James Byrne is the most well known exponent of Glencolmcille’s longstanding fiddle tradition and is considered one of the leading fiddlers in Ireland today. Born in Meenacross, Glencolmcille, in South-West Donegal he grew up surrounded by music – his father John and many neighbours played the fiddle, and both Mickey and John Doherty regularly called to and spend time in Meenacross. James has an unequalled store of old tunes and the lore attached to them and has done much to ensure the continuation of Donegal fiddling. A much sought after performer he also regularly teaches at summer schools and festivals and has inspired many players with his great gift for music and his in depth knowledge of traditional music and folklore. His tone and style of playing are exceptional and to hear him play is always a great experience

Per Johan Moslet & Mattias Helje play traditional music from Sweden and Norway. Their repertoire ranges from lively ‘pols’ dances from Selbu through dynamic ‘springleiker’ from Lima to mysterious ‘pols’ from the Swedish-Norwegian border region Finnskogen. This music is not especially well known among the general audience. Mattias Helje has had the honour of being appointed ‘National Fiddler” and has taught and performed in France, Denmark and the USA. Per Johan Moslet (accordion) from Selbu has been involved with a number of ‘gammeldans’ fiddle groups and has appeared at several folk music festivals. Among their recordings is ‘Smedjelater‘which features traditional music mainly from Vasterdalarna and ‘Folkemusikk from Selbu’ the first ever recording of traditional music from the Selbu area.

Tom Byrne (button accordion) whose family came from nearby Kilcar, grew up in England. He learned his music from his father Paddy who had a great store of local tunes from the Kilcar, Teelin and Glencolmcille area, and from other players in the Irish music scene in England. Tom, who now lives in Buncrana often teams up with Dinny McLaughlin and is a member of trad band Shandrum. Tom is also a virtuoso harmonica player.

Kitty Sean Cunningham from Teelin is one of the great characters in the traditional music scene in Donegal. Now in her late eighties, she is known the length and breath of the country and beyond for her lilting and singing, her stories and her dancing. Kitty who never learned to play an instrument yet came to be the custodian of a great store of very old local tunes which she learned from legendary players like Frank and Con Cassidy, John Doherty and Jimmy Lyons and which she in turn passed on through her lilting. Many of theses tunes, like the now famous Kitty Sean’s Barn dance, made popular first through the playing of James Byrne, have found their way into the repertoire of musicians from Ireland to America.

Maire Ní Choilm from Gweedore is highly regarded seannos singer. She is a member of Cór Mhuire in Derrybeg and has been singing since her childhood. Maire has won numerous competitions over the years including the U18 singing competition at the Oireachtas in Galway in 1993 and later the Women’s class in 1996. In 2005 she won the All Ireland Fleadh. Maire has been giving workshops in Lewis, Glasgow, Boulder and at various festivals around Ireland. Maire now lives in Sligo and teaches at Gaelscoil Chnoc na Ré.

Patricia Flynn was born in Dromintee County Armagh - an area steeped in the traditions of music, song, dance and storytelling. Patricia is recognised as one of the finest exponents of the Northern Song tradition. Her repertoire contains songs from all over Ireland with a huge emphasis on the Ulster Tradition and she recorded some outstanding examples on her album ‘Stray Leaves’. Patricia is one of the founders of the Slieve Gullion Singers’ Festival and has performed at many festivals throughout Ireland, England, Scotland , Europe and the States. These days Patricia divides her free time between Mullaghbawn Co Armagh, and Kilcar, a village near Glencolmcille, Donegal.

Dance instructors Jacinta Breslin and Clement Gallagher from Ardara are respected teachers of local community dance styles which are still enjoyed in Glencolmcille and the surrounding parishes. They will lead Ceili and Donegal couple dance workshops during the festival. Clement Gallagher will also be Fear an Ti at the Ceili on Thursday night, with music by Tony Finnerty and Sean Ward. Patricia Ní Flatharta, a student of Paidraig O hObicin, will teach the sean-nos dance workshop

Brigid O’Gara Brigid’s mother came from a family of singers, musicians and dancers and Brigid herself grew up surrounded by music: two of her brothers played the melodeon, her sister was a fiddler and her uncle James Hudai Boyle was one of the greatest step dancers of his generation. Brigid who is now in her eighties began playing the melodeon at a young age and remembers picking up tunes from her older brother as he came home from late night house dances, whistling tunes.

Derek McGinley, Merle Drost-Byrne, John Byrne and Noel Gara are four brilliant young fiddlers from the Glencolmcille area who have captured the local style with great maturity. They learned from well known local players like Padraig Molloy, Joe Byrne and James Byrne whose influence is clearly evident in their playing

Breezy Willow has been baking from an early age and following in the footsteps of her mother and granny she shows how to bake bread and scones in the old style - as she says herself :”All you need is cups and fists” She presents her much-loved baking shows in schools, heritage centres, and at traditional festivals in an effort to promote and pass on the tradition of home baking. Breezy has published a book ‘Bread, scones, stories and songs’ with the recipes she gathered from friends and neighbours and the schools she has visited. It also includes many of the stories, songs and sayings that went with the baking and which add to the fun of her baking demonstrations. At this year’s festival Breezy will introduce her audience to the delights of traditional seafood with her new show ‘Songs and Stories about the Sea’. 

Additional participating artist profiles will be added here shortly.