Packed crowds in Kill and Naas for O’Floinn Féile
Paul, Jana and Hannah Drennan and Grace and Luke Hynan at the Feile Liam O Flynn Gala Concert at Kill Church Hall Kill Photos: Jimmy Fullam
Last weekend every pub and hostelry between Kill and Naas fiddled and skiddley-eyed to their heart’s content, as the third annual ‘Féile Liam Óg O’Floinn’ hopped the glad hearts of both participants and attendees alike.
“It has gone from strength to strength, definitely,” said one of the founders, and organising committee member Laura Sheehan.
The Féile was inaugurated in October 2022 in honour of uileann pipe icon, Planxty founder, and Kill native Liam Og O’Floinn who died in March 2018.
The Féile ran from Thursday til Sunday (3-6 October), and “there was a lot of music in Naas”.
“The session trail in Naas was huge, it was all over Naas all day. Kavanagh’s, O’Connor’s, Heyden’s, Fletcher’s, 33 Main, practically all the pubs. You could not get in or out of Kavanagh’s or Fletcher’s, it really took off this year," she said.
"All the workshops were on Saturday morning in Naas CBS, and people came from miles around to have an expert teach them their own instrument, be it tin whistle, banjo, accordion, bazouki, or the uileann pipes.
“The Friel Sisters sold out St David’s Castle on Friday nights, and they all did workshops on their own instruments.
“Sandi Purcell the composer was in the Dew Drop in Kill teaching her own tunes.
“There were a couple of major concerts like ‘Cherish the Ladies’ from the USA in the Moat Theatre which also sold out, and The Stores in 33 Main sold out for Cormac Begley – a big name at the moment.
“The gala concert was in Kill Church on Sunday night was Altan from Donegal, they’re like trad royalty, and it was a fantastic concert."
The annual Liam Óg O’Floinn Memorial Award went to Mairéad Ni Mhaonaigh from Altan, and was presented by the Minister for Culture Catherine Martin.
