Music Sessions at Clancy's
Traditional Music Sessions ever thursday from 8pm !! Also Clancy's is the headquarters for Trad Athy, Athy's own Trad Music Festival May Bank Holiday Weekend.
Clancys is considered one of the great music pubs of the eastern Ireland. Every thursday night somewhere between 12 and 25 musicians now congregate here. They play fiddles, bodhrans, flutes and mandolins and sing songs about long gone tyrants, rising moons and rose peppered valleys.
TRADATHY, Athy’s traditional Irish music festival has been deemed a big success attracting a huge crowd from Athy, Kildare, England and further afield.
The festival was held over the May Bank holiday weekend and attracted bands and musicians from Clare, Galway and more, as well as traditional Irish dancers which all culminated in a free weekend of ceol agus craic.
As Emma from Clancy’s Pub described it, “there were instruments all over the pub throughout the weekend” with open sessions on during the day and special performances on the nights.
2013 celebrates 47 years of the weekly Clancy Trad session in Athy, making it the longest running free music session in Ireland. Emma said: “We wanted to make it as big as possible to put Athy on the map for traditional music.” James Mahon of Athy Town Council officially opened the event. Local acts like Daurus, from North Kildare, Brian Hughes, the well-known tin-whistle player and Athy band The Clancy Group took to the stage in the back room of Clancy’s over the weekend. Seamus Byrne, who plays in Clancy’s every Thursday night was awarded a token from the staff at Clancy’s as a means of showing their thanks and support of all he does.
Musicians who had travelled from all over the country were put up in houses around Athy for the weekend but with such a range of acts on, it is certain not too much time was spent at home. One such player had the rare opportunity to play with his idol, the tin whistler Brian Hughes. The twelve-year old from Carlow who travelled up for the festival is already an all Ireland champion on the tin whistle and was one of many of the younger generation to get involved.
All of the team at Clancy’s were delighted with the weekend. “It turned into an even bigger event than we expected,” said Emma, “Fantastic support was shown and we’re delighted with the response. We would like to thank everyone who played and who came out and supported us.”
It took a lot of time and hard work to get the idea off the ground but after such a successful weekend, TradAthy is set to go ahead again next year. Clancy’s have a busy year ahead but for now they’re enjoying the success of this years celebrations. “It completely exceeded our expectations” says Emma, “We’re delighted.”
