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Pictured at the 13th century Augustinian Abbey of Killagha at the launch of Féile Lughnasadh, which celebrates the ancient harvest festival and takes place over the August Bank Holiday Weekend in Milltown, Co. Kerry, l-r: Neasa O’Shea, Celia O’Shea and Nathan Howe. Photo: Pauline Dennigan.
THE hard-working committee in Milltown is putting the finishing touches to the programme for this year’s Féile Lughnasadh festival which takes place on the August Bank Holiday Weekend.
The popular traditional Irish music festival features four days and nights of free entertainment and is organised by the local branch of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann.
The festival programme was launched by the Cathaoirleach of Kerry County Council, Cllr Breandán Fitzgerald at the Plough Bar in Milltown on Friday last.
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Three top-quality traditional music acts have been lined up to play in the Square including The Rising on Friday 2nd, Pólca 4 on Saturday 3rd and Four Men and a Dog on Sunday 4th. There will also be holistic therapy sessions, a hike to Caherconree, a family fun day, an open-air céilí, and the Lughnasadh Parade and Bonfire.
Killarney trio, The Rising, who play the opening night of Féile Lugnasadh in Milltown on 2nd August
“This is our third festival and we have a fabulous line-up for people of all ages,” said Milltown-Listry Comhaltas chairperson, Turlough O’Brien. “It’s a volunteer-led festival which brings four days and nights of free entertainment to a growing community in Milltown. There has been great support from our patrons over the last two years and we have a great bunch of volunteers working to make it happen.”
Féile Lughnasadh celebrates the ancient Irish harvest festival and features a parade and bonfire on Friday 2nd as well as a family fun day and crafts fair on Sunday and late-night gigs at Club Lughnasadh from Up in Smoke, Aftershock, and Greta Curtin & Friends.
There will also be a selection of holistic therapy taster sessions at the Nagle Rice Community Centre hosted by Quest & Thrive.
A major fundraising drive is underway to support the festival. The committee is selling tickets for Mystery Money Madness which has a first prize of €2,500 cash and which involves a lucky dip draw for tickets priced between one cent and €25.
Pólca 4. Oíche Cultúir an Oireachtais, Cearnóg Theach an Tionóil, Barra an Teampaill, BÁC. Pic: Seán Ó Mainnín
For more on Féile Lughnasadh, see the festival’s pages on TikTok, Facebook and Instagram.
Féile Lughnasadh is supported by Kerry County Council under the Community Support Fund and by Fáilte Ireland and Kerry County Council under the Festivals and Participative Events Programme.
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