10,000 Music Lovers to Descend on Carrick-on–Suir for Clancy Brothers Music and Arts Festival 2011

Festival fun at the 2010 Clancy Brothers Music and Arts Festival; the 2011 festival which sees Mundy, Paddy Casey and Paul Brady topping the bill will take place in Carrick on Suir, Co Tipperary over the June Bank Holiday weekend, a full programme of events can be found on www.clancybrothersfestival.org

Organisers are expecting crowds of 10,000 and upwards at the fourth annual Clancy Brothers Music and Arts Festival in Carrick-on-Suir County Tipperary over the June bank Holiday weekend.

According of festival Chairperson last year’s festival attracted over 8,000 visitors to the town, “In 2010 we had phenomenal visitor numbers to Carrick-on-Suir for the festival, this year the festival programme has broadened and the number of days the festival has also be extended so all in all we are offering a much more diverse programme for festival goers. We have Mundy and Paddy Casey headlining the open air Concert ‘Rock on The Suir’ and ticket sales for that event are very strong, Paul Brady will perform at The Strand Theatre on Sunday night and that event is almost sold out.”

The festival will commence on Thursday, June 2 as Mary Clancy wife of the late Paddy Clancy hosts an evening concert at The Brewery Lane Theatre at 8pm entitled “from Carnegie to Carrick with the Clancy Brothers” including a ‘Friends of Brewery Lane Variety Concert’. The Ormond Castle plays host to evening theatre and a production of “The Colleen Bawn”. The Eoghan Power Memorial Singing Competition will take place on Thursday evening in Figgerty’s Pub; this acoustic session reminiscent of that of the Clancy Brothers’ early days in the White Horse Tavern pub in New York will see each competition entrant sing a song from the Clancy repertoire

A Traditional Busking Competition will take place throughout the weekend as the hometown of folk music will showcase talent from traditional musicians from all across Ireland.

Music is to the fore at the annual festival and ‘ROCK ON THE SUIR’ an open air concert will take place at The Wicklow Gardens, North Quay in Carrick-on-Suir on Saturday, June 4 from 4pm. The Concert headline acts include Mundy and Paddy Casey and are supported by, El Hombre Jokes, Chimpanbee and Amber Jean. Continuing on the international music acts at the festival’s musical programme will close with an intimate evening concert with Paul Brady at The Strand Theatre at 8pm on Sunday, June 5.

An Art Trail featuring over 100 artists, students and photographers commences on Friday, June 3 at venues throughout the town culminating in an exclusive exhibition ‘River Suir Inspired’ at Ormonde Castle in Carrick-on-Suir; the trail and exhibition will run throughout the festival weekend until June 6.

Following on from the success of last year there are two walks included on the programme this year. On Saturday at 10am, a historical walk of the town will take place with local historian Tom Walsh.  On Sunday at 9am, there will be a river walk from the Davin club to Dovehill.

On Saturday, June 4 a Children’s Parade will precede a free family fun afternoon which will take place at Kickham Street with Face Painting, Stilt Walkers, Street Entertainers, Art workshops, Music and Dancing all on the bill.

On Sunday, June 5 the hometown of the world famous cyclist Sean Kelly sees the ‘Carrick Wheelers Challenge Sportive’ take place followed by  ‘Free Family Fun Sunday’ an action packed ‘Family Fun and River Festival’ taking place at Sean Healy Park in Carrick-on-Suir from 2pm.

The Clancy Brothers Music and Arts Festival will be held in Carrick-on-Suir from June 2 to 6, 2011 and is generously supported by Failte Ireland, Tipperary County Council, the Arts Council, South Tipperary Enterprise Board, Tipperary Leader Partnership, Tipperary Arts Office, Carrick-on-Suir UDC and Carrick-on-Suir Business Association.  ‘ROCK ON THE SUIR’ tickets priced at €22.50 and Paul Brady tickets are €30 plus booking fee and are available on  <http://www.ticketgroup.ie> www.ticketgroup.ie locally from Clery’s Newsagents and The Strand Theatre and Carrick-on-Suir Heritage Centre further information can be found on  <http://www.clancybrothersfestival.org> www.clancybrothersfestival.org or by contacting Carrick-on-Suir Heritage Centre on 051 640 200.