Calendar 2020-21
The calendar is frequently updated, and past events are transferred to the separate calendar archive post. All events in the Irish bluegrass festival season for which we have dates can be found below. Some items of country music news, prepared by the Country Music Association of Ireland, can be seen here.
A few important and/or accessible events outside Ireland are also listed. For a fuller listing of events in the UK, see the calendar pages on the BBMA website and FOAOTMAD website. A select list of festivals in Europe is on the EBMA website.
Bands and event/venue organisers: if your session or event is not shown here, contact the editor. Punters: please note that tour schedules often have to be changed, so before you go to a show, please check that the date and place are still the same as when you first noted it down.
Regular fortnightly or monthly events are shown on the main calendar at the appropriate dates. To avoid overloading the calendar, here is a list of gigs and sessions held EVERY WEEK:
IMPORTANT: During COVID-19 restrictions it should be assumed that all performance venues will be closed.
Monday: Lee Valley String Band, Corner House, Coburg St., Cork city
Blue Light Smugglers, The Blue Light, Barnacullia Rd, Dublin 18
Tuesday: Dublin Bluegrass circle jam session, Sin E Bar, Ormond Quay, Dublin, 8.00 p.m. to closing time
Wednesday:Bluegrass & old-time gig/session (Broken Strings band), Balloo House, Killinchy, Co. Down, 9.00 p.m.; 'phone 028 9754 1210
The Sundown Sessions, The Raven Bar, 100 South Main St, Cork city: Rattlesnake County (broad mix of bluegrass, country, folk, Americana), from 9.30 p.m., open to all
Thursday: Tin Box Company bluegrass gig at Delaney's (Knocklyon Inn), Knocklyon, Dublin, 9.00 p.m. Contact Martin Kavanagh (087-2504505)
Knotty Pine String Band, Sally O’Brien's, John St., Omagh, Co. Tyrone, 10.00 p.m.; all players welcome, adm. free
Sacred Harp singing session, Unitarian Church, Princes St., Cork city, 7.00-9.00 p.m.; all welcome
Two Time Polka, The Poor Relation, Parnell Place, Cork, 9.30 p.m., adm. free; 021 4949049 (from 10 Oct. 2019, except for 31 Oct.)
Friday: Bluegrass session [may contain Irish music!], Cryan's Bar, Bridge St., Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Leitrim, after 9.00 p.m.
Watery Hill Boys, Carberry's, North Strand, Drogheda, Co. Louth
Sacred Harp singing session, Franciscan Friary, Cook St., Dublin 8 ; 7.00-9.00 p.m.; admission free, all welcome
Ox Mountain Session (old-time), Tricky McGarrigle's, O'Connell St., Sligo, 5.30-8.00 p.m.
Saturday: Old-time music session: Bill Whelan, Ben Keogh, & friends, The Cobblestone, Smithfield, Dublin, 4.30-7.00 p.m. (established for many years!)
'Bluegrass and Beyond' session, Ellie May's, Dunadry, Co. Antrim, 3.00-6.00 p.m.
Sunday: Well Enough Alone, Kilkenny Shop restaurant, Nassau St., Dublin 2, 2.15-4.15 p.m.
Mules & Men, Leeson Lounge, 148 Leeson St. Upper, Dublin 4, 6.00 p.m.
Lee Valley String Band, Corner House, Coburg St., Cork city, 7.30/8.00 p.m. onwards
Tim Rogers & the Clew Bay Critters, McGing's, High St., Westport, Co. Mayo, 10.00 p.m.
Old-time music session: Upcounty String Ticklers (Kevin Beggan, Adam Shapiro, Stewart MacPhail), Cliffs of Moher Hotel in Liscannor, Co. Clare, 1.00-3.00 p.m., 17 Mar. to end Oct./ early Nov.
If you first heard about an event from the Bluegrass Ireland Blog, we'll appreciate it if you tell the organisers that.
JANUARY 2020
Wed. 1st: Danny Burns, Grand Central Bar, Derry city
Woodbine (trio configuration), Touhy's Bar, Rathdowney, Co. Laois, 9.30 p.m.
Thurs. 2nd: Danny Burns, Whelan's, Wexford St., Dublin 2
First weekly 'My Grass Is Blue' show, hosted by Dave Byrne Sr, on The Bluegrass Jamboree online streaming bluegrass service
Fri. 3rd: Bluegrass/ Americana open session, 'Juniors' (Byrne's), Rathdangan, Co. Wicklow, 9.30 p.m.
Sat. 4th: Niall Toner's 'Roots Freeway' begins new season on RTÉ Radio 1 (weekly, 11.00 p.m.)
Fri. 10th: Red Hat Acoustic Music Club, Harbour Hotel, Naas, Co. Kildare, from 8.30 p.m.
Wed. 15th: Seth Mulder & Midnight Run (USA), Campbell's Tavern, Headford, Co. Galway, 9.00 p.m.; 093 35454
Wed. 15th-Sun. 19th: Whelan's Ones to Watch 2020 festival, Whelan's, Wexford St., Dublin 2
Thurs. 16th-Mon. 20th: 21st Shannonside Winter Music Festival, Bunratty and Sixmilebridge, Co. Clare; Seth Mulder & Midnight Run (USA), Sons of Navarone (BE), many more; programme
Thurs. 16th-Sun. 2nd Feb.: Celtic Connections festival, Glasgow: programme; brochure; Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn, Peggy Seeger, Local Honeys, Sierra Hull, Dirk Powell, Joe Newberry & April Verch, many more
Fri. 17th: The Local Honeys (USA), The Grand Social, 35 Lower Liffey St., Dublin 1, 8.00 p.m.
Danny Burns, The American Bar, Belfast
Mon. 20th: Seth Mulder & Midnight Run (USA), Village Arts Centre, Kilworth, Co. Cork, 8.00 p.m., supported by Table for Two (Belgium/ Denmark); 087 792 1771
Tues. 21st: Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn, National Concert Hall, Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin 2, 8.00 p.m.; tickets from €27.50
Seth Mulder & Midnight Run (USA), Merry's Bar and Restaurant, Lower Main St., Dungarvan, Co. Waterford, 8.00 p.m.; 087 064 0542
Howard Staton 'Cedric Rainwater' Watts died, 1970
Wed. 22nd: Seth Mulder & Midnight Run (USA), The Coachman, Parnell St., Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, 8.00 p.m.; 085 850 2289
Wed. 22nd-Sun. 26th: Tradfest 2020, Temple Bar, Dublin 2: Della Mae, Ron Block & Damien O'Kane, many more; full programme
Thurs. 23rd: Seth Mulder & Midnight Run (USA), St John's Theatre, The Square, Listowel, Co. Kerry, 8.00 p.m.; 068 22566
Cup O' Joe, the Black Box, Belfast, 1.00 p.m., £8.00 (part of 15th Out to Lunch Festival)
Fri. 24th: Ron Block (USA) and Damien O'Kane, Lost Lane, Dublin, 8.00 p.m. (part of Tradfest 2020)
Danny Burns, with Robin James Hurt, Workman's Club, Wellington Quay, Dublin
Seth Mulder & Midnight Run (USA), Coastguard Cultural Centre, Love Lane, Tramore, Co. Waterford, 8.00 p.m.; 051 391 656
Greenshine, the Asgard Theatre, 34/35 Lower Main St., Arklow, Co. Wicklow, Y14 K7W8, 8.00 p.m., €15; booking online
Two Time Polka, The Irish Whip Bar, Main St., Ballydehob, Co. Cork, 10.00 p.m., adm. free; 028 37191 (part of Heart and Home Bluegrass Festival)
Fri. 24th-Sun. 26th: Heart and Home Bluegrass Festival, Ballydehob, Co. Cork; the Grove Band (UK), Long Way Home (NL/US); Sat. 25th, Festival Headline Concert, Community Hall, 7.00 p.m.; Seth Mulder & Midnight Run (USA), supported by Table for Two (Belgium/ Denmark)
Sat. 25th: Mules & Men, Harbour Bar, Bray, Co. Wicklow, 3.00 p.m., adm. free (part of Banjo & Bovril Trad & Folk Festival)
Danny Burns, Iontas Arts & Community Resource Centre, Castleblayney, Co. Monaghan
Two Time Polka, The Irish Whip Bar, Main St., Ballydehob, Co. Cork, 10.00 p.m., adm. free; 028 37191 (part of Heart and Home Bluegrass Festival)
Sun. 26th: Della Mae (USA), Lost Lane, Dublin, 8.00 p.m. (part of Tradfest 2020)
Seth Mulder & Midnight Run (USA), Glen Theatre, Banteer, Co. Cork, 8.30 p.m.; supported by Table for Two (Belgium/ Denmark); 087 792 1771
Hubert Murray and Dave Hawkins host new monthly bluegrass session, Eugene Kelly's Lounge, Convent Road, Tullamore, Co. Offaly 7GH5+3G, 4.00-7.00 p.m.; all pickers welcome
Janet Dowd, Colin Henry, and David Bell on 'Hame', BBC2 NI TV, 10.00 p.m.
Mon. 27th: Seth Mulder & Midnight Run (USA), Rory Gallagher Music Library, Grand Parade, Cork city, 1.00 p.m.; 021 492 4907
Tues. 28th: Seth Mulder & Midnight Run (USA), Mallow Library, Thomas Davis St., Mallow, Co. Cork, 1.00 p.m.; 022 21821; Tuohy's Bar, Pound St., Rathdowney, Co. Laois, 9.00 p.m.; 087 967 5752
Danny Burns, Town Hall Theatre, Galway city
Wed. 29th: Seth Mulder & Midnight Run (USA), The Red Room, Cookstown, Co. Tyrone, 8.30 p.m.; 0044 7736 837 779
Cup O' Joe, Groucho's Cafe Bar, Richhill, Co. Armagh, 7.00 p.m.
Thurs. 30th: Seth Mulder & Midnight Run (USA), Dorney Bridge, Ballinamallard, Co. Fermanagh, 8.15 p.m.; 0044 7716 267 625
Thurs. 30th-Sun. 2nd Feb.: SPBGMA 46th Annual Bluegrass Music Awards and 37th National Convention and Band Championship, Nashville, TN; Niall Toner Band, many more
FEBRUARY 2020
Sat. !st: Seth Mulder & Midnight Run (USA), St Senan's Church of Ireland, Ardrum, Inniscarra, Co. Cork, 8.00 p.m.; 087 792 1771
Sun. 2nd: Seth Mulder & Midnight Run (USA), Horan's Bar & Restaurant, Baltinglass, Co. Wicklow, 4.00 p.m.; 059 648 1733
Tues. 4th: Local Honeys (USA), Whelan's, Wexford St., Dublin 2, €15
Wed. 5th: Local Honeys (USA), Matt Molloy's, Bridge St., Westport, Co. Mayo
Fri. 7th: Local Honeys (USA), Imbolc International Arts Festival, Derry city, with Rioghnach Connolly and band
Bluegrass/ Americana open session, 'Juniors' (Byrne's), Rathdangan, Co. Wicklow, 9.30 p.m.
Sat. 8th: Local Honeys (USA), Draiocht, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15 (aupporting Sharon Shannon)
Wed. 12th: Harley 'Red' Allen born, 1930
Thurs. 13th: Danny Burns, Strule Arts Centre, Omagh, Co. Tyrone
Grits & Gravy Stringband, Burnetts Hill Chapel, Marletwy, Pembrokeshire, Wales SA67 8AX, 7.30 p.m., £12; 01646 621530 / 01646 651725
Fri. 14th: Red Hat Acoustic Music Club, Harbour Hotel, Naas, Co. Kildare, from 8.30 p.m.
Fri. 14th-Mon. 17th: 26th Gainsborough Old Time Festival, Queen Elizabeth's High School, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire. DN21 2ST, England; lineup includes Grits & Gravy Stringband (IRL), many more
Tues. 18th: The Dead South (CAN), Vicar Street, Dublin [SOLD OUT]
Wed. 19th: The Dead South (CAN), Ulster Hall, Belfast, £25
Fri. 21st-Sat. 22nd: Danny Burns, Ted Fest, Inishmore, Co. Galway
Fri. 21st-Sun. 23rd: Third Annual Irish Old-Time Appalachian Music Gathering, Roadside Tavern, Lisdoonvarna, Co. Clare; Clay Buckner (USA) to lead sessions and fiddle workshops; Sacred Harp introduction session
Sun. 23rd: Tullamore Bluegrass Session, Eugene Kelly's, Convent Road, Tullamore 7GH5+3G, 4.00-7.00 p.m.; all pickers welcome
Thurs. 27th-Mon. 2 Mar.: Tenth Ireland Sacred Harp Convention, Cork city
MARCH 2020
Thurs. 5th: Hayseed Dixie (USA), Whelan’s, Wexford St., Dublin 2, €21
Fri. 6th: Hayseed Dixie (USA), Empire Music Hall, 42 Botanic Ave., Belfast, 8.30 p.m., £19.50
Bluegrass/ Americana open session, 'Juniors' (Byrne's), Rathdangan, Co. Wicklow, 9.30 p.m.
Fri. 6th-Sat. 7th: 5th Barcelona Bluegrass Camp, Centre Civic La Sedeta, Barcelona, Spain
Sat. 7th: Deering Banjo 2020 Event, North Light Gallery, Brooke’s Mill, Armitage Bridge, Huddersfield HD4 7NR, Yorkshire, England; tickets from £22
Hayseed Dixie (USA), Roisin Dubh, Galway city, doors 20:00, €22.50
Sun. 8th: Wookalily launch new single 'Whiskey and wine', Sunflower Bar, Belfast, with Accomplice Moon, Bläk Byrd, Si; 3.00-6.00 p.m.; tickets £5.00 online
Wed. 11th: Steve Martin (USA) and Martin Short (CAN), 'The Funniest Show In Town At The Moment', plus Steep Canyon Rangers (USA), 3 Arena, Dublin, 8.00 p.m.; tickets
Thurs. 12th:
Fri. 13th:
Fri. 20th: Mules & Men release new single, ‘John Keavney’ (official video) plus two other tracks from album Roscommon County Line
Fri. 20th-Sun. 22nd: #StayAtHomeFestival (on Instagram): April Verch, Tatiana Hargreaves, Laura Cortese, many more
Thurs. 26th: John Lewis Starling (the Seldom Scene) born, 1940
Sat. 28th: Gerry Grennan Celebration Night online concert, part 1, shown on Facebook (Hawk's Well Theatre, Sligo)
Sun. 29th: Gerry Grennan Celebration Night online concert, part 2, shown on Facebook (Hawk's Well Theatre, Sligo)
Tullamore Bluegrass Session, Eugene Kelly's, Convent Road, Tullamore 7GH5+3G, 4.00-7.00 p.m.; all pickers welcome
APRIL 2020
Mon. 13th-Fri. 17th:
Thurs. 23rd-Sun. 26th:
Sat. 25th:
Sun. 26th: Tullamore Bluegrass Session, Eugene Kelly's, Convent Road, Tullamore 7GH5+3G, 4.00-7.00 p.m.; all pickers welcome
MAY 2020
Fri. 1st: Bluegrass/ Americana open session, 'Juniors' (Byrne's), Rathdangan, Co. Wicklow, 9.30 p.m.
Fri. 1st-Sun. 3rd:
Fri. 1st-Mon. 4th:
Wed. 6th-Sun. 17th:
Thurs. 7th-Sun. 10th:
Thurs. 7th-Sun. 10th:
Fri. 8th: Red Hat Acoustic Music Club, Harbour Hotel, Naas, Co. Kildare, from 8.30 p.m.
Sat. 9th-Sat. 16th: Old Time Music Week, La Fuente, Andalusia, southern Spain: fiddle, banjo, guitar, duet singing, and more taught by Dave Bing, Beverly Smith, Johnny Whelan, Kate Lissauer, others TBC
Fri. 15th-Sat. 16th:
Sat. 16th: Concert commemorating Pete Stanley (1937-2020), Cecil Sharp House, London; details TBA
Wed. 20th-Thurs. 28th:
Fri. 22nd-Sun. 24th:
Tues. 26th: Lance Leroy born, 1930
Sun. 31st: Tullamore Bluegrass Session, Eugene Kelly's, Convent Road, Tullamore 7GH5+3G, 4.00-7.00 p.m.; all pickers welcome
JUNE 2020
Thurs. 4th-Mon. 8th:
Fri. 5th: Bluegrass/ Americana open session, 'Juniors' (Byrne's), Rathdangan, Co. Wicklow, 9.30 p.m.
Fri. 5th-Sun. 7th:
Fri. 12th: Red Hat Acoustic Music Club, Harbour Hotel, Naas, Co. Kildare, from 8.30 p.m.
Sat. 20th: Blanche Pauline 'Mom' Lewis (the Lewis Family) born, 1910
Sun. 28th: Tullamore Bluegrass Session, Eugene Kelly's, Convent Road, Tullamore 7GH5+3G, 4.00-7.00 p.m.; all pickers welcome
JULY 2020
Sat. 4th:
Fri. 10th: Red Hat Acoustic Music Club, Harbour Hotel, Naas, Co. Kildare, from 8.30 p.m.
Fri. 17th-Sun. 19th:
Wed. 29th-Sun. 2nd Aug.:
AUGUST 2020
Sun. 2nd: Mitch Jayne (the Dillards) died, 2010
Fri. 14th: Red Hat Acoustic Music Club, Harbour Hotel, Naas, Co. Kildare, from 8.30 p.m.
Thurs. 20th: Tom Hanway born, 1961
Sat. 22nd-Sun. 23rd:
Sat. 29th-Sun. 30th:
SEPTEMBER 2020
Fri. 4th-Sat. 5th:
Fri. 4th-Sun. 6th:
Fri. 11th: Red Hat Acoustic Music Club, Harbour Hotel, Naas, Co. Kildare, from 8.30 p.m.
Wed. 16th: Roger Bush (the Kentucky Colonels) born, 1940
Sat. 19th: Leroy Mack McNees (the Kentucky Colonels) born, 1940
Tues. 29th-Sat. 3rd Oct.: International Bluegrass Music Association World of Bluegrass - VIRTUAL EVENT
OCTOBER 2020
Fri. 23rd-Mon. 26th:
NOVEMBER 2020
Sat. 7th: Alvin Pleasant Carter died, 1960
DECEMBER 2020
Tues. 8th: Earl Scruggs first plays at the Grand Ole Opry, Nashville, as a member of Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys, 1945
JANUARY 2021
Fri. 8th: Red Hat Acoustic Music Club, virtual meeting
Thurs. 28th: mygrassisblue.com present an Album Release Feature on www.thebluegrassjamboree.com, 10.00 p.m.-midnight GMT; Alan Bibey & Grasstowne, Hitchhiking to California
JUNE 20-21
Fri. 11th-Sun. 13th: 14th Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival, Westport, Co. Mayo; details TBA
AUGUST 2021
Thurs. 26th-Sun. 29th: 26th Dunmore East Bluegrass Festival, Co. Waterford; details TBA
SEPTEMBER 2021
Fri. 24th-Sun. 26th: 12th Moniaive Michaelmas Bluegrass Festival, Moniaive, Ayrshire, Scotland; Nu-Blu (USA), Jeff Scroggins & the Scroggdogs (USA), more; see website
1 Comments:
The Horsenecks touring Dec 6-15th nad @ Cobblestone on the 12th are from Portland Oregon and play Old Time Stringband music on 5 Str, Fiddle & G - TMI?
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