Trad faoi Dhó – Duets for Kilkenny

Curated by Leonard Barry

Enjoy an evening of traditional Irish music with duos of great Irish musicians performing live from both sides of the Atlantic. A specially commissioned gig, curated by Leonard Barry especially for Kilkenny for this year’s St. Patrick’s Festival. It’s the perfect way to kick off the celebrations!

Wolfwalkers With Kíla in Concert

A Special St Patrick

As the crew from Cartoon Saloon bask in the glow of multiple nominations and award wins for their latest feature film, WolfWalkers, they are taking time out from the virtual red carpet to play their part in Kilkenny’s celebration of our national holiday in their Hometown of Kilkenny.

Animation Tutorial

Draw St. Patrick & His Snakes

Ever wondered how to draw the perfect St. Patrick? Or maybe you’d prefer to perfect his banished snakes? Well we’ve got the perfect way to start your St. Patrick’s Day. Grab your colours and join Gráinne to learn how to draw the perfect St. Patrick.

Irish Mythology Storytelling

With Caroline Busher & The Heritage Council

Irish mythology is rooted in the oral tradition and hearing a story told out loud can bring it to life in new ways. Join us on St. Patrick’s Day for an enchanting tale of ancient Ireland.

Snake Encounter

with The National Reptile Zoo

What better day than St. Patrick’s Day to meet some real live snakes that are living in Kilkenny City! The National Reptile Zoo and their resident reptiles are going to help you learn all about snakes – what they eat, where they live and why St. Patrick banished them from Ireland, or maybe he didn’t!

Forest Skills

With Maura Brennan

Ready to go on an adventure exploring your local woodland? Spring is here and it’s time to go wild in the woods! The forest is waking up – the birds are singing, the water is flowing and the trees are budding!

Gardening For Biodiversity

With Monica Fleming

Gardening for Biodiversity is all about rethinking how you see your garden and deciding to include areas that can be a home for a variety of native species. This St. Patrick’s Day join Monica Fleming for a tutorial on how to introduce Biodiversity into your garden.

Kilkenny’s Biodiversity Champion

This year we are introducing a new honour with pride of place at our festival. As a festival, our theme has often centered around the premise of biodiversity and ‘going green’ and this year we’re solidifying our commitment to these causes by appointing our first Biodiversity Champion.

Nore Vision For Kilkenny

Nore Vision have great community initiatives for the sustainability of the River Nore catchment and this St. Patrick’s Day they want to tell you all about them. With an introduction from Minister Malcolm Noonan.

One Object At A Time

With Dr. Tara Shine

Kilkenny native Dr. Tara Shine is a science and public policy advisor, explorer and author who has dedicated nearly 20 years to the pursuit of fairness between people and fairness between people and the planet. Tara will commence this year’s St. Patrick’s Day event with a family friendly engaging talk teaching us about the simple changes we can make to help make a more inclusive, sustainable and fair world.

Uilleann Pipe Dreams

by Music Generation

Especially for our St. Patrick’s Festival virtual programme, Music Generation Kilkenny’s young Uilleann Pipers and international Uilleann Pipers Padraig Butler, Leonard Barry and Mick Foley will be putting on a very special Uilleann Pipe performance, accompanied by 12 young pipers from the Music Generation Kilkenny Uilleann Pipe Programme.

Luan Parle

Medieval Room at Kilkenny Castle

Meteor Award and Tatler Award Winner singer-songwriter Luan Parle has had numerous hits and accolades throughout her career including Meteor Ireland Music Award for Best Irish Female.

Robert Grace

Music Performance

An Irish chart-topping artist who was recently named on RTÉ 2fm’s ‘Rising’ list for 2020, Graiguenamanagh native Robert has put together a special performance of a classic Irish folk song for our St. Patrick’s Day ‘Main Stage’. Tune in on St. Patrick’s Day to hear the future of Irish music.

Orla Fallon

Ceol from The Phelan Room at Rothe House

Join harpist, singer and songwriter Orla Fallon for a special concert to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Kilkenny. A great friend of our festival, Orla was a former member of the group ‘Celtic Women’ and the chamber choir ‘Anuna’ and has performed for the Pope, the President of Ireland and at Carnegie Hall. Orla will be joined by Irish dancer Sophia Khodabacksh for some of the lively tunes.

Rithim Glasa

by Music Generation

Composed specially for our St. Patrick’s Day virtual parade, Music Generation Kilkenny is thrilled to bring you an original and up-lifting drumming piece based on ‘Ireland’s Call’

Sean Nós Dancing

with Nicholas Dunphy at The Medieval Mile Museum

Join us for a jig and enjoy the flying feet of local sean-nós dancer Nicholas Dunphy live from the Medieval Mile Museum. In the medieval setting of the 13th Century St. Mary’s Church and accompanied by Seo Linn’s Kevin Shortall on the button accordion.

Seo Linn

The Hole In The Wall

Join us this St. Patrick’s Day to hear the ‘Irish Roar’ as Seo Linn entertains with their new song from Kilkenny’s own Hole in the Wall pub.

Burnchurch

Contemporary Trad Performance

A very special performance produced especially for St. Patrick’s Festival Kilkenny, this talented brother and sister ensemble are sure to send shivers down your spine with their original songs as Gaeilge agus as Béarla.

Nell Ní Chroinín

Sean Nos Singing

This St. Patrick’s Day prepare to be delighted with the melodic singing of Nell Ní Chróinín performing live from the Medieval Room in Kilkenny Castle. Nell hails from the Múscraí Gaeltacht of West Cork.

Lady Desart Choir

Ireland's Call Is Kilkenny's Call

Kilkenny’s wonderful Lady Desart choir members are full of fun and surprises. Join them on St. Patrick’s Day for an animated version of ‘Ireland’s Call’.

Alize’s School of Singing

Ireland's Call Is Kilkenny's Call

Especially for our 2021 virtual parade the children of the Kilkenny School of Singing have put together a very special performance for you. Led by School of Singing Director and head vocal coach Alize Comerford, the choir have been busily rehearsing and perfecting ‘Ireland’s Call’ which they will bring to you this St. Patrick’s Day.

Drum & Dance

RSAG & Zahra Khodabacksh

Jeremy Hickey RSAG & Zahra Khodabacksh drum and dance for our virtual parade. Kilkenny’s much loved and extraordinarily talented drummer and teacher Jeremy Hickey is joined by Bennettsbridge Forensic Science student Zahra Khodabacksh for a foot-tapping heart beating performance shot under the moonlit Kilkenny Castle.

Trad faoi Dhó – Duets for Kilkenny

Curated by Leonard Barry

Closing out this year’s St. Patrick’s Festival we have our second specially commissioned gig, curated by Leonard Barry with musicians from across Ireland and the UK. Featuring some of the best-loved traditional musicians it is the perfect way to close St. Patrick’s Day and celebrate our musical tradition and heritage.

Trad faoi Dhó – Duets for Kilkenny