the seamus ennis festival

  By Peter | October 22, 2009 - 10:40 am | Events
seamus ennis....
seamus ennis….

Have you ever seen this man… ?

This is the legendary Seamus Ennis
Séamus Ennis was an Uilleann Piper, Folklore and Music Collector, was born on May 5th 1919 in Jamestown, Finglas, which at the time was a rural part of North County Dublin. One of the main streets in Finglas has by popular acclaim been re-named ‘Séamus Ennis Road’. His father, James Ennis, was a prize-winning musician on several instruments including the Flute and Uilleann Pipes, which he had learned from Nicholas Markey from Co. Meath, and was also a champion Irish dancer. Séamus’ mother, Mary Josephine Ennis (née McCabe) was an accomplished fiddle player, originally from Farney in Co. Monaghan. Seamus died in 1982.

As you can gather…. the festival is named after him ;) This years festival, The return to Fingal Traditional Music Festival runs from the 22nd to the 26th of October within the neighbouring towns of the Naul where The Seamus Ennis Centre is based.

Events:
  • Thursday 22nd: official opening @ the seamus ennis centre 8.30pm [charge: free]
  • Friday 23rd: piping recital @the seamus ennis centre 8.30pm [charge €15/ 10 ]
  • Saturday 24th: Sean nós dance workshop @the seamus ennis centre 2pm [charge €10]
  • Sunday 25th: connemara session @the seamus ennis centre 12pm [charge €10]
  • Sunday 25th: Clanntrai @the seamus ennis centre 3pm [charge: free]
  • Sunday 25th: Ceilí mór @St. Patricks Hall, Ballyboughal 5pm [charge €8]
  • Sunday 25th: House Party @Seamus Ennis Centre 8-10pm [charge €5]
  • Monday 26th: Piping tribute to Seamus Ennis @the centre 3pm [charge: free]

What would I recommend…. the entire lot to be quiet honest but the Friday trad session in Ballyboughal and of course the singers session on the sunday ;)

If you are wishing to travel out this direction… the place will be mental. Do get to one of the day events and do also make sure and get in an evening trad session… Grab your guitar, your spoons or whatever you have in the kitchen that will make a sound. If you’ve never heard trad music before or if you love it… this is electric.

The sessions are listed on the first image [blue] below. Never been to O’Connors for the trad sesssion -click here for a taster….

About Peter

Horticulturist. Yapper. Gardener. Human. Landscaper. Loves coffee. Dublin. Makes gardens. Radio Podcasts The Sodshow. Lives in a tree in Dublin @DoneganGardens or www.doneganlandscaping.com

2 Responses to the seamus ennis festival

  1. Keleher says:
    October 22, 2009 at 11:12 am

    Looks like a great event, the Sean nós dancing should be interesting.

  2. Pingback: Culch.ie » Blog Archive » Culchie Catch-Up (8)