FOLK THE Recession — that’s the message from the organisers of the 32nd Beamish Cork Folk Festival which kicks off on Leeside today and continues until Monday with more than 25 concerts and 50 events in pubs around the city.
Festival director William Hammond said festival organisers are doing their bit by cutting ticket prices by 15-20 per cent to encourage more people to go to gigs.
“We realise that people are suffering from the ongoing recession and to help people enjoy the weekend we have reduced the prices of concerts and our programme includes ‘Folk the Recession’ — a great band of musicians who show two fingers to the financial meltdown.”
Folk the Recession comprises well-known traditional players Eleanor Shanley, Mick Hanly, Seamus Begley, Frankie Lane and Paul Kelly and they will perform at the Pavilion at 8pm on Saturday.
Festival chairman Jim Walsh said the festival will kick off tonight with some of Ireland’s finest traditional singers, Moya Brennan, Triona Ní Dhómhnaill, Maighréad Ní Dhómhnaill and Mairead Ní Mhaonaigh performing as T with the Maggies.
“We are also celebrating the musical lives of two special people — Seamus Creagh and Seán Ó Ríada. There’s a tribute concert to Seamus in the new Triskel/Christchurch Arts Centre on Saturday night and the tribute to Seán is at the same venue on Monday night.”
This year’s festival also includes the Céilí Mór on the Grand Parade at 2pm on Sunday, a food fair also on the Grand Parade, a screening of Mise Éire on Friday and an exhibition of photographs by Dragan Tomas called ‘Traces of Folk’.
For further information visit corkfolkfestival.com