Home-grown talent to make waves at Dunmore East Bluegrass Festival

Thanks to Karen Cheevers of B2B Communications for this new release on this year's Dunmore East Bluegrass Festival (22-25 Aug.) in Co. Waterford:

The 25th Dunmore East Bluegrass Festival will feature some exciting home-grown musical talent throughout the free four-day festival.

Pilgrim St is back, having made an electric Dunmore East debut in 2018. The seven-piece outfit bring a broad range of Americana, country, folk, and bluegrass to their concerts across the country, and festival-goers have come to expect a lively and energetic performance from Navan’s finest.

Alfi [left] is a fresh new trio combining Appalachian old-time and traditional Irish music to produce a unique sound. Their music features an unusual blend of harp, five-string banjo, low whistle, uilleann pipes, and vocals. Winners of the Molly Award at the Trip to Birmingham Tradfest 2018, band members Fiachra Meek, Alannah Thornburgh, and Ryan McAuley have built up a strong following as they play at festivals and venues nationwide.

Lands End members [above] hail from Cork, Galway, Dublin, Munich, Liverpool, and Gloucestershire. Whilst their music is strongly embedded in the bluegrass tradition, each member brings a distinctive sound of their own to the musical arrangements of the band. Playing a mix of original material alongside bluegrass standards and the odd hint of Celtic and Baltic tastes, Lands End proved hugely popular at the Dunmore East Bluegrass Festival when they played in 2012 and 2016.

Dublin’s Raglan Rodeo is a blues and alternative country band playing a mixture of originals and covers, drawing on a wide range of influences ranging from Hank Williams and Carter Family classics to Bob Dylan, Neil Young, and Americana artists.

The Blue Light Smugglers, an acoustic harmony band, are Luke Coffey, Terence Cosgrave, and Niall Hughes playing bluegrass, country, and swing. This talented and skilled trio can usually be found playing a residency at the Blue Light Pub, nestled at the foothills of the Dublin Mountains.

Hailing from Co. Wexford, Kiss My Grass brings an energetic and vibrant bluegrass and rockabilly sound to the festival, while Whistle, a 6-piece Dublin-based outfit play Americana-style folk, roots, bluegrass, country, and rock ’n’ roll and specialise in multi-part vocal harmonies, guitar, banjo, violin, bass, harmonica, and mandolin with accordion and more.

Lurgan’s Mons Wheeler Big Band makes a welcome return to the festival and is guaranteed to get the crowds on their feet with their trademark big rockabilly sound.

Mick Daly, Festival organiser, is delighted to welcome the return of homegrown talent to the festival this year. 'Whistle, Kiss My Grass, Mons Wheeler, Lands End, and Pilgrim St are returning to the festival this year after some amazing performances in previous years. We’re delighted they’re coming back, and they create a lively energetic vibe that the audiences love.'

The 25th Dunmore East Bluegrass Festival, Co. Waterford, kicks off on Thursday 22 August at the Strand Inn and heralds the start of four days of free gigs at the Strand Inn, the Spinnaker Bar, Azzurro Restaurant, Power’s Bar, and the Ocean Hotel.

For more information visit www.discoverdunmore.com or keep up to date on the Discover Dunmore East Facebook page.

BIB editor's note: We note with regret that the festival's headliner, Sarah Savoy (USA), has unfortunately had to cancel her appearance at the festival. She has broken her arm in a fall, and has had to cancel all her upcoming shows. The festival organising team are wishing her a speedy recovery.