Temple Bar TradFest 2010 Program Announced

Today, Tuesday 12th January programmer Kieran Hanrahan announced details of the forthcoming Festival at a reception in The Clarence Hotel. Ireland's oldest Céilí band, the Kilfenora Céilí Band, marked the launch with a very special performance on the roof of The Clarence Hotel.
The programme which includes a line up of some of the most iconic figures in Irish traditional music coupled with the big performers of the future will mark the 5th birthday of Dublin's Irish Music and Culture Festival which this year includes an expanded programme featuring many free and family orientated events.

In his message in the 2010 programme Festival patron Stephen Rea said ‘TradFest has been an ambitious and broad-ranging national event, not only firming up Dublin's reputation as the great traditional music centre we know it is, but also providing a focus for traditional music nationally and internationally, where musicians and listeners from home and abroad can join together, meet and play. These are difficult economic times for contemporary Ireland, but traditional music has seen times like this before. It lifted us in the past, and it will continue to sustain us in the future. Our diverse and vibrant culture, which every person on this island can enjoy, is our advantage on the world stage. Engage with it and it can nourish and inspire you'.

Speaking of the 2010 TradFest, programmer Kieran Hanrahan said ‘Our objective for 2010 is to provide the public with the widest variety of acts, the majority of which are free, all in the heart of Dublin's Cultural Quarter, Temple Bar.'

Speaking at today's launch Martin Harte, Managing Director TASCQ said, ‘I am delighted to be here on behalf of TASCQ members launching an event that they, through TASCQ have nurtured from an idea to bring more visitors into the cultural quarter- to the largest single cultural event in Temple Bar which has been recognised as the best Trad Festival in the country'.

PERFORMANCES
As usual the line up includes exciting live performances. Among those who will be taking part in the 2010 Festival will be the Kilfenora Ceili Band, Matt Molloy, John Carty, Arty McGlynn, Mary McPartlan, Rick Epping, AiDan Brennan, Siansa, The Hounds of Ulster Flute Band, Finbar Furey, Noel Hill and Tony Linnane. Complimenting these pioneers of the tradition the festival will also include some of the most sought after, internationally known young performers such as Beoga, Téada and the sensational, all female group, Liadán.
EXHIBITION
Last year's photo exhibition by Nutan was extremely popular and this is a strand of programming that the festival has decided to continue. In Jan 2010 Mick O Connor of the legendary Castle Ceili Band, who has been chronicling the history of Irish traditional music in Dublin, will exhibit for the very first time his extensive collection of photographs looking back over the past 100 years.
FILM
The Irish Film Institute, in association with TASCQ, is pleased to present two lively music documentaries from the IFI Irish Film Archive.
The Irish or The Memory of a People a remarkable film which provides a record of Irish traditional music and its popularity in Ireland and worldwide in the early 1970s and includes performances from Willy Clancy, Christy Moore and Planxty, The Dubliners, Ceoltóirí Laighean, Tony MacMahon.
In the Blood a documentary on the history Kilfenora Ceilí Band who celebrated their centenary in 2009. A short Q&A session with member of the band will take place after the film before they perform on Meeting House Square (31st Jan).
Every evening during the Festival a series of short films will be shown on the outdoor screen in Meeting House Square
FAMILY PROGRAMME
2009 saw the addition of a family programme to this city celebration of music and Irish Culture and 2010 will see a greatly expanded family programme with many free events and bursting with fun! The centre piece of this will be the exciting ‘Liffey Goddess' parade on 31st Jan organised by award winning theatre company Buí Bolg with the participation of Mount Temple Secondary School Students and Young People from Wexford and ógras. Anna Livia - The River Liffey, wending its way through the city centre, including items inspired by Heuston Station right through to the Dublin bay prawn swimming its way out to sea! Buí Bolg are designing and creating a range of costumes, props and floats based on the theme of the River Liffey. They will also work with the local schools and communities on delivering workshops in drama, improvisation and movement.
The family programme will also include a number of performances including:
YES - Young European Strings (30th January) Renowned Irish Composer Raymond Deane has been commissioned, by the Young European Strings to create a new piece of music which will be premiered at the Temple Bar Trad Festival
Siamsa Cois Life (Saturday 30th) A special outdoor stage will be located on Temple Bar Square and the very best of young Irish musicians, singers and dancers will showcase their talents throughout the day. This showcase will feature members of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Eireann branches from throughout Dublin, dance schools other organisations.
Puppetry The premiere of the first Irish adaptation of Punch and Judy will take place as part of the festival with a number of free performances taking place over the festival weekend.
WORKSHOPS
As part of the Festival workshops with Gaelchultúr will run on selected dates during the Festival.
MUSIC AND SONG
Temple bar will be filled with music over the weekend. The Hounds of Ulster a flute music group based in Newtownabbey, County Antrim will perform in Temple Bar Square (31st Jan) playing a mixture of traditional Irish and Scottish tunes on both the wooden and the Bb flutes. Also watch out for street theatre with characters from Bui Bolg!
CEILI

Meeting House Square will also resound with the sounds of music and dance when the Kilfenora Céilí Band lead the outside Céilí (31st Jan).

PUB TRAIL

Many of the pubs in Temple Bar will be alive with music while a new addition to the Festival programme will see The Singers Club held in the Temple Bar Hotel.

IMRO SHOWCASE

Temple Bar TradFest with support from IMRO will also run Dublin's first ever traditional Irish young musician showcase, this will also include a series of seminars with leading Irish singer / songwriters as well as nightly performances by some of Ireland's best musicians.
Temple Bar Tradfest is brought to you by Temple Bar TASCQ in association with Bushmills with sponsorship and support from Failte Ireland, Dublin City Council, IMRO, Curragh Carpets and the French Embassy.

Temple Bar Tradfest is brought to you by Temple Bar TASCQ in association with Bushmills with sponsorship and support from Failte Ireland, Dublin City Council, IMRO, Curragh Carpets, the Arts Council and the French Embassy.
TASCQ
Temple Bar TradFest is organised by TASCQ, an independent organisation, which represents traders in the Temple Bar area. Membership of TASCQ is voluntary, and we now have over 90 members, representing a broad spectrum of businesses and organisations in Temple Bar. These include restaurateurs, hoteliers, publicans, retailers, cultural centres, charities, resident groups and service providers who operate in Dublin's Cultural Quarter. These groups have come together to form TASCQ with the aim of promoting Temple Bar both at home and abroad.
More information check www.templebartrad.com

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