Fiddler’s Green Festival

So inured have we grown to the hyperbolic cant of advertisers that we might welcome as a refreshing breeze the opposite attitude of deliberate understatement.  The Fiddler’s Green Festival in Rostrevor was introduced so; you might say with a whisper rather than a fanfare.  No matter.  Anything so good would sell itself.
 
Still I believe it ought to be shouted from the rooftops that this is far-and-away our most impressive Music and Arts Festival, organised like an Aiken Promotion and featuring artists of true international standard.
 
Quite apart from the household names – and I shouldn’t start for I’ll err by omission, but here goes!  Christie Hennessy, Paddy Maloney and Chieftians, Finbar Furey, Micheal O’Suilleabhain (search above!) Four Men and a Dog (unbelievable!), Denise Hagan, Eleanor McEvoy, Arty McGlynn, Dervish etc. – there is a host of other not-to-be-missed acts:  for starters, Eilish McCaffrey, Burn the Whins, Blue Katz, Kenny McDowell and Ronnie Greer Blues Band, Nollaig Brolly, Aoife Ferry, Kiltultagh.  Some I heard last year and look forward to hearing again.  The rest will be a surprising new experience.
 
There is a children’s programme, walks, art exhibitions, workshops, recitals, lectures and much more.  I can’t find the classical lunchtime recitals organised last year by Siubhan O’Dubhain – though there are Tom Dunne events – and I’ll be devestated if they don’t feature! 
 
I will report here on a few events after I have experienced them.  But not all.  That would be impossible.  You must go yourself.  First buy the programme and make your own list of events to attend.  That’s what I’m doing right now. 
 
My only regret is that I have neither the energy nor the finances to attend everything. 
 
But I’ll persist until I’m broke, or broken, whichever comes first! 

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