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TradFest is an annual music and culture festival that takes place at the end of January in Dublin, Ireland. Founded by the Temple Bar Company, a not-for-profit organisation who work on behalf of businesses in the cultural quarter of Temple Bar, Dublin, as well as programming events on Moore Street and in Fingal, this festival celebrates Irish traditional and folk music and cultural offerings. It was launched on January 26, 2006.[1]
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The festival has attracted some of the biggest names internationally in folk and traditional Irish music such as Billy Bragg, Donovan, Janis Ian, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Martin Carthy, Maria McKee, Fairport Convention, Eddi Reader, Sarah Jarosz, Ralph McTell, Gilbert O’Sullivan, Steeleye Span and Levellers. Notable Irish acts who have performed include Glen Hansard, Stephen Rea, Matt Molloy, Sean Keane, Aoife O’Donovan, Frankie Gavin, Séamus Begley, Damien Dempsey, Declan O’Rourke, Paul Brady, Mundy, Mick Flannery, Maura O’Connell, Finbar Furey, The Dublin Legends, Clannad, Altan, Beoga, Martin Hayes, Kíla and Stockton's Wing.
Since its inception in 2006 by the Temple Bar Company, TradFest has expanded its offering to reflect its ethos of ‘Trad without Frontiers’. This allows for an elaborate and varied line-up at each festival that incorporates myriad musical forms including Celtic folk, folk, folk rock, nu folk, world music and traditional Irish music. The incentive was to provide a musical interlude for Irish and international visitors in January, a month hitherto devoid of any festival events. The original location, Temple Bar, is a small area in Dublin's City Centre and is known as the capital's Cultural Quarter because of its abundance of art galleries, street entertainment and markets, public houses, restaurants, and hotels.
Former Minister for Environment Noel Dempsey is Chairman of the Temple Bar Company. Martin Harte is the company's CEO and oversees the organisation of TradFest annually. Stephen Rea is a patron of the festival. The programme director is Kieran Hanrahan, an Irish radio host and musician who presents Ceílí House, a weekly show on RTÉ Radio 1.
Since it formed, TradFest uses some of Dublin's historic buildings to host its concerts. This allows the event to maintain an independence in the way it is organised and the low ticket price. Venues include Dublin Castle, St Patrick's Cathedral, National Stadium, St. Stephen’s Church (the Pepper Canister), the Button Factory, and the Grand Social.
Fingal County Council Partnership
In 2023 TradFest partnered with local authority Fingal County Council to expand TradFest and program TradFest concerts in the county of Fingal. Notable artists who have performed at TradFest in Fingal include Janis Ian, Ralph McTell, Frankie Gavin, Stephen Rea, Liam Ó Maonlaí, Stockton’s Wing and Cathy Jordan. Venues include Malahide Castle, Swords Castle, Donabate Parish Hall, St. Patrick’s Church, the Millbank Theatre, Skerries Mill, the Séamus Ennis Arts Centre, Draíocht and Shackleton Gardens.
Festival Highlights
The festival prides itself on the promotion and support of new and up-and-coming acts as well as established names in the world of folk and traditional Irish music. Several events have played a part in TradFest reaching a wider international audience. The Kilfenora Céilí Band performed a free concert on top of the hotel belonging to U2, The Clarence Hotel - the same venue where the band performed to promote their song, "Beautiful Day". Beoga did a naked photo shoot for the festival before going on to fame for their part in Ed Sheeran's "Galway Girl" and performing on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury in 2017.
Notable concerts include a Clannad reunion at Christ Church Cathedral in 2011 and The Dubliners celebrating their 50th anniversary at the same venue in 2012, just three months before Barney McKenna passed away. The festival has always supported contemporary commissions including two by renowned composer Lorcan Mac Mathuna to celebrate the Battle of Clontarf and the 1916 Rising. T With The Maggies (featuring Moya Brennan, Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh, Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill and Maighread Ní Dhomhnaill) first came together at the 2009 festival at the suggestion of their respective children and went on to perform at the Irish Global Economic summit that year. They were subsequently commissioned to record the folk song "Two Sisters" by Sam Shepard for his play Ages of the Moon, which opened in New York and Dublin, starring actors Sean McGinley and festival patron Stephen Rea. New works by Declan O’Rourke and Miles Dungan were showcased in 2014. More recently TradFest had the privilege of inviting folk icons Janis Ian and Ralph McTell to perform and receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at the festival in 2024. Irish artist Hozier made a surprise appearance during Allison Russell’s performance at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in 2024. In 2024 the festival featured a new TradFest musical commission Ocean Child by composer Neil Martin and performed by Actor, Stephen Rea commemorating the 170th anniversary of the tragic sinking of The RMS Tayleur, off Lambay Island, also known as the first Titanic.
2021 - Virtual TradFest
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 festival was unable to take place. It was replaced by an online version, filmed at Dublin Castle and featuring a number of high-profile Irish artists.
Equity, Diversity, Inclusivity at TradFest
As part of its mission to progress equity, diversity and inclusivity in traditional music, TradFest employs a robust EDI toolkit developed by researcher Emma Grove. This toolkit informs festival strategy and programming, to ensure line ups reflect the rapidly diversifying and multicultural Ireland while also respecting the richness of its history. Yearly audits of gender balance at TradFest are also included as part of the festival’s commitment to progress within traditional music.
Key artists at TradFest
Afro Celt Sound System, Altan, Aoife Scott, Andy Irvine & Donal Lunny, Aoife O'Donovan, Barbara Dickson, Bellowhead, Beoga, Big Country, Billy Bragg, Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh, Cara Dillon, Carlos Núñez Muñoz, Cathy Davey, Cherish the Ladies, Clannad, Damien Dempsey, Danu, Declan O'Rourke, Declan Sinnott, Dervish, Dhol Foundation, Dick Gaughan, Donovan, Dougie MacLean, Duke Special, Eddi Reader, Eleanor McEvoy, Fairport Convention, Finbar Furey, Frances Black, Frankie Gavin, Gilbert O'Sullivan, Glen Hansard, Hazel O'Connor, Hothouse Flowers, Iarla O’Lionaird, In Tua Nua, Judy Collins, Julie Fowlis, Kathryn Roberts & Sean Lakeman, Janis Ian, Judy Collins, Kíla, Lankum, Loah, Levellers, Luka Bloom, Lúnasa, Maria McKee, Martin Carthy & Eliza Carthy, Martin Hayes, Maura O'Connell, Mick Flannery, Mundy, Oysterband, Paddy Keenan, Paul Brady, Ralph McTell, Sarah Jarosz, Séamus Begley, Seth Lakeman, Sharon Shannon, Steeleye Span, Stephen James Smith, Stockton's Wing, Sweeney's Men, Teddy Thompson, T with the Maggies, The Dubliners, The Fureys, The Undertones, The Young ‘Uns, Turin Brakes
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