Summer

Doonbeg International Jazz Festival
Now in its eighth year, the International Jazz Festival attracts visitors from all over to enjoy a weekend of swing, Dixie, and jazz featuring bands from Ireland, Britain, and Europe. All the pubs and restaurants in the Doonbeg village will have non-stop music throughout the weekend. In addition to the scheduled performances (which are all free of charge), there will be jam sessions, open air music, barbeque, and street entertainment.

Willie Clancy Summer School • www.SetDancingNews.net/WCSS
The Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy is Ireland’s largest traditional music summer school, held annually since 1973 in memory of the piper Willie Clancy. During the week, nearly a thousand students from every part of the world attend daily classes taught by experts in Irish music and dance. In addition, the school runs a full program of lectures, recitals, dances, and exhibitions. All events are held in and near Miltown Malbay, County Clare.


Galway Arts Festival • www.GalwayArtsFestival.ie
Galway, long considered a centre of cultural excellence, is proud to host Ireland’s largest and most prestigious annual arts festival. A stunning fortnight of cultural activity and celebration, the festival features writers, artists, performers, and musicians from Canada, England, France, Scotland, and the USA who join those from Ireland in creating theatre, spectacle, street art, music, comedy, literature, and music.

Galway Races • www.GalwayRaces.com
The Galway Races is one of the greatest and most lavish Irish Racing Festivals – a fixture in the Irish racing world calendar. It is not only a fabulous sporting event, but also a unique social occasion, attracting both the racegoer and non-racegoer alike for its great atmosphere and craic. (For those of you not familiar with this Gaelic word, there is no exact English translation, but it does reference “fun”).

Family Festival
For more than 30 years, the Family Festival has been a part of Doonbeg’s rich tradition. Activities include a cultural parade, barbeque, talent contest, children’s fancy dress competition, and the once seen, never forgotten, donkey derby.

Feakle International Festival • www.FeakleFestival.ie
The Festival, based in the homely village of Feakle in East Clare, started in 1988 and is now respected worldwide as one of the best traditional music festivals in the country. A wonderful five days of music, song, dance, CŽili’s, workshops, lectures, recitals, and sessions.

Eigse Mrs. Crotty • www.EigseMrsCrotty.com
Eigse Mrs. Crotty, now in its twelfth year and held in Kilrush, County Clare, is a five-day celebration of the life and music of one of the outstanding figures of traditional Irish music.