Clancy’s celebrates 60 years of Irish trad sessions
ATHY pub Clancy’s is celebrating 60 years of live Irish music sessions in the pub – a tradition ongoing since the 1960s.
Clancy’s in Athy’s Leinster Street is marking six decades of weekly Irish traditional music sessions, making it one of the longest-running continuous trad sessions in Ireland. To mark the anniversary, Clancy’s will celebrate the milestone from Thursday 16 April to Sunday 19 April, inviting past and present musicians, locals and visitors to come together for 60 years of Irish music, memories and tradition.
The pub has hosted weekly sessions since the mid-1960s, and over the years generations of musicians have gathered there to share tunes, songs and stories. The sessions have become a cornerstone of local pub culture in Athy, with music passed naturally from one generation to the next.
“Irish music has always been part of the fabric of Clancy’s,” said Emma O’Brien, co-owner of Clancy’s. “For generations, musicians have walked through the door knowing there’d be a welcome, a tune and a place to play. That continuity is very special, and not something you find everywhere.”
Fiddle player Jimmy Kelly, who has been attending the session since 1985, said the venue itself plays a key role in its success: “It’s years of tradition that draw musicians together – at Clancy’s.
“The venue is unique because there’s a dedicated room for the session, so musicians don’t have to compete with the noise of the bar. That’s what makes it so special,” he said.
For more information on the April event, keep your eye on Clancy’s website (www.clancysathy.ie) and social media channels.
