Bravo, Bruff!

Thanks again to Vinny Baker, guitarist with Bending the Strings, with whose report below on last weekend's new festival at Bruff, Co. Limerick, we cordially agree:

Through the Bluegrass Ireland Blog I would like to take this opportunity to thank the organisers of the 1st Annual Bruff Bluegrass Festival for making it the success it was.

Everyone who attended the festival had nothing but the highest of praise for both the organisers and the musicians who performed there; and as for myself and my Bending the Strings bandmates, we were very impressed with the festival in general, and I think that the people of Bruff and surrounding areas are now well and truly initiated into the world of bluegrass music. I just hope the festival goes from strength to strength and wish the organisers every success.

It was great to meet up with everyone over the weekend at the Bruff festival, including Woodbine, Niall Toner and his band, Dick and Clem, Tom Hanway and the Molly Hicks. We had the pleasure of a fantastic session in Clancy's bar on Sunday morning at 11 with the Molly Hicks and Tom Hanway, and indeed a few other musicians; and as indicated in the above photo we were joined in a rousing chorus of 'I'll fly away' by comedian/actor John Kenny who sat in with us for a couple of songs.

Finally a big thank you to Derry's and Clancy's bars for hosting most of the festival music, and I'm sure all the bluegrass musicians who attended will join me in wishing Bruff festival every success for the future.