This article is from page 17 of the 2006-07-25 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 17 JPG
AS CLARE’S hurlers shook up Croke Park, they were shaking things up in Clarecastle as well.
The 10th annual Céilí at the Crossroads festival wound down over the weekend as big crowds descended on the village for a feast of music and dance. The highlight of the weekend was undoubtedly Sunday’s showpiece event, the Céili at the Crossroads. Revellers assembled at Kerins Cross for the event, which ran late into the night. Music was supplied by the Four Courts band on a day devoted to set dancing.
Now in its tenth year, the five-day festival of music, song and dance has grown steadily in popularity, becoming one of the most important fixtures in Clare’s traditional music calendar. Visitors from around the county and further afield flocked to Clarecastle for the event.
Set dancing, of course, occupied the main focus of the event but singing and music proved popular mainstays of the week-long celebration of Irish culture. Learning forms a key component of the event and a workshop in set dancing, under the guidance of Michael Mahony, kicked off proceedings last Wednesday in the Abbey Hall.
Thursday night was regarded as one of the festival highlights. The music was in full swing at the John Joe Casey traditional music tribute night in Navan’s public house. This event commemorated the life and times of the late John Joe Casey. Mr Casey was a highly regarded fiddle-player and composer who composed wellknown reels such as ‘The Tiermaclane Fancy’. A native of Island McGrath in Clarecastle, John Joe passed away five years ago in 2001, aged 90.
While past masters were remembered, a new generation were being encouraged at the Junior Traditional Music Workshops that brought Clarecastle School to life throughout the festival. The hugely popular Singers Club, held in Power’s Pub, kicked the weekend off in style, with singers from across Munster performing. After a day of more set dancing, Saturday night concluded with the Céilí Mór and the Donie Neylon Céilí band in the Abbey Hall.
The driving forces behind the festival for the past 10 years have been former Chairman Haulie Kelleher and current Chairman Eugene Brennan. Both, again, were heavily involved in this year’s Céilí at the Crossroads.