Cootehill gears up for Whelan Weekend

Róisín McManus

Cootehill Comhaltas is preparing for the return of the Gerry Whelan Memorial Weekend from Friday to Sunday, September 12-14.

A bumper programme of events celebrating the best in Irish trad music, song and dance will mark the memorial’s 19th year.

The festival commemorates the late Gerry Whelan, a successful Cootehill-based entrepreneur and lifelong traditional music supporter who was active in the founding of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann in 1951, and served as President of the organisation’s Ulster Council for 30 years.

“The festival is a high-point in the Cootehill calendar and is something that people look forward to every year in late summer,” says John Grogan, PRO of Cootehill CCÉ.

A resurgeance of interest among all ages in the local Comhaltas branch has been crucial to the festival’s ongoing success, as well as a packed programme including leading musicians playing across concerts, workshops and pub sessions.

Spectators can expect plenty of ‘ceol agus craic’ over the weekend.

“There’s an increased interest nationally in trad music, and we see that here locally,” John tells the Celt. “Invited guests attract excitement amongst the community and get the weekend going, and trad music is played on a tannoy throughout the town on Friday and Saturday which helps get people in the spirit.

“Audiences are more interested in live music and events post-Covid, there’s a greater appreciation now,” John adds.

The Memorial Concert and official opening at St Michael’s Hall - €15 on the door, will kickstart the weekend’s events on Friday night, September 12 where headliners Carlos Sweeney McCartin will perform. The trad trio feature Roscommon’s Dylan Carlos on the fiddle and Céin Sweeney from Killeshandra on the flute, both senior all-Ireland champions, and Leitrim’s John McCartin on guitar, Carlos Sweeney McCartin deliver scintillating and uncompromising sets of traditional music.

Support comes from talented six-piece, Neart from Dublin and Meath. Amongst the young members are fiddlers Ciannait and Edie Lawlor, joined by pipers Ruadhan Collier O’Brien and Niamh Landale, Cathal Mac Conchra on bodhran and Aoibheann Nic Conchra on fiddle.

There will also be opening night performances from Cootehill CCÉ and Geraldine Whelan-O’Meara & Friends.

For more, see Gerry Whelan Weekend on Facebook. Workshop enquiries to: cootehillcce@gmail.com or Loreto 087 858 6773 or Sandra 087 772 3595.