TradFest to launch on line, 19 Dec. 2020

Thanks to Ania Schuler for the latest e-newsletter from Dublin's TradFest, which in the past has presented artists of special interest to BIB readers*:

The TradFest team have been working really hard over the last 8 months to make TradFest 2021 happen, albeit in a different way, more suitable to these difficult times. But we can assure you that TradFest 2021 will help light up these dark winter days, and this year TradFest will run from December until summer 2021.

So after 8 long months of careful planning, tomorrow, December 10th from 11.30am (GMT) onwards, The Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sports & Media, Catherine Martin TD will launch TradFest 2021 live from Temple Bar. It will be followed by live socially distanced performances featuring Mundy, Mark Redmond, Ailbhe Reddy and Tolu Makay. Our host will be TradFest Artistic Director and RTE Ceili House presenter, Kieran Hanrahan.

This launch will be livestreamed on our Facebook page and will last for approximately 35 minutes. We would love if you tag us @TempleBarTradFest #IrelandinMusic and #TradFest.

We hope you can all join us and be Together Again in Music. While you wait for TradFest 2021, tune in to our weekly For Folk Sake Podcast.

More links are on the e-newsletter.

Update 18 Dec.: The TradFest team now announce that the coming TradFest has been 're-imagined' on a live-streaming basis and will begin with a new TV show, 'Music in Ireland', which will be broadcast on Tuesday 29 Dec. 2020 on RTE1 at 8.00 p.m., and internationally during 2021. An album of the show has been produced, and 80% of revenue from sales will go to the artists involved. A month later (28-31 Jan.) a series of four online concerts will be held in the State Apartments at Dublin Castle. Full details are on this latest TradFest newsletter.

*It appears that no US or Americana visiting artists will be featured this year.