News

Details: Published: 14 August 2019

The festival brochure for the Dunmore East Bluegrass Festival 2019 is now available to download.

Details: Published: 12 August 2019

The Blue Light Smugglers
The 19th Street Band
Mons Wheeler Band
Liz Moriondo
Raglan Rodeo
Charlie Reader
Kiss My Grass
Lands End
Pilgrim St.
Whistle
Alfi

Pickin Sessions and late bars.

Details: Published: 11 July 2019

The 25th Dunmore East Bluegrass Festival will feature some exciting home-grown musical talent throughout the free four-day festival, which takes place from August 22nd to August 25th.

Pilgrim St is back having made an electric Dunmore East debut in 2018. The seven-piece outfit bring a broad range of Americana, country, folk and bluegrass to their concerts across the country and festival - goers have come to expect a lively and energetic performance from Navan’s finest.

Alfi is a fresh new trio combining Appalachian old-time and traditional Irish music to produce a unique sound. Their music features an unusual blend of harp, five-string banjo, low whistle, uilleann pipes and vocals. Winners of the Molly Award at the Trip to Birmingham Tradfest 2018, band members Fiachra Meek, Alannah Thornburgh and Ryan McAuley have built up a strong following as they play at festivals and venues nationwide.

Lands End members hail from Cork, Galway, Dublin, Munich, Liverpool and Gloucestershire. Whilst their music is strongly embedded in the bluegrass tradition, each member brings a distinctive sound of their own to the musical arrangements of the band. Playing a mix of original material alongside Bluegrass standards and the odd hint of Celtic and Baltic tastes, Lands End proved hugely popular at the Dunmore East Bluegrass Festival when they played in 2012 and 2016.

Dublin’s Raglan Rodeo is a blues and alternative country band playing a mixture of originals and covers, drawing on a wide range of influences ranging from Hank Williams and Carter family classics to Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Americana artists.

The Blue Light Smugglers, an acoustic harmony band, are Luke Coffey, Terence Cosgrave and Niall Hughes playing bluegrass, country and swing. This talented and skilled trio can usually be found playing a residency at the Blue Light Pub, nestled at the foothills of the Dublin Mountains.

Hailing from Co. Wexford Kiss My Grass bring an energetic and vibrant bluegrass and rockabilly sound to the festival, while Whistle, a 6-piece Dublin based outfit play Americana-style folk, roots, bluegrass, country and rock ’n’ roll and specialise in multi-part vocal harmonies, guitar, banjo, violin, bass, harmonica and mandolin with accordion and more.

Lurgan’s Mons Wheeler Big Band makes a welcome return to the festival and is guaranteed to get the crowds on their feet with their trademark big rockabilly sound.

Mick Daly, Festival Organiser, is delighted to welcome the return of homegrown talent to the festival this year. “Whistle, Kiss My Grass, Mons Wheeler, Lands End and Pilgrim St are returning to the festival this year after some amazing performances in previous years. We’re delighted they’re coming back and they create a lively energetic vibe that the audiences love.”

The 25th Dunmore East Bluegrass Festival, Co. Waterford kicks off on Thursday, August 22nd at the Strand Inn and heralds the start of four days of free gigs at The Strand Inn, The Spinnaker Bar, Azzurro Restaurant, Power’s Bar and The Ocean Hotel.

Details: Published: 20 June 2019

The picturesque Co. Waterford fishing village will play host to the 25th Dunmore East Bluegrass Festival which returns to its shores from August 22nd to August 25th.

Making their Dunmore East Bluegrass Festival debut is “The 19th Street Band”. Hailing originally from Hollywood, Northern Ireland, Caolaidhe Davis moved to the US in 2005 to pursue a career in music. While establishing an earlier band, he found himself in need of a fiddle player and met Meghan, who auditioned for his band. What Caolaidhe didn’t know was that he was auditioning his future wife. Fast-forward a few months and the pair found themselves living on ‘19th Street’ in Arlington, Virginia, writing songs and creating the sound that would become the backbone of “The 19th Street Band”, an exciting fusion of Americana, country and rock.

Fans of bluegrass, honky-tonk, blues, country, Americana and rhythm ‘n’ roots are in for a real musical treat as the festival will feature a host of artists playing almost forty free gigs throughout the village.

Making their Dunmore East debut is “The 19th Street Band”. Hailing originally from Hollywood, Northern Ireland, Caolaidhe Davis moved to the US in 2005 to pursue a career in music. While establishing an earlier band, he found himself in need of a fiddle player and met Meghan, who auditioned for his band. What Caolaidhe didn’t know was that he was auditioning his future wife. Fast-forward a few months and the pair found themselves living on ‘19th Street’ in Arlington, Virginia, writing songs and creating the sound that would become the backbone of “The 19th Street Band”, will an exciting fusion of Americana, country and rock.

New acts appearing at this year’s festival include Liz Morionda, Raglan Rodeo and Alfi, along with returning acts, Land’s End, Mons Wheeler Band, Pilgrim St, Kiss My Grass, Whistle and Charlie Reader.

Mick Daly, Festival Organiser is looking forward to welcoming lots of new names and some old favourites back to the festival.

“While bluegrass is remains at the heart of the festival, many of the new Irish and international acts are bringing a more eclectic offering to the festival. Pilgrim St bring a broad range of Americana, country, folk and bluegrass to their concerts across the country, while Alfi is a fresh new trio combining American old-time, bluegrass and traditional Irish music.”

“The festival appeals to die-hard bluegrass fans who have been visiting Dunmore for decades, but it also has a broader appeal to those who simply like good toe-tappin’ music, in a beautiful seaside setting, under the sun!”

The 25th Dunmore East Bluegrass Festival, Co. Waterford kicks off on Thursday, August 22nd at the Strand Inn and heralds the start of four days of free gigs throughout the village.

Details: Published: 20 August 2018

Download the 2018 Bluegrass Brochure.

Details: Published: 16 July 2018

bluegrass2018

Details: Published: 10 July 2018

With some top international bands lined up for the 24th Dunmore East Bluegrass Festival, the homegrown musical talent is also making serious noises on the bluegrass and country scenes.

Mayo’s Vickers Vimy is a folk and Americana band that have worked with the late John Martyn, as well as The Hothouse Flowers, Maria Doyle Kennedy and Mundy. They released their first album Vol 1: That Vinyl Scratch in 2013 and since the release of their second album, Atlas of Hearts, in March 2018 this four-piece have regularly graced radio airwaves across the country.

Comprising of Ed Drea (vocals and acoustic guitar), Fintan Hanley (electric and acoustic guitars, mandolin, harmonies), Eamonn Mulderring (drums, percussion, piano, accordion, midi, harmonies) and Ciarán Byrne (bass, guitars), Vickers Vimy will play a series of free gigs throughout the Dunmore East Bluegrass Festival filled with rich eclectic sounds that anchor lyrical themes of scratched vinyl nights and hazy Sunday mornings.

Fintan Hanley said, “We’re delighted to be included in the line-up this year. There is so much good original Irish music at the moment and it’s great to see the Dunmore East Bluegrass festival enthusiastically supporting the Irish music scene.”

Another Irish act to make their Dunmore East Bluegrass debut is Navan based Pilgrim St. The seven-piece outfit bring a broad range of Americana, country, folk and bluegrass to their concerts across the country.

Having been together for over four years, Pilgrim St have played some of the finest arenas in Ireland including Vicar Street and Electric Picnic and Dunmore East Bluegrass festival-goers can expect a lively and energetic performance from Navan’s finest.

Mick Daly, Festival Organiser, is delighted to welcome homegrown talent to the festival this year. “Bands like Vickers Vimy, Pilgrim St, Woodbine, and Mons Wheeler have been pioneering bluegrass, Americana and blues in Ireland for years and have lifted the profile of what once was a very niche music genre.”

pilgrim 450 “They’ve introduced this type of music to a cohort of new fans and that’s what rejuvenates the festival year after year. We’re looking forward to hearing them on the stages over the four days and they certainly will make a big impression on anyone who likes a good lively, toe tapping tune.”

The 24th Dunmore East International Bluegrass Festival, Co. Waterford kicks off on Thursday evening, August 23rd at the Spinnaker Bar and Restaurant, and heralds the start of 14 bands, playing almost 40 free gigs throughout the village.

New sounds making waves at Dunmore East Bluegrass Festival

Details: Published: 19 June 2018

Now in its 24th year, the Dunmore East International Bluegrass Festival, is still proving as alluring as ever for top music acts, as some of the industry’s greatest bluegrass and country music acts line up for the free four-day festival in the Co. Waterford village from August 23rd to August 26th 2018.

Fans of bluegrass, honky-tonk, blues, country, Americana and rhythm ‘n’ roots are in for a real musical treat as the picturesque village’s International Bluegrass Festival will feature 14 artists playing almost 40 free gigs throughout the village.

Headlining this year’s festival is Amanda Anne Platt and the Honeycutters, an old school country roots band that effortlessly blends rock, folk and country. Hailing from North Carolina, Amanda Anne Platt has earned a reputation as an assertive yet gentle and unassuming singer whose “voice and the interplay of the guitar and mandolin gives this band their unique complex sound, a clear-sounding mash-up of American, bluegrass, fold and honky-tonk” according to Elmore Magazine. At 2015 MerleFest, considered one of the premier music festivals in the US, the Honeycutters received fantastic reviews.

Making a return to Dunmore East is California’s Whiskey Deaf. Fiddle player Annie Staninec was born and bred on bluegrass music, has toured the world and featured on countless albums with renowned country, Cajun and blues artists, while John Kael, an established songwriter, has been playing bluegrass guitar, mandolin, banjo and bass for over twenty years.

Having taught in some of the most prestigious music camps in the country, John and Annie will give two traditional bluegrass guitar and fiddle workshops on Friday, August 24th. Places are €10 and pre-booking is essential.

Some perennial favourites returning to Dunmore East’s Bluegrass Festival include Demolition String Band, Woodbine, Mons Wheeler Band and the Backyard Band. New acts to line up in 2018 are Brother’s Parker, Pilgrim Street, Kiss My Grass, Bert and Henry, Charlie Reader, Vickers Vimy, and Whistle.

Mick Daly, Festival Organiser is delighted with the calibre of both first-time and returning bands playing at the festival. “We have a great line-up of bluegrass, country, rockabilly, roots and Americana acts this year. We are excited about welcoming the Honeycutters to Dunmore for the first time, but also equally excited about the return of some of the big names that have appeared over the years. Many of the bands that play the Dunmore Bluegrass Festival feed off the fantastic energy of the crowd and the fact that it is set to a stunning coastal backdrop is a bonus.”

“Over the past decade or so the festival has evolved organically and while bluegrass is still at the very heart of the festival there is a more eclectic offering of music, such as rockabilly, country and Americana. A lot of the young, up-and-coming acts are making waves on the bluegrass scene and we’re thrilled to have an exciting line up bringing their energy and vibrancy to the festival.”

The 24th Dunmore East International Bluegrass Festival, Co. Waterford kicks off on Thursday evening, August 23rd at the Spinnaker Bar and Restaurant, and heralds the start of 14 bands, playing almost 40 free gigs throughout the village.

For more information visit this website or keep up to date on the Discover Dunmore East facebook page.

Details: Published: 27 May 2017

In the new EastEnders spin-off Redwater, Kat and Alfie Moon pitch up in a seaside village in Ireland where Jessie Wallace's Kat hopes to track down the son she gave up for adoption 33 years earlier. But this close-knit community has secrets of its own and events soon take a sinister turn. The six-part drama was filmed in Dunmore East, a fishing village in County Waterford with a lovely beach, a little harbour and sheltered coves.