Foxford Traditional Weekend will showcase the best of Irish music and culture

Foxford Traditional Weekend returns this month, bringing four days of traditional Irish music, song, dance and culture to the North Mayo town.

Running from Thursday, October 15 until Sunday, October 18, more than 40 events will take place across Foxford, from storytelling in the Moy Hotel and Saturday night session trails to a Mummers Parade along the Main Street.

New for this year's celebrations is Club na Féile, taking place in the Moy Hotel at 11pm on Saturday, hosted by Seoda, the 2025 Siansa Gael Linn winners.

The Féile concert, taking place on Friday night, will see the long-awaited reunion of Mayo band Céide, who will play together for the first time in 17 years. All-Ireland champions Glór na Sí will also play, and award-winning flute and whistle player Jillian O’Malley will be launching her new album.

Over the weekend, there will be workshops covering everything from traditional music and sean-nós dancing to singing and making Mummers’ straw hats, offering plenty of chances to learn a new skill or hone an old talent with some of Ireland’s top-rated tutors.

The headline concert on Saturday evening will see award-winning brother-and-sister duo Seámus and Caoimhe Uí Fhlatharta perform in the beautiful Foxford Convent Church. Known for their multi-instrumental talents and sean-nós singing, they will be joined by pianist, composer and TG4 Gradam Ceoil winner Ryan Molloy.

Following the concert, A Celebration of Irish, Breton and Basque Music will bring together the musical connections between Ireland, Brittany and the Basque Country. CUAS will perform at the Moy Hotel with Kerry set dancers, Xabi Aburruzaga, Marie Le Cam and Niamh Ní Charra.

A number of session trails will also make their way around Foxford over the weekend, showcasing a masterclass in unspoken communication where nods, smiles and taps keep the music flowing and the sound of traditional Irish music alive.

Foxford Traditional Weekend is run by the local Comhaltas branch. They are a voluntary committee who are committed to nurturing and promoting Traditional Irish Music, Song, Dance, Storytelling agus Gaeilge.

“Our aim is to continue to nourish and grow our culture of Irish Music, Song and Dance in an accessible and fun environment. A family-friendly cultural weekend of music, song, dance and storytelling with concerts, workshops, masterclasses, lectures, session trail, rambling house, and tots, junior, teenage and senior events,” the committee said.

The weekend offers a mix of free events and ticketed events. For more details and to book tickets, visit foxfordtraditionalweekend.com.