# TradFest

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{{Short description|Irish music and culture festival}}
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{{EngvarB|date=October 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{multiple issues|
{{More citations needed|date=February 2018}}
{{COI|date=June 2010}}
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'''TradFest''' is an annual music and culture festival that takes place at the end of January in [Dublin](/source/Dublin), Ireland.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tradfest Bharra an Teampaill 2020 < Meon Eile |url=https://www.meoneile.ie/cultur-agus-ealain/tradfest-2020 |access-date=2024-03-13 |website=meoneile.ie|language =}}</ref> The festival, which celebrates Irish traditional and folk music and cultural offerings, was founded by the Temple Bar Company, a not-for-profit organisation who work on behalf of businesses in the cultural quarter of [Temple Bar, Dublin](/source/Temple_Bar%2C_Dublin). The inaugural event was held in 2006. Events at subsequent festivals have been programmed on Moore Street and in [Fingal](/source/Fingal).

The festival has attracted a number of performers internationally in folk and traditional Irish music such as [Billy Bragg](/source/Billy_Bragg), [Donovan](/source/Donovan), [Janis Ian](/source/Janis_Ian), [Mary Chapin Carpenter](/source/Mary_Chapin_Carpenter), [Martin Carthy](/source/Martin_Carthy), [Maria McKee](/source/Maria_McKee), [Fairport Convention](/source/Fairport_Convention), [Eddi Reader](/source/Eddi_Reader), [Sarah Jarosz](/source/Sarah_Jarosz), [Ralph McTell](/source/Ralph_McTell), [Gilbert O’Sullivan](/source/Gilbert_O'Sullivan), [Steeleye Span](/source/Steeleye_Span) and [Levellers](/source/Levellers_(band)). Notable Irish acts who have performed include [Glen Hansard](/source/Glen_Hansard), [Stephen Rea](/source/Stephen_Rea), [Matt Molloy](/source/Matt_Molloy), Sean Keane, [Aoife O’Donovan](/source/Aoife_O'Donovan), [Frankie Gavin](/source/Frankie_Gavin_(musician)), [Séamus Begley](/source/S%C3%A9amus_Begley), [Damien Dempsey](/source/Damien_Dempsey), [Declan O’Rourke](/source/Declan_O'Rourke), [Paul Brady](/source/Paul_Brady), [Mundy](/source/Mundy), [Mick Flannery](/source/Mick_Flannery), [Maura O’Connell](/source/Maura_O'Connell), [Finbar Furey](/source/Finbar_Furey), [The Dublin Legends](/source/The_Dubliners), [Clannad](/source/Clannad), [Altan](/source/Altan_(band)), [Beoga](/source/Beoga), [Martin Hayes](/source/Martin_Hayes_(musician)), [Kíla](/source/K%C3%ADla), and [Stockton's Wing](/source/Stockton's_Wing).

==History==
Since its inception by the Temple Bar Company in 2006, TradFest has expanded its offering to reflect its ethos of "Trad without Frontiers". This allows for a varied line-up at each festival that incorporates various musical forms including [Celtic folk](/source/Celtic_music), [folk](/source/Folk_music), [folk rock](/source/folk_rock), [nu folk](/source/Nu-folk), [world music](/source/world_music), and [traditional Irish music](/source/Irish_traditional_music). The incentive was to provide a musical interlude for Irish and international visitors in January, a month hitherto without any festival events.{{fact|date=May 2026}}

Since it formed, TradFest has used a number of Dublin's historic buildings to host its concerts. Previous venues have included Dublin Castle, [St Patrick's Cathedral](/source/St_Patrick's_Cathedral%2C_Dublin), the [National Stadium](/source/National_Stadium_(Ireland)), St. Stephen's Church (the Pepper Canister), the Button Factory and the Grand Social.{{fact|date=May 2026}}

In 2023, TradFest partnered with [Fingal County Council](/source/Fingal_County_Council) to expand TradFest and program TradFest concerts in the county of Fingal.{{citation needed|date=December 2024}} Artists who have performed at TradFest in Fingal include Janis Ian, Ralph McTell, Frankie Gavin, Stephen Rea, Liam Ó Maonlaí, Stockton's Wing and Cathy Jordan. Venues have included Malahide Castle, Swords Castle, Donabate Parish Hall, St. Patrick's Church, the Millbank Theatre, Skerries Mill, the Séamus Ennis Arts Centre, Draíocht and Shackleton Gardens.{{citation needed|date=December 2024}}

== Past events ==
Several past festivals have played a part in TradFest reaching a wider international audience.{{fact|date=May 2026}} The [Kilfenora Céilí Band](/source/Kilfenora_C%C3%A9il%C3%AD_Band) performed a free concert on top of the hotel belonging to [U2](/source/U2), [The Clarence Hotel](/source/Clarence_Hotel).{{when?|date=May 2026}} [Beoga](/source/Beoga) did a naked photo shoot for the festival{{when?|date=May 2026}} before going on to perform in [Ed Sheeran's](/source/Ed_Sheeran) "[Galway Girl](/source/Galway_Girl_(Ed_Sheeran_song))" and on the Pyramid Stage at [Glastonbury](/source/Glastonbury_Festival) in 2017.{{fact|date=May 2026}}

Previous concerts include a [Clannad](/source/Clannad) reunion at [Christ Church Cathedral](/source/Christ_Church_Cathedral%2C_Dublin) in 2011 and [The Dubliners](/source/The_Dubliners) celebrating their 50th anniversary at the same venue in 2012.{{fact|date=May 2026}} The festival has also supported contemporary commissions including two by the composer Lorcan Mac Mathuna to celebrate the Battle of Clontarf and the 1916 Rising. [T with the Maggies](/source/T_with_the_Maggies) (featuring [Moya Brennan](/source/Moya_Brennan), [Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh](/source/Mair%C3%A9ad_N%C3%AD_Mhaonaigh), [Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill](/source/Tr%C3%ADona_N%C3%AD_Dhomhnaill) and [Maighread Ní Dhomhnaill](/source/Maighread_N%C3%AD_Dhomhnaill)) first came together at the 2009 festival at the suggestion of their respective children and went on to perform at the Irish Global Economic summit that year.{{fact|date=May 2026}}

Due to the [COVID-19](/source/COVID-19_pandemic_in_the_Republic_of_Ireland) pandemic, the 2021 festival was unable to take place. It was replaced by an online version, filmed at [Dublin Castle](/source/Dublin_Castle) and featuring a number of high-profile Irish artists.{{fact|date=May 2026}}

In 2024, TradFest invited folk performers Janis Ian and Ralph McTell to perform and receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at the festival. Irish artist Hozier made a surprise appearance during Allison Russell's performance at St. Patrick's Cathedral in 2024. Also in 2024, the festival featured a new TradFest musical commission Ocean Child by composer Neil Martin and performed by Actor, Stephen Rea commemorating the 170th anniversary of the tragic sinking of The RMS Tayleur, off Lambay Island, also known as the first Titanic.{{fact|date=May 2026}}

==Notable artists==
Notable artists who have previously performed at TradFest have included:{{fact|date=May 2026}} [Afro Celt Sound System](/source/Afro_Celt_Sound_System), [Altan](/source/Altan_(band)), Aoife Scott, [Andy Irvine](/source/Andy_Irvine_(musician)) & [Donal Lunny](/source/D%C3%B3nal_Lunny), [Aoife O'Donovan](/source/Aoife_O'Donovan), [Barbara Dickson](/source/Barbara_Dickson), [Bellowhead](/source/Bellowhead), [Beoga](/source/Beoga), [Big Country](/source/Big_Country), [Billy Bragg](/source/Billy_Bragg), [Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh](/source/Caoimh%C3%ADn_%C3%93_Raghallaigh), [Cara Dillon](/source/Cara_Dillon), [Carlos Núñez Muñoz](/source/Carlos_N%C3%BA%C3%B1ez_Mu%C3%B1oz), [Cathy Davey](/source/Cathy_Davey), [Cherish the Ladies](/source/Cherish_the_Ladies), [Clannad](/source/Clannad), [Damien Dempsey](/source/Damien_Dempsey), Danu, [Declan O'Rourke](/source/Declan_O'Rourke), [Declan Sinnott](/source/Declan_Sinnott), [Dervish](/source/Dervish_(band)), [Dhol Foundation](/source/The_Dhol_Foundation), [Dick Gaughan](/source/Dick_Gaughan), [Donovan](/source/Donovan), [Dougie MacLean](/source/Dougie_MacLean), [Duke Special](/source/Duke_Special), [Eddi Reader](/source/Eddi_Reader), [Eleanor McEvoy](/source/Eleanor_McEvoy), [Fairport Convention](/source/Fairport_Convention), [Finbar Furey](/source/Finbar_Furey), [Frances Black](/source/Frances_Black), [Frankie Gavin](/source/Frankie_Gavin_(musician)), [Gilbert O'Sullivan](/source/Gilbert_O'Sullivan), [Glen Hansard](/source/Glen_Hansard), [Hazel O'Connor](/source/Hazel_O'Connor), [Hothouse Flowers](/source/Hothouse_Flowers), [Iarla O’Lionaird](/source/Iarla_%C3%93_Lion%C3%A1ird), In Tua Nua, Judy Collins, [Julie Fowlis](/source/Julie_Fowlis), [Kathryn Roberts](/source/Kathryn_Roberts) & [Sean Lakeman](/source/Sean_Lakeman), Janis Ian, Judy Collins, [Kíla](/source/K%C3%ADla), Lankum, Loah, [Levellers](/source/Levellers_(band)), [Luka Bloom](/source/Luka_Bloom), [Lúnasa](/source/L%C3%BAnasa_(band)), [Maria McKee](/source/Maria_McKee), [Martin Carthy](/source/Martin_Carthy) & [Eliza Carthy](/source/Eliza_Carthy), [Martin Hayes](/source/Martin_Hayes_(musician)), [Maura O'Connell](/source/Maura_O'Connell), [Mick Flannery](/source/Mick_Flannery), [Mundy](/source/Mundy), [Oysterband](/source/Oysterband), [Paddy Keenan](/source/Paddy_Keenan), [Paul Brady](/source/Paul_Brady), [Ralph McTell](/source/Ralph_McTell), [Sarah Jarosz](/source/Sarah_Jarosz), Séamus Begley, [Seth Lakeman](/source/Seth_Lakeman), [Sharon Shannon](/source/Sharon_Shannon), [Steeleye Span](/source/Steeleye_Span), Stephen James Smith, [Stockton's Wing](/source/Stockton's_Wing), [Sweeney's Men](/source/Sweeney's_Men), [Teddy Thompson](/source/Teddy_Thompson), [T with the Maggies](/source/T_with_the_Maggies), [The Dubliners](/source/The_Dubliners), [The Fureys](/source/The_Fureys), [The Undertones](/source/The_Undertones), [The Young 'Uns](/source/The_Young'uns), [Turin Brakes](/source/Turin_Brakes).{{fact|date=May 2026}}

==Sponsors==

* Temple Bar Company<ref>{{Cite web |title=Temple Bar {{!}} Temple Bar Company {{!}} County Dublin {{!}} Ireland |url=https://www.lovetemplebar.com/ |access-date=2024-03-13 |website=LoveTempleBar |language=en}}</ref>
* [The Arts Council of Ireland](/source/Arts_Council_(Ireland))
* [Fingal County Council](/source/Fingal_County_Council)
* [Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport, and Media](/source/Department_of_Culture%2C_Communications_and_Sport)
* [Dublin City Council](/source/Dublin_City_Council)
* [Diageo](/source/Diageo)
* [Fáilte Ireland](/source/F%C3%A1ilte_Ireland)
* [Tourism Ireland](/source/Tourism_Ireland)
* [Office of Public Works](/source/Office_of_Public_Works)
* [RTÉ](/source/RT%C3%89)
* [Culture Ireland](/source/Culture_Ireland)
* [Irish Music Magazine](/source/Irish_Music_(magazine))

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://tradfest.com/ tradfest.com ]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tradfest}}
Category:Folk festivals in Ireland
Category:Recurring events established in 2006
Category:2000s in Irish music
Category:2010s in Irish music
Category:2020s in Irish music

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [TradFest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TradFest) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TradFest?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.