Temple Bar TradFest
The Temple Bar TradFest is an annual traditional Irish Music and Cultural Festival. The purpose of the festival is to promote Irish musical traditions. This 5-day festival takes place the last week of January every year in Temple Bar, Dublin, Ireland.
History
The Temple Bar TradFest was set up and organised by The Temple Bar Company. The first edition of the festival took place in January 2006 in and around Temple Bar, Dublin. The festival's artists perform in Dublin's most famous venues, such as the St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, St. Michan's Church, Dublin, City Hall,Dublin St. Werburgh's Church, Dublin, Dublin Castle and The Button Factory.[1][2][3]
The festival was initiated to reinforce the association of Temple Bar with (traditional) Irish music (or folk music of Ireland) and promoting the area as the cultural quarter of Dublin. In ten years time, the festival has grown out to be Ireland's largest festival of traditional music that also features Folk music, nu-folk and Rock and roll. Besides musical performances in the large venues, TradFest also organises Front Row Sessions, which are intimate performances in five different pubs in Temple Bar performed by the festival's performing artists. Families and children are entertained through the family events and workshops.[4]
The eleventh edition of the festival will take place on the 27th until the 31st of January 2016. Information on Temple Bar TradFest can be found on the official website, Temple Bar Trad [5]
2006
The artists performing at the 2006 edition included:
- Skara Brae, Noel Hill, Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh and Mick O'Brien
- Cran, Liz and Yvonne Kane, Seán McKeon
- Aidan Coffey, Seamus Creagh, Peter Horan, Gerry Harrington and Rosie Stewart
- Seán Tyrell, Tony O'Connell, Andy Morrow, Arty McGlynn and Tommy Peoples
2007
The artists performing at the 2007 edition included:
- Liam O'Flynn, Sean Kane and Matt Molloy
- Temple House Ceili Band
- Martin Quinn and Angeline Carberry/Michael O'Raghallaigh/John and Pip Murphy
- John Spillane
- Edel Fox & Ronan O'Flaherty
- Peter Horan & Gerry Harrington
- Séan & Séan Óg Potts
- Kevin Glackin
- Cathal McConnell
- Ronan Browne & Peter O'Loughlin
- Mich Hanley
- Johnny B Connolly
- Danny Diamond & Jonas Fromseier
- Christina Pierse
- Seán McKeon & Liam O'Connor
- Caoimhe Hogarty
- Michelle O'Brien & Siobhan Peoples
- Connor McEvoy
- Mikie Smyth
- Julie Fowlis
- Lunasa
- Dervish
The Festival patron was Irish actor Brendan Gleeson.
2008
The artists performing at the 2008 edition included:
- At First light/Breda and Claire Keville
- John McEvoy and John Wynne/Sineád Caher
- Clan Ranald
- Niamh Ní Charra
- Gráda/Susan McKeown
- Julie Fowlis/Paul Brock and Enda Scahill
- Mozaik/Jackie Daly/Tommy and Siobhán peoples/Róisón Elsafty
- Terence O'Reilly
The Festival patron was Irish actor Stephen Rea. He remained the festival patron for every edition since.
2009
The artists performing at the 2009 edition included:
- The Glackin Brothers (Paddy, Seamus and Kevin Glackin)
- Paddy Keenan and Tommy O'Sullivan
- Solas
- Seán MeKeon, Liam O'Connor, Aidan O'Donnell and Ciarán Ó Maonaigh
- Michael McGoldrick& Genticorum
- T with the Maggies (Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill, Maighread Ní Dhomhnaill, Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh and Moya Brennan)
2010
The festival celebrated its fifth anniversary in 2010.
The artists performing at the 2010 edition included:
- Líadan
- Beoga
- Téada. Support act: Spraoi
- Matt Molloy, Arty McGlynn and John Carty. Mary McPartlan, Rick Epping, and Áidan Brennan
- Noel Hill, Tony Linnane and Alec Finn. Support act1: We Banjo 3. Support act 2: Niamh de Búrca, Mick O'Brien and Mark Kelly
- Finbar Furey. Support act: Lo Còr de la Plana
The festival programmer was Kieran Hanrahan.
2011
2011 marked the first year in which concerts were held in the iconic Christ Church Cathedral. Clannad and Altan performed special anniversary concerts, celebrating 4 decades of making music. It was also the first time that the original line-up of Clannad had performed in over five years. Special musical guests joining Clannad on stage during the festival included Brian Kennedy, Paul Noonan and Anúna.
The artists performing at the 2011 Temple Bar TradFestedition included:
- Clannad at Christ Church Cathedral
- Altan with guest artist Eddi Reader at Christ Church Cathedral
- Anúna
- Beoga and Ciorras
- Jackie Daly and Matt Cranitch
- Tim Edey and Brendan Power
- Seán O Sé
- Mike Hanrahan and Eleanor Shanley
- The Furey Brothers
- The Legend of Luke Kelly
2012
TradFest 2012 lasted five days, from Wednesday 25 January to Sunday 29 January, with concerts in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin City Hall and The Button Factory. The Temple Bar Tradfest continues to be Dublin's largest and fastest growing Irish Music and Cultural festival and the single largest cultural event held in Temple Bar on an annual basis.
The artists performing at the 2012 edition included:
- The Dubliners which celebrated their 50th anniversary
- Michael McGoldrick
- Ralph McTell
- Voices & Harps
- Mick O'Brien (musician)
- Frankie Gavin (musician)
- Tommy Sands
- Cathy Jordan
- The Artane Senior Band
- The Rolling Drones
- Paddy Casey
- Moya Brennan and Cormac De Barra
- Cor Chuil Aodha
- Inish Turk Beggers
- Noel O'Grady
- Edel Fox
- Lisa O'Neill
2013
2013 was the eighth year for the Temple Bar TradFest with an additional day, adding up to six days of festivities, from Tuesday 22 January to Sunday 27 January. The concerts were performed at Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, Dublin City Hall, St. Werburgh Church and The Button Factory. Other highlights include over two hundred free events, music trail, singers club, open sessions, two outdoor stages, the international Celtic Irish dance show, master classes and showcases, gigs for kids, children's club, pipe bands, street performers, a rural Irish village in the city and much more.
The artists performing at the 2013 edition included:
- Sharon Shannon
- T with the Maggies
- Ralph McTell
- Maura O Connell
- Siansa Gael Linn
- Jonie Maden
- Brian Conway
- Billy Mc Comiskey
- A Stór Mo Chroí
- Martin hayes, Dennis Cahill and The Sands Family
- The Pride of New York
- London Calling
- Royal Irish Academy of Music performing the Connemara Suite
- O'Riada Re Imagined
- Neil Martin West Ocean String Quartet with Stephen Rea
- The De Cuellar Suite
- Téada with Seamus Begley, Perfect Friction, Aoife Scott and Truancy
- Remembering Barney McKenna
2014
Temple Bar TradFest was reduced to five days again for the ninth edition in 2014, and was held from the 22nd of January until the 26th.
The artists performing at the 2014 edition included:
- Stockton's Wing
- Johnny Duhan
- Frankie Gavin
- Eleanor McEvoy
- Frances Black
- Macalla
- Paul Brady
- Bellowhead
- We Banjo 3
- Carlos Nunez Munoz
- Altan
- Mary Chapin Carpenter
- Seth Lakeman
- Melo-M
2015
2015 marked the tenth anniversary of the Temple Bar TradFest. In the tenth edition, a new venue was added, the Irish House of Lords and a unique 10th anniversary Gala Celebration was held in Dublin Castle. The five day programme attracted more than 60.000 visitors from the 28th of January until the 1st of February.
The artists performing at the 2015 edition included:
- Donovan
- Beoga
- Cara Dillon
- Danú
- Karine Polwart
- Levellers
- Sweeney's Men
- Kathryn Robers & Sean Lakeman
- Mick Flannery
- Matt Molloy, John Carty & Arty McGlynn
- Hothouse Flowers
- The Undertones
Organization
The Temple Bar TradFest is organised by Temple Bar Company, formerly TASCQ (Traders in the Area Supporting the Cultural Quarter Limited), a not for profit trade group in Temple Bar, founded in 2003.[6]
- Managing Director Martin Harte
- Director of Marketing and Events Claudine Murray
- Administration and Marketing Executive Salla Paananen
- Festival Programmer Kieran Hanrahan
Sponsors
Sponsors are:[7]
- Temple Bar Company
- Failte Ireland
- Dublin City Council
- Smithwicks
- The Arts Council
- Culture Ireland
- Embassy of the Republic of Latvia
- Aer Lingus