Feel the pulse of Irish traditional music at Ennis Trad Fest
Ennis Trad Fest is a joyous celebration of Irish traditional music in a relaxed and informal atmosphere.
Trad session in Ennis
With a long and rich musical heritage, the picturesque County Clare town of Ennis on Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way has been called the traditional music capital of Ireland.
Year round its pubs and streets are filled with music but for five days every year it becomes trad central bringing together the very best of Irish traditional musicians for one of the premier dates in the traditional music calendar, Ennis Trad Fest (7–11 November).
This year marks the festival’s 30th anniversary and the programme is brimming with events with over 100 sessions and concerts, numerous album and book launches, céilís, workshops and even a trad disco taking place across more than 20 venues in the town.
What attracts musicians, singers, and dancers from all over the island of Ireland and beyond as well as thousands of visitors to see them perform is the relaxed atmosphere of the festival which is filled with laughter and craic. It’s a family friendly event with special Trad 4 Teens sessions led by well-known musicians.
Ennis, Co. Clare, 2016
The festival also organises a series of masterclasses with distinguished musicians sharing tips and techniques across instruments including accordion, fiddle, flute, banjo and Uilleann pipes.
Although the concerts and masterclasses are ticketed, the extensive session trail, which takes place every day of the festival, offers the opportunity to see top-class musicians play in the relaxed surroundings of the town’s pubs. There are also open sessions which invite amateur and professional musicians to come along and play together.
Among the trad royalty performing at this year’s festival will be Sharon Shannon and the Michael McGoldrick Big Band. There will also be concerts featuring Leonard Barry, Andy Morrow, Seamie O’Dowd, Kaitlin Cullen-Verhauz, Tracy Ryan, Ryan O’Donnell, Brighde Chaimbeul, Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin, Gino Lupari, Tim Edey, Dermot Byrne and Gerry “Banjo” O’Connor.
Known as the capital of the Banner County, named for its history of raising banners at political events, Ennis has been voted the friendliest town in Ireland multiple times and visitors find the welcome warm and genuine.
Ennis Franciscan Friary, Ennis, Co Clare
And besides the music, there is some fine heritage sites to be visited in the medieval town including a nineteenth-century cathedral and a thirteenth-century friary. These and others can be explored on the Ennis Walking Tour.