FEILE ORIEL 2024 RETURNS THIS MAY BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND

The May Bank Holiday weekend will be a busy one in the North Monaghan area as the 2024 edition of Feile Oriel is expected to draw a massive influx of traditional music devotees. Following on the success of FO 2023, the festival committee have been busy putting together a stellar line up of church concerts, a significant session trail and main stage acts of the highest calibre of the traditional Irish music and folk music scene. The weekend kicks off with one of Ireland’s most respected fiddle players, Brid Harper, accompanied by the mesmeric piano playing of Ryan Molloy (winner of this year’s TG4 Gradam Cheoil Award for composition) in St Joseph’s Church 7 pm, Friday 3rd.

The evening will launch with the collective harpers from Music Generation, along with Eilish Lavelle and Sabina McGovern. St Jospeh’s proved to be an outstanding venue last year with its special acoustics and glorious setting. Saturday sees the return of Tim Edey and Donald Shaw to Monaghan to take to the Altar of St Joseph’s church (5 pm) for a first ever collaboration between the two icons of folk, trad and jazz music. This concert has generated much excitement and anticipation.

A very new young and exciting trad band from Tipperary, Seol, will be the support act on Saturday. Seol (formerly known as Sult) were the recent winners of The Grupa Cheoil at the 2024 Fiddler of London. This dynamic and pulsating group of teenagers are led by Fiddler of Oriel under 18 winner 2023, Laoise Kennedy, will delight and amaze the audience at the sheer technical and musical perfection for a group so young. Definitely a band to watch say…