The Willie Clancy Summer School/Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy has announced its programme for 2024. Taking place from 6 to 14 July, the annual festival of traditional music, song and dance includes daily classes, evening céilís, concerts and recitals, and a number of talks and tributes.

Among the events is a lecture on the singer and banjo player Margaret Barry (1917–1989) by Alan Woods, Artistic Liaison and Field Recording Officer with the Irish Traditional Music Archive. ‘With the banjo on my side: the life and times of Margaret Barry’ will explore the music of the Irish Traveller singer and banjo player from Cork who came to prominence through her recordings in the 1950s and 60s. The lecture will feature a contribution from the renowned singer–songwriter Lisa O’Neill whose work has been partly inspired by Barry. Woods’ lecture will take place on Thursday 11 July at 2.30pm in the Community Centre in Miltown Malbay.

The 52nd edition of the School will be officially opened by uilleann piper and former RTÉ broadcaster Peter Browne on Saturday 6 July at 8pm at the Community Centre. This will be followed by the annual Breandán Breathnach Memorial Lecture, which this year will be given by Gay McKeon and Emmett Gill of Na Píobairí Uilleann. Their topic is ‘Uilleann Pipers and Piping in Clare and Dublin, 1930–1973’.

On Sunday 7 July, there will be a concert broadcast live on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta that will feature a number of TG4 Gradam Ceoil Award recipients, and on 9 July at the Mill Marquee there will be a concert with international artists. On Saturday 13 July at 7pm, the Muiris Ó Rócháin Memorial Concert presented by Muireann Ní Dhuigneáin will also feature a range of musicians and singers.

From Monday 8 July, there will be daily classes and workshops in uilleann pipes, harp, fiddle, flute, concertina, accordion, whistle, melodeon, banjo, harmonica, singing, dance and spoken Irish. Registration online is now available here. 

During the week there will also be a lectures by Dr Chelsey Zimmerman on Irish traditional music in New York and Professor Kate Bevan-Baker on traditional music in Quebec, a presentation by Scottish traditional singers Peter Shepheard and Jimmy Hutchison of recordings from Miltown Malbay from the 1960s, and a tribute to the Tulla Céilí Band on Tuesday 9 July.

For further details on all events see below or visit www.scoilsamhraidhwillieclancy.com. 

Subscribe to our newsletter.

Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy 2024 – Full programme

Saturday 6 July
3pm–6 pm: Information exchange: students meet staff at the Community Centre, Miltown Malbay.
8pm: Oscailt Oifigiúil/Official Opening by Peter Browne, renowned uilleann piper and former RTÉ presenter and producer.
8.30pm: Breandán Breathnach Memorial Lecture: Uilleann pipers and piping in Clare and Dublin 1930–1973. Presented by Gay McKeon, CEO, and Emmett Gill, Archivist, Na Píobairí Uilleann. Venue: Community Centre for both events.
9.30pm–1am: Céilí at The Mill Marquee, GAA Grounds – band TBA.

Sunday 7 July
12.15pm: Aifreann i nGaeilge/Mass in Irish at St Joseph’s Church, Miltown Malbay.
3pm: Musical Tribute at Willie Clancy’s Grave, Ballard Road.
5pm–7.30pm: Information exchange: students meet staff at the Community Centre, Miltown Malbay.
8pm: Céiliúradh Ceoil á chraoladh beo ar RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta and featuring TG4 Gradam Ceoil Award Winners. Venue: Community Centre.
9.30pm–1am: Céilí at The Mill Marquee, GAA Grounds – band TBA.
9.30pm–1am: Céilí at the Quilty Tavern – band TBA.

Monday 8 July
9am: Assembly at the various class venues.
10am–1pm: Classes and Workshops (see location details on information page).
2–3pm: Classes in spoken Irish.
3pm: Lecture: An exploration of the social and artistic context of Irish traditional music in early 20th century New York city. Presented by Dr Chelsey Zimmerman, researcher in Irish traditional music studies.
5–7 pm: Harp Recital. Venue: Mill Marquee, GAA Grounds.
8pm: Fiddle Recital. Venue: Community Centre.
9.30pm–1am: Céilí with the Kilfenora Céilí Band at The Mill Marquee, GAA Grounds.

Tuesday 9 July
10am–1pm: Classes and Workshops.
2–3pm: Classes in spoken Irish.
3pm: Tribute to the Tulla Céilí Band, further details to be announced. Venue: Community Centre.
5.30pm: Ceolchoirm Idirnáisiúnta/International Concert featuring traditional music, song and dance. Venue: Mill Marquee, GAA Grounds.
8pm: Whistle and Flute Recital. Venue: Community Centre.
9.30pm–1am: Céilí with the Tulla Céilí Band at The Mill Marquee, GAA Grounds.

Wednesday 10 July
10am–1pm: Classes and Workshops.
2–3pm: Classes in spoken Irish.
3pm: Lecture: Ireland and Quebec: connections and intersections through traditional music. Presented by Professor Kate Bevan-Baker, School of Irish Studies, Concordia University, Montréal. Venue: Community Centre.
5–7pm: Banjo Recital. Venue: Mill Marquee, GAA Grounds.
8pm: Uilleann Piping Recital. Venue: Community Centre.
9.30pm–1am: Céilí with the Kilfenora Céilí Band at The Mill Marquee, GAA Grounds.

Thursday 11 July
10am–1pm: Classes and Workshops.
2–3 pm: Classes in spoken Irish.
2.30pm: Lecture: “With the banjo on my side”: The life and times of Margaret Barry. Presented by Alan Woods, Artistic Liaison & Field Recording Officer, Irish Traditional Music Archive. This lecture will feature a contribution from the award-winning singer/songwriter Lisa O’Neill Venue: Community Centre.
4.30pm: Button Accordion Recital. Venue: Community Centre.
8pm: Old Style Step, Sean-nós and Set-Dancing Recital. Venue: Community Centre.
9.30pm–1am: Céilí with the Tulla Céilí Band at The Mill Marquee, GAA Grounds.

Friday 12 July
10am–1pm: Classes and Workshops.
2–3 pm: Classes in spoken Irish.
3pm: An afternoon of Traditional Singing in Irish and English. Venue: Community Centre.
5–7pm: Harmonica Recital. Venue: Mill Marquee, GAA Grounds
8pm: Concertina Recital. Venue: Community Centre
9.30pm–1am: Céilí at The Mill Marquee, GAA Grounds – band TBA.
9.30pm–1am: Céilí at the Quilty Tavern – band TBA.

Saturday 13 July
10am–1pm: Classes and Workshops.
2–3pm: Classes in spoken Irish.
2.30pm: Music and song in Miltown: Sound recordings from the 1960s. Presented by Peter Shepheard and Jimmy Hutchison, Scottish traditional singers and festival organisers. Venue: Community Centre.
7–10.30pm: Ceolchoirm Chuimhneacháin Mhuiris Ó Rócháin/Muiris Ó Rócháin Memorial Concert Láithreoir / presenter: Muireann Ní Dhuigneáin. Venue: Community Centre. 

Sunday 14 July
12.15 pm: Aifreann i nGaeilge le Cór Chúil Aodha (Seán Ó Riada Mass with Coolea Choir) at St. Joseph’s Church, Miltown Malbay.

For more, visit www.scoilsamhraidhwillieclancy.com.