Rosin To Be Cheerful

A 2023 champ…

aving returned with a mighty forte last year, the Kilcoole Music Festival is back on song once again for 2024.

And that means they’re putting out the call for any young musicians from near agus far who’d like to be part of the county’s – and one of the country’s – longest-running music love-ins.

Founded by district nurse Mary Kieran back in 1955, the festival was merely half-a-day back then, but has now grown to six days of vocal, choral, instrumental and orchestra music, along with speech and drama too.

Says festival committee member Mary Hanley, the hope is to boost entries, especially from local schools. “Under 10 is the youngest competition,” she told our deadliest foe, Tom Galvin in De Bray People, “so you would get entries from people aged six, seven and eight.

“You’d be floored by the standard. There are little kids getting up there, playing the piano, and they’re like little Mozarts.”

Running from November 15th to 17th and 22nd to 24th, The Kilcoole Music Festival will be held at Coláiste Chraobh Abhann, with the syllabus timetable right here.

You can find out more right here, fill out your entry form here, and get in touch with the bould Mary here.