Kilkenny city to come alive as day and night festival line-ups revealed

Kilkenny’s music lovers are in for a treat next month as a series of concerts are staged to keep locals and visitors entertained day and night in the city-centre.

There will be a host of live performances nightly in the magnificent Medieval Mile Museum and during the day at the Festival Bandstand in Canal Square, by the banks of the River Nore under the shadow of Kilkenny Castle.

It comes as Kilkenny County Council capitalises on the city’s festivals to host a wide range of music events while utilising government resources to provide much needed employment for performers and musicians who were hardest hit by the pandemic.

And medieval Kilkenny will spring to life with the return of Kilkenny TradFest and St Patrick’s Festival, which have been enhanced by the Local Live Performance Support Scheme (LLPSS) – a Government funded initiative to support artists and performers.

The leader of Kilkenny County Council, Fidelis Doherty said: “The Local Live Performance Support Scheme aims to support live performances, create local employment for artists, performers and musicians and I am delighted to see the allocation to Kilkenny County Council utilised so wisely and in such an engaging way as it enhances the music offering of our March festivals.”

‘The Medieval Mile Museum Music Series’ will take place over five nights at the city’s most recently completed heritage conservation and re -development.

The five headline performances in the series, all in aid of Amber Women’s Refuge, feature exciting blends of fiddle and guitar music from husband and wife folk duo Zoë Conway and John Mc Intyre to songs from sean-nós tradition by Iarla Ó Lionáird and Steve Cooney.

Others scheduled to appear include; Ireland’s most renowned Irish button accordionist Mairtin O’Connor, along with Cathal Hayden and Seamie O Dowd as well as award-winning folk singer Aoife Scott from the renowned Black family, Wexford Harmonica players Pip & John Murphy, trad virtuoso Kevin Burke, formally of the Bothy Band and also The Goodman Trio, featuring acclaimed uileann piper Mick O’Brien, multi-instrumentalist Emer Mayock and the renowned fiddle player Aoife Ní Bhriain.

Commenting on the return of the Festival Bandstand, Kilkenny City Mayor Cllr Andrew Mc Guinness, said: “Hosting local musical talent of all ages and genres on a public stage is something that is very close to my heart and I am thrilled to see that the Bandstand is back for Kilkenny’s St Patricks Festival. I have been an advocat of such initiatives for many years and know the importance of giving musicians the opportunity to perform to live audiences particularly given the major challenges of the past two year.”

The Bandstand programme of daily live performances will include some of Kilkenny’s most talented Irish traditional and folk musicians, including Tulua Trad, The Savage Trad Family as well energetic and vibrant ceili dance performances by Striolan Ceilí Band, along with emerging local Trad group Tír Na Nóg and Comhaltas Croabh Osraí.

Events will continue into the evening with a range of music and performances, including Brazilian drumming band Maracatu Ile Brihante, folk duo Luan Parle and Clive Barnes and a special concert from Kila screened on our outdoor cinema sized screen and outdoor fire performances from Rogu.