GREAT TO SEE so many festivals and summer schools lined up for Summer 2022, after a hiatus of two years with the COVID pandemic. Organisers are taking calculated risks that all will be well, and I hope that comes to fruition.
Particularly good to see the the Comhaltas Fleadh events are mostly back, giving opportunities for local musicians, dancers and singers to perform and compete.
You can find your way around all 42 festivals and summer schools listed here by either using the interactive map below OR by scrolling the date listing below.
FESTIVAL LISTING BY DATE
(If you don’t see your festival here, please let me know)
Festivals in May 2022
Festivals in June 2022
Festivals in July 2022
Festivals in August 2022
MAY 2022
Friday 29 April-Sunday 2 May 2022
Féile Chois Cuain
Sancta Maria College, Louisburgh, Co. Mayo
A bank holiday trad music weekend in a village by the sea in southwest Mayo.
Saturday 30 April – Sunday 1 May 2022
Teac Jack Céilí Weekend
Teac Jack, Derrybeg, Co Donegal
A weekend of céilí and two-hand dancing.
Friday 6th- Sunday 8th May 2022
Mayo Fleadh Cheoil
Achill, Co.Mayo
Scoil Acla CCÉ will host the 2022 Mayo Fleadh Cheoil with competitions.
Saturday 7th May 2022 8pm
An Evening with Cos Cos
Yeats Local, Rathcormac, Co Sligo
Music, Song and Dance Sean Carroll and Friends. Voluntary donation in aid of Local Ukrainian People
Monday 15 May – Sunday 22nd May 2022
Kildare Fleadh/ Fleadh Cheoil Chill Dara
Naas, Co.Kildare
Saturday 28th May – Monday 6 June 2022
Fleadh Nua
Ennis, Co. Clare
2022 Fleadh Nua in Ennis promises to be an exciting and innovative festival, full to the brim with Concerts, Ceilis, Sessions, CD Launches, Recitals, Irish Dance Competitions and Street Entertainment.
JUNE 2022
Friday 3rd June – Sunday 5th June 2022
Tyrone Fleadh/ Fleadh Cheoil Thír Eoghain
Coalisland, Co. Tyrone
County-level competition for traditional Irish arts of playing music, singing and dancing.
Friday 3rd June – Sunday 5th June 2022
Monaghan County Fleadh
Scotstown village, Co.Monaghan
Friday 3rd June to Monday 6th June 2022
Limerick Fleadh/ Fleadh Cheoil Luimnigh 2022
Athea, Co Limerick
Saturday 4th June 2022
Cavan County Fleadh
Belturbet, Co.Cavan
County-level competition for traditional Irish arts of playing music, singing and dancing, County Cavan.
Saturday 4th- Sunday 5th June 2022
Laois Fleadh
Ratheniska CCE, Co.Laois
The Laois Fleadh is back and will go ahead this year, hosted by Ratheniska CCE on the June bank holiday weekend.County-level competition for traditional Irish arts of playing music, singing and dancing
Saturday 4th June- Sunday 5th June 2022
Sligo Fleadh
Riverstown Co. Sligo
County-level competition for traditional Irish arts of playing music, singing and dancing.
Friday 10th – Sunday 12th June 2022
Fermanagh Fleadh
Roslea, Co.Fermanagh
County-level competition for traditional Irish arts of playing music, singing and dancing.
Friday 10th June- Sunday 12th June 2022
Doolin Folk Festival
Doolin, Co.Clare
The Doolin Folk Festival features traditional and folk musicians who have had a connection with the area over the years as well as up-and-coming, cutting-edge folk and Trad act.
Saturday 11 June- Sunday 12 June 2022
Kerry Fleadh/ Fleadh Cheoil Chiarraí
Dúchas Centre, Tralee, Co. Kerry.
Saturday 11th June – Sunday 19th June 2022
Clare Fleadh/ Fleadh Cheoil an Chlair
Cois na hAbhna, Ennis, Co.Clare
County-level competition for traditional Irish arts of playing music, singing and dancing in Ennis, County Clare.
Thursday 16th June – Sunday 19th June 2022
Jim Dowling Uillean Pipe & Traditional Music Festival
Glengarriff, Co.Cork
Fabulous line-up currently being confirmed.
Friday 17th – Sunday 19th June 2022
Fastnet Maritime and Folk Festival
Ballydehob,Co.Cork
Includes a great line up of wonderful traditional musicians.
Monday 20th June – Friday 1st July 2022
BLÁS
International Summer School of Traditional Irish Music and Dance
Limerick, Co.Limerick
Intensive “deep dive” workshops and master classes for experienced singers, dancers and musicians with a focus on collaborative integration of understanding between the disciplines. A residential program at the University of Limerick including international accreditation.
Friday 24th- Sunday 26th June 2022
Connacht Fleadh Cheoil
Sligo. Co.Sligo
Competitions will take place in the Mercy College, Sligo.
Thursday 30th June – Wednesday 6th July 2022
Cairde na Cruite, An Chúirt Chruitireachta/International Harp festival for Irish harp
An Grianan, Co.Louth
Seize this opportunity to become immersed in all aspects of traditional music for Irish harp. Develop skills and repertoire from ancient harpers’ tunes to songs and slow airs to jigs and reels.
JULY 2022
Friday July 1st – Sunday 3rd 2022
Kilmovee Trad Festival
Kilmovee, Co.Mayo
A weekend of traditional music and song.Traditional music, dance and singing Workshops, Cois Tine Heritage Night, Ceile at the Crossroads, Heritage Tour, Session in the Thatch Cottage and much more.
Saturday 2nd- Sunday 10th July 2022
Willie Clancy Summer School
Miltown Malbay, Co.Clare
Affectionately known as Willie Week, this festival is held in traditional music heartland that calls music and dance lovers back year after year. There’s a great atmosphere in the town and surrounds, with plenty of sessions, céilis and busking to complement the official program of classes and recitals. An additional program of dancing is also held at the Armada Hotel.
Friday 8th July -Sunday 10th July 2022
Leinster Fleadh 2022
Portlaoise, Co.Laois
Leinster Province Fleadh, which is primarily provincial competitions for traditional musicians and dancers and other artists, organised by the local Comhaltas Cheoltóirí Éireann (CCE).
Sunday 10th- Saturday 16th July 2022
South Sligo Summer School
Tubbercurry, Co.Sligo
The South Sligo Summer School was founded in 1987 in Tubbercurry, Co. Sligo to conserve and promote the rich tradition of music, song and dance of the area. With a full programme of classes, workshops, céilithe, concerts, recitals and talks, there is special emphasis on the old Sligo traditional style of playing.
Monday 11th- Friday 15th July 2022
Ceol na Coille Summer School of Irish Traditional Music
Letterkenny, Co.Donegal
Full summer school with traditional music and singing for all,and special Gaeltacht experience for young people.
Monday 11th- 15th July 2022
Westport Schoil Cheoil
Westport, Co.Mayo
Full summer school with tuition, concerts and recitals.
Wednesday 13th July to Saturday 16th July 2022
Munster Fleadh/ Fleadh Cheoil na Mumhan
Newcastle West, Co.Limerick
Fleadh Cheoil Luimnigh will host around 1,000 competitors on the June bank holiday weekend, all wishing to progress from Limerick for Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann.
Saturday 16th July – Saturday 23rd July 2022
Joe Mooney Summer School
Drumshanbo Co. Leitrim
Drumshanbo is delightful – a similar format to South Sligo Summer School, the difference here is the focus is very much around the unusual main street, which has a pedestrian mezzanine above the lane of traffic, where you can sit out in the sun, dance, listen to music & enjoy the people going by and enjoy a number of excellent evening céilís.
Monday 18th – Friday 22nd July 2022
Meitheal Residential Summer School
Villiers School, Limerick City, Co.Limerick
Residential summer school for young traditional musicians.
Wednesday 27th – Sunday 31st July 2022
Fiddlers Green Festival
Rostrevor, Co. Down
Saturday 23rd July -Friday 29th July 2022
Belfast Tradfest
Belfast. Co.Antrim
Full programme of classes, sessions, talks, concerts, workshops, launches and more.
Monday 25th July – Friday 29th July 2022
Scoil Acla Summer School
Achill Island, Co.Mayo
Traditional music courses, art workshops, sean nós singing, writers workshop, dance workshop, sean nós dancing, basket weaving workshops in a most unique location.
Monday 25th July- Monday 1st August 2022
O’Carolan Harp Festival
Keadue, Co Roscommon
The Irish composer Turlough O’Carolan is the inspiration for this summer school and festival in this gorgeous town.
Thursday 28th July – Sunday 31st July 2022
Ballyshannon Folk Festival
Ballyshannon, Co Donegal
Friday 29 July- Monday 1 August 2022
Kilrush Traditional Festival
Kilrush, Co.Clare
Friday 29 July- Sunday 31 July 2022
Ulster Fleadh
Dromore, Co. Tyrone
AUGUST 2022
Sunday 31st July – Sunday 7th August 2022
Fleadh Cheoil na h’Eireann
Mullingar, Co.Westmeath
This is the big one!! The best kind of celebration and competition, with provincial finalist musicians, dancers and artists competing to win their All-Ireland categories. Comhaltas Ceolteoiri Eireann (CCE) showcase fabulous music, dance and a wide range of concerts and other events celebrating Irish culture.
Thursday 4th August- Monday 8th August 2022
Feakle International Festival of Traditional Music
Feakle, Co. Clare
For a few days each August, Feakle village becomes a very special place where the best in traditional music can be heard, songs sung, dances danced and friends meet up again for another Feakle Festival.
Friday 19 August- Sunday 21st August 2022
Dan Furey Weekend
Labasheeda, Co. Clare
Dan Furey was a music and dance teacher who had the good fortune to live in a beautiful corner of Co. Clare, on the Shannon River.
Wednesday 24th August – Sunday 28th August 2022
Masters of Tradition
Bantry, Co.Cork
Celebrating traditional music in its’ purest form through a series of concerts and performances, directed by Martin Hayes.
Thursday 25th August -29th August 2022
Down Fleadh
Newry Co. Down
County-level competition for traditional Irish arts of playing music, singing and dancing.
SEPTEMBER 2022
Friday 23 September- Saturday 25 September 2022
Inishbofin Set Dancing & Trad Weekend
Come and join the craic, and dance the night away with the Swallow’s Tail Céilí Band on Friday and Saturday Night.Whether you’re a complete beginner or just want to freshen up your steps, Ger Butler will tutor a set dancing workshop on Saturday and a sean nós dance workshop on Sunday.
Wishing everyone a happy, healthy and sociable summer, wherever you are in the world.
Nora Stewart
Irish Bliss
