News
Gathering Festival celebrates 21st anniversary is style

Now in its 21st year, The Gathering Traditional Festival, showcased music song and dance over five days last week.

LAMENT: Johnny Óg Connolly performing ‘An Cosáin Draoichta' a tribute to his late father melodeon player Johnny Connolly. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan

Seán Ó Súilleabháin giving a rousing version of An Poc Ar Buile at The Gathering Festival at the weekend. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan

Mathona Morrissey a pupil at the Killarney School of Music Concert playing at The Gathering Irish Festival at the Gleneagle Hotel over the weekend. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan

Faye Griffin a pupil at the Killarney School of Music Concert playing at The Gathering Festival in the Gleneagle Hotel at the weekend. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan

Barry Fitzgerald a pupil at the Killarney School of Music who played at The Gathering Irish traditional music and dancing festival at the Gleneagle Hotel Killarney at the weekend. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan

SHARING TUNES: Musicians gather to share tunes at The Gathering Irish Traditional Festival in the Gleneagle Hotel at the weekend. From left: Damien Dalton Billy Joy Pat O'Leary and WIllie Moloney. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan

Seosaimhín Uí Chuilleanáin and Emma Ní Chuilleanáin at The Gathering Irish Festival at the Gleneagle Hotel. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan

Pupils of the Killarney School of Music Concert playing at The Gathering Irish traditional music and dancing festival at the Gleneagle Hotel at the weekend. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan

HUP: Sarah Pigott on her work experience at the Presentation Monastery National School taking part in the Traditional Gathering Festival Schools Outreach Music Programme. Photo: Valerie O'Sullivan

TUNING UP: Iarla Ó Lionáird and instrumentalist Steve Cooney tuning up a Shruti Box at The Gathering Irish Traditional music and dancing festival at the Gleneagle Hotel. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan

Katie Treyvaud a pupil at the Killarney School of Music Concert playing at The Gathering Irish traditional music and dancing festival at the Gleneagle Hotel. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan

Michael O'Connor a pupil of the Killarney School of Music Concert playing at The Gathering Festival at the Gleneagle Hotel. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan

KEEPING THE BEAT: Traditional Irish musician and teacher Sheila O'Donoghue at the Killarney School of Music Concert at The Gathering Irish traditional music and dancing festival. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan

Siún Morrissey a pupil of the Killarney School of Music Concert playing at The Gathering Irish traditional music and dancing festival. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan

Presentation Monastery National School taking part in the Traditional Gathering Festival Schools Outreach Music Programme. Back row: musicians Bryan O'Leary Allana Callendrello Caroline Sprague Theresa Buckley (Killarney Credit Union Sponsors) Mary Brosnan (School Principal) and Tim O'Shea (Musician). Photo: Valerie O'Sullivan

CONCERT: Renowned instrumentalist Steve Cooney in concert with traditional Irish singer and producer Iarla Ó Lionáird performing at The Gathering Irish Traditional music and dancing festival at the Gleneagle Hotel Killarney at the weekend. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan

Jennifer Rea a pupil at the Killarney School of Music who played at The Gathering Irish traditional music and dancing festival at the Gleneagle Hotel at the weekend. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan

PERFORMING: Renowned artist traditional Irish singer and producer Iarla Ó Lionáird playing a Shruti Box with instrumentalist Steve Cooney performing at The Gathering Irish Traditional music and dancing festival at the Gleneagle Hotel at the weekend. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan

Roisín O'Sullivan a pupil at the Killarney School of Music Concert playing at The Gathering Irish traditional music and dancing festival at the Gleneagle Hotel.

Emma Quirke a pupil of the Killarney School of Music Concert playing at The Gathering Irish traditional music and dancing festival at the Gleneagle Hotel at the weekend. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan

THE MASTER: Padraig Buckley Director of the Killarney School of Music playing at a concert at The Gathering Festival at the Gleneagle Hotel over the weekend. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan

SLEEPY HEAD: Colm Óg Ó'Suilleabháin pictured at the Killarney School of Music concert at the Gleneagle Hotel at the weekend. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan

SESSION: Musicians gather to share tunes at The Gathering Irish Traditional music and dancing festival at the Gleneagle Hotel at the weekend. From left: Colin Looney Adrian Looney Margaret Looney Noel Lucey and Imelda Kelleher. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan

LAMENT: Johnny Óg Connolly performing ‘An Cosáin Draoichta' a tribute to his late father melodeon player Johnny Connolly. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan

Seán Ó Súilleabháin giving a rousing version of An Poc Ar Buile at The Gathering Festival at the weekend. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan

Mathona Morrissey a pupil at the Killarney School of Music Concert playing at The Gathering Irish Festival at the Gleneagle Hotel over the weekend. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan

Faye Griffin a pupil at the Killarney School of Music Concert playing at The Gathering Festival in the Gleneagle Hotel at the weekend. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan

Barry Fitzgerald a pupil at the Killarney School of Music who played at The Gathering Irish traditional music and dancing festival at the Gleneagle Hotel Killarney at the weekend. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan

SHARING TUNES: Musicians gather to share tunes at The Gathering Irish Traditional Festival in the Gleneagle Hotel at the weekend. From left: Damien Dalton Billy Joy Pat O'Leary and WIllie Moloney. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan

Seosaimhín Uí Chuilleanáin and Emma Ní Chuilleanáin at The Gathering Irish Festival at the Gleneagle Hotel. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan

Pupils of the Killarney School of Music Concert playing at The Gathering Irish traditional music and dancing festival at the Gleneagle Hotel at the weekend. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan

HUP: Sarah Pigott on her work experience at the Presentation Monastery National School taking part in the Traditional Gathering Festival Schools Outreach Music Programme. Photo: Valerie O'Sullivan

TUNING UP: Iarla Ó Lionáird and instrumentalist Steve Cooney tuning up a Shruti Box at The Gathering Irish Traditional music and dancing festival at the Gleneagle Hotel. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan

Katie Treyvaud a pupil at the Killarney School of Music Concert playing at The Gathering Irish traditional music and dancing festival at the Gleneagle Hotel. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan

Michael O'Connor a pupil of the Killarney School of Music Concert playing at The Gathering Festival at the Gleneagle Hotel. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan

KEEPING THE BEAT: Traditional Irish musician and teacher Sheila O'Donoghue at the Killarney School of Music Concert at The Gathering Irish traditional music and dancing festival. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan

Siún Morrissey a pupil of the Killarney School of Music Concert playing at The Gathering Irish traditional music and dancing festival. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan

Presentation Monastery National School taking part in the Traditional Gathering Festival Schools Outreach Music Programme. Back row: musicians Bryan O'Leary Allana Callendrello Caroline Sprague Theresa Buckley (Killarney Credit Union Sponsors) Mary Brosnan (School Principal) and Tim O'Shea (Musician). Photo: Valerie O'Sullivan

CONCERT: Renowned instrumentalist Steve Cooney in concert with traditional Irish singer and producer Iarla Ó Lionáird performing at The Gathering Irish Traditional music and dancing festival at the Gleneagle Hotel Killarney at the weekend. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan

Jennifer Rea a pupil at the Killarney School of Music who played at The Gathering Irish traditional music and dancing festival at the Gleneagle Hotel at the weekend. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan

PERFORMING: Renowned artist traditional Irish singer and producer Iarla Ó Lionáird playing a Shruti Box with instrumentalist Steve Cooney performing at The Gathering Irish Traditional music and dancing festival at the Gleneagle Hotel at the weekend. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan

Roisín O'Sullivan a pupil at the Killarney School of Music Concert playing at The Gathering Irish traditional music and dancing festival at the Gleneagle Hotel.

Emma Quirke a pupil of the Killarney School of Music Concert playing at The Gathering Irish traditional music and dancing festival at the Gleneagle Hotel at the weekend. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan

THE MASTER: Padraig Buckley Director of the Killarney School of Music playing at a concert at The Gathering Festival at the Gleneagle Hotel over the weekend. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan

SLEEPY HEAD: Colm Óg Ó'Suilleabháin pictured at the Killarney School of Music concert at the Gleneagle Hotel at the weekend. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan

SESSION: Musicians gather to share tunes at The Gathering Irish Traditional music and dancing festival at the Gleneagle Hotel at the weekend. From left: Colin Looney Adrian Looney Margaret Looney Noel Lucey and Imelda Kelleher. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan
Headquartered at the Gleneagle Hotel, the festival celebrated all that is good about Irish culture.
It kicked off on Wednesday (April 6) with the popular pilgrimage to Scartaglen for a céilí with local musician Neily O’Connor in Tom Fleming’s Bar.
This was followed by four nights of céilís - Thursday with Uí Bhriain Céilí Band, Friday with The Abbey Céilí Band, Saturday with Striolán Céilí Band and Sunday afternoon with the Johnny Reidy Céilí Band.
And while céilí enthusiasts stepped it out in The Gleneagle Ballroom, over in the INEC Club Irish music devotees enjoyed performances by Iarla Ó Lionáird and Steve Cooney; Danú; Jackie Daly, Matt Cranitch and Paul De Grae; Doireann Ní Ghlachain and Sarah Collins; Derek Hickey, McDara Faolain, Liam Flannigan and Jack Talty; and An Cosáin Draoichta.
A series of advanced music and dance workshops took place throughout the weekend including: guitar with Steve Cooney; accordion with Derek Hickey; singing with Róisín Ryan; melodeon with Johnny Óg Connolly; and set-dancing with Pádraig and Róisín McEneany.
Two albums were launched at the festival including Derek Hickey’s ‘Drehidtrasna’ and Seán Kelliher’s ‘3 on the bund’.
News
Jessie Buckley to perform live on RTE this Friday 22nd September

This Culture Night, Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh will present an hour-long live music and arts programme from Dún Lúiche in the heart of the Donegal Gaeltacht at 7pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player.
Actress and singer Jessie Buckley has been added to the list of stellar musicians who will perform with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra on the night. Jessie will perform a special rendition of a Sinéad O’Connor song in tribute to the late artist.
Jessie commented: “I am very honoured to return to Culture Night 2023 to remember Sinéad O Connor with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra. Sinéad was such a huge influence on so many women in Ireland and across the world, her courage, her mind, her politics and her intense beauty and soul. She was a warrior to humanity. I remember hearing her for the first time and feeling her uncompromising need to connect and affect. Recognising what couldn’t be said and speaking it out loud. I am so grateful for all her fire and all her love. It is such a privilege to return to Ireland for RTÉ Culture Night in Donegal to sing a song of gratitude for Sinéad and her family and friends.”
Other artists performing with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra include The Murder Capital, R&B singer and 2FM Rising star Aby Coulibaly and Irish-based Ukrainian musician Olesya Zdorovetska.
Friday 22nd September, 7pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player
News
N22 Killarney to Faranfore road further delayed
The revealing of the preferred route corridor for the construction of the new Killarney to Farranfore road has been delayed – again. Four potential routes for the N22 Farranfore-Killarney project […]

The revealing of the preferred route corridor for the construction of the new Killarney to Farranfore road has been delayed – again.
Four potential routes for the N22 Farranfore-Killarney project were identified and were put out to public consultation in May 2021. These have now been whittled down to just one.
It was previously promised that the preferred route would be published late last year.
This dragged on in to the Spring and there is still no sigh of the preferred route being revealed.
A recent Kerry County Council meeting a council official explained that there are further funding requirements to allow the council complete various reports and investigations required before the road can move to its next phase.
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