Ennis is where it's at

I was just checking the weather for the South West coast of Ireland and it seems that winter is setting in nicely with cold and wet weather and even chances of frost and icy conditions. Anywhere else in the world this onset of the inclement would have people staying securely indoors only to pop out for essentials as the evenings get darker and the temperature drops.

Not so in Ennis, Co Clare. Arguably the spiritual home of traditional music this beautiful town snubs its chilly little nose at Mother Nature and gets on with the important Irish tradition of having a party for every conceivable occasion.

There is nothing warmer on a winters night than a nice pub with a roaring fire, happy people and a gang of good musicians plucking and blowing and banging on their instruments of choice as the rest of the assembled whoop and shout and laugh and cry as the evening winds on. In Ennis they don't have a session like that. They have many. They have a session trail where you can go from one to another on any of the 5 days and nights of the festival. Not only that but these sessions are not just for the accomplished, anyone can join in.

Ennis is ready too. It's always ready. This town hosts many events and knows how to make us out of towners very welcome. They have hosted the Fleadh many times and I found myself all too often playing my fingers to the bone in the many over hospitable bars in the town.

This year will see the ninth Ennis Traditional Festival coming together and the lineup is as impressive as ever. Not only are there these great sessions but there are also many good concerts by some of the best artists in the country. There are CD launches and recitals and a host of other events taking place all weekend. It all takes place from Thursday November 6th and runs until November 10th.

One of Ennis's own great bands Stockton's Wing will be playing a very welcome reunion show with special guest, the Dubliner himself, Ronnie Drew. That is one event I would really like to see. Stockton 's Wing were one of Irelands best exports for many years and the various lineups included some the great masters of traditional music. In my early days putting on shows in Letterkenny, Co. Donegal I often had Stockton 's Wing and so this concert would be a great taste of nostalgia for me.

The festival itself is being opened by one of the long time members of Stockton's Wing Kieran Hanrahan in my opinion one of the finest banjo players in the world. There are other concerts with people like Eamon Coyne, the fabulous Dervish, Brian McGrath and the Ennis Ceili Band. But the one that would almost push me into getting the long flight home is a show featuring 3 out those amazing Four Men and a Dog.

Cathal Hayden, Gerry O'Connor and my own former band mate Kevin Doherty will be playing a concert at midnight on the last night of the festival.
And look at that.. flights are looking pretty cheap right now. Stranger things have happened than me jumping on a plane to hear a bit of music. So if you see me among the thousands of other haggard Irishmen wandering the streets of Ennis feel free to buy me breakfast.

For more information visit the festival's own website at

http://www.enniistradfestival.com