7pm. This will be followed with music by “Fastest Fingers’’ with Michael O’Brien at 7pm in McCarthy’s Bar bringing the weekend to a close.

Please visit the website at www.finugeweekend.com for the latest information about the Weekend.

If you have any queries about the Sean McCarthy Memorial Weekend then email them to info@finugeweekend.com or call +353 (0)87 904 9371.