๐๐๐๐โ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐!! ๐ ๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ง ๐๐ฑ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ฆ๐๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ฎ๐ฅ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ๐จ๐ง ๐ ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ฅ, ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฆ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ง๐ค๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐จ๐ซ๐๐๐ซ!
๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ค๐ฌย to John Daly for officially opening our festival and Cathaoirleach of Sligo County Council, Gerard Mullaney and Cllr Martin Baker who were also in attendance.
๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ค๐ฌย to the wonderful musicians from far and near who gave stellar performances at the concert and at the sessions in the village which started early in the day and went on until late in the night.
๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ค๐ฌย to our local publicans Corner House & Tommy Macโs Pub who facilitated these sessions and made the musicians feel so welcome.
๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ค๐ฌย to Radio na Gaeltachta representatives Neansaรญ Nรญ Choistealbha & Marty Curran for recording the concert to grace the airwaves at a future date.
๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ค๐ฌย to the shuttle bus drivers who saw people safely home on Saturday & Sunday night.
๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ค๐ฌย to Paul Moran for adjudicating our Sean Nรณs Dancing Competition on Saturday. Well done to all the prize winners & young dancers. It was a very enjoyable event with competitors from many counties! Mรญle buรญochas to Fergus & Anthony for the toe-tapping music they provided!
We had our biggest ever turnout of 36 musicians at the Drumfin Memorial to pay tribute to the musical genius of James Morrison.ย ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ค๐ฌย too to the members of the public who joined us. Manyย ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ค๐ฌย to Oisรญn MacDiarmada who gave a very interesting address in the Teach Ceoil afterwards.
๐๐ฎรญ๐จ๐๐ก๐๐ฌย ๐ฆรณ๐ซย le Mairรฉad Nรญ Fhlatharta who deputised for the advertised facilitator of our singing session. She ably led singers for over 2 hours of song.
Outdoor music was provided on Saturday by Brian Mostyn & friends and on Sunday by the Hernon Family & Don Stiffe.ย ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ค๐ฌย for the fantastic ceol and the great atmosphere generated in the village. This of course is due in no small part to the dynamic duo of Kevin & Eileen and dancers from Brรณga Brรญomhar Dance School who know how to entertain the crowd!!!
A beautiful mass was celebrated on Sunday by Fr Yashin. We would sincerely like toย ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐คย him for facilitating our Aifreann na Fรฉile.
Great music emanated from the junior session which was expertly led by Lorraine Sweeney & Chloe McCann. Manyย ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ค๐ฌย ladies.
Sunday is a day for the kids and greatย ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ค๐ฌย are due to John & Lucy Davey for running fun activities for the children.ย ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ค๐ฌย also to Desโ Ice-cream van which was very popular on the fine day we had!
The final event on Sunday night was a symposium honouring Martin Enright and recognising his massive contribution to Riverstown CCร over the years.ย ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ค๐ฌย to Mรกirtรญn Tom Sheรกinรญn Mac Donncha for doing MC and Daithรญ Gormley on technology. It was a fantastic event!
๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ค๐ฌย to Louise Carroll Designs for the wonderful plaques which were presented at the opening and at the symposium. Manyย ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ค๐ฌย to all our sponsors and donated raffle prizes over the weekend.
๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ค๐ฌย to Seanie Potter of Northwest designs who printed our lovely colourful brochures, posters, roadsigns and stickers.
๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ค๐ฌย also to our accommodation hosts. You are always so very understanding and willing to be flexible.
๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ค๐ฌย to Corinna in the Millstone Cafe and her team who provided us with yummy food for the reception after the memorial & food for the symposium.
One man who deserves a really special mention is our weekend long photographer, Dรณnal Hackett. He did an outstanding job of capturing so many of the scenes & memories from the weekend. We are deeply grateful to him.
Finally, none of this would be worthwhile if it werenโt for you, the public who come out in droves to support our weekend!ย ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ค๐ฌย Donal!
๐๐ย ๐ก๐จ๐ฉ๐ย ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎย ๐ก๐๐ย ๐ย ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅย ๐๐ง๐ย ๐ฅ๐๐ญ
#๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ฌ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐๐๐