Based in the scenic village of Rostrevor, Co Down, the Fiddler’s Green Festival began as a one-day event back in the 1980s before progressed to a weekend programme. It now extends to eight days and seven nights of music, culture and craic.
One of Ireland’s longest running and most successful festivals with up to 200 events and boasting an exciting line-up of folk and traditional musicians, the festival promises to be a haven for music lovers far and wide.
Considered a highlight of the cultural calendar, The Rostrevor festival punches well above its weight in terms of the artists it attracts and the international visitors who plan their annual holidays around the week.
Headliners at this year’s festival, which include Strabane-born singer-songwriter Paul Brady, Rostrevor residents The Sands Family Folk Group, Eleanor Shanley and Garadice, Máirtín O’Connor, Seamie O’Dowd and Cathal Hayden and many more.
Next week, the area’s population will swell with several hundred visitors, many from across Europe, America, England and Scotland. With the event serving as their main reason for making what can legitimately be called a pilgrimage to the shores of Carlingford Lough. Many have been coming for years due to the warmth and hospitality of the locals.
The festival will also feature gigs in the village pubs whilst the open-air stage will offer free entertainment throughout the festivities. It continues to be a community run initiative - there is no sense of a big, promoter-ridden event being imposed on the place.
With concerts, storytelling, céilís, films, Irish language events, health and wellness workshops, and spontaneous sessions throughout the village, there is something for everyone, including the younger generation of folk and trad fans with a kids’ programme offering arts and crafts and music workshops.
As well as art exhibitions and coffee mornings there is a dander up to Fiddler’s Green - an actual place on the mountainside above the village which always occurs on the first official day of the festival.
‘The Music of Healing’ event, which now also has a prelude event happening earlier in the day, takes its inspiration and title from a song of that name, written by Tommy Sands and the late Pete Seeger. It has been at the heart of Fiddler’s Green for 30 years and is always a festival favourite.
Tommy, in the company of singers and musicians, welcomes guests, often with very diverse political or religious views, to pursue a higher quality of disagreement, in the furthering of better understanding and reconciliation.
Tommy Sands, in the company of singers and musicians, will welcome guests, often with very diverse political or religious views, to pursue a higher quality of disagreement, in the furthering of better understanding and reconciliation
This year’s notable attendees include, Irish civil rights leader and former MP Bernadette (Devlin) McAliskey, former leader of the Progressive Unionist Party, Brian Ervine, and manager of east Belfast Irish language project Turas, Linda Ervine.
“We are delighted to host the Fiddler’s Green Festival once again and welcome everyone to Rostrevor,” says festival chairman Gabriel Bradley.
“This event is all about celebrating music, culture, and community, and we can’t wait to see the village filled with energy, music, and dancing.”
