Tuned up for Ed Reavy Festival

Three-day fest (Thursday to Sunday, October 17-20) features workshops, concerts, and exhibitions

A weekend with music, song and dance, celebrates the legacy of Ed Reavy, a renowned composer and fiddler.

The three-day festival (Thursday to Sunday, October 17-20) features a vibrant mix of workshops, concerts, exhibitions, a set dancing céilí, as well as The Ed Reavy International Fiddle Competition - both Senior and Junior.

Since its launch in 2016, the ‘The Ed Reavy International Fiddler of the Year’ has become one of the most coveted titles on the trad scene. The Junior Competition (U18) starts at 11am at Cavan Townhall and the Senior competition at 2pm. Entry €5.

There will also be more than a dozen seisiúns taking place at various venues throughout the county town meanwhile - at McGinnity’s, Blessings, JP’s, The Black Horse and The Abbey - bringing together musicians, dancers, and enthusiasts from around the world.

The Innisfree Céilí Band, led by Oisín Mac Diarmada of Téada, one of Ireland’s leading groups, will perform at the set dancing céilí at Cavan Townhall on Friday night (October 18, €12, 9pm start); while Carlos Sweeney McCartin with special guest’s Music Generation Cavan Monaghan Harp Ensemble and the Ed Reavy Fiddle Competition 2024 winners will perform Saturday night (October 19, 8pm, tickets €15).

Sunday afternoon (October 20) will see The Copperplate lead a Set Dancing Céilí (2pm, €12).

Elsewhere during the weekend, John McEvoy and John Wynne launch their new CD - The Dancer at the Fair - at The Blackhorse, followed by a seisiún with multi-instrumentalist Adamar O’Connor.

Adding to this fantastic festival celebrating Reavy, an outstanding fiddler and composer of traditional dance tunes, will be six workshops featuring Damien Stenson (flute), Oisín MacDiarmada (fiddle), Tristan Rosenstock (Bodhrán), Seán McElwain (Banjo), Samantha Harvey (Piano), and Paul Finn (Accordion).

For more details check out EdReavyTradFest and Cavan Town Comhaltas on Facebook, or for tickets visit the Cavan Townhall website.