Waterford musicians sought for Pan Celtic Festival
A call has gone out inviting Irish dancers, musicians and choirs from across County Waterford to participate in this year's International Pan Celtic Festival competitions
A call has gone out inviting Irish dancers, musicians and choirs from across County Waterford to participate in this year's International Pan Celtic Festival competitions.
A spokesperson for the organising committee said in a statement that the festival is seeking traditional performing artists to represent Ireland during the event which, this year, will take place in Carlow town from April 7 to 11.
A wide range of competitions will be held during the festival including for fiddle, harp, duet, choral and dance.
The winners of Corn Uí Riada, Sean-Nós na mBan and Sean-Nós na bhFear, from the Oireachtas na Samhna 2025 festival, will participate on behalf of Ireland in the traditional singing competition. The Irish song for the International Pan Celtic Song Contest will be chosen at an event in the GB Shaw Theatre, at Visual, Carlow, on Saturday, January 24 January, at 8pm.
“The Pan Celtic competitions give a great insight into the culture of the other Celtic Nations, as well as providing a new creative platform for Irish traditional performing artists,” said Máirín Nic Dhonnchadha, CEO of the International Pan Celtic Council.
“Irish artists have performed well in the competitions over the years, particularly in the singing competitions. This year we would like to see similar success in the dancing, instrumental and choral competitions, and promote the wonderful rich heritage and culture of Ireland amongst our Celtic friends," she added.
The festival programme will provide an array of events for musicians, singers, composers, dancers, choirs, poets and storytellers, as well as the various inter-celtic competitions.
The closing date for entries is March 25 and entry forms are available at http://www.panceltic.ie/competitions
They can be submitted by email to competitions@panceltic.ie.
The first Pan Celtic International Festival was held in May, 1971, in Killarney, Co. Kerry and cities and towns across Ireland have hosted the event in the interim.
The six Celtic nations which come under the auspices of Pan Celtic are: Alba, Breizh, Cymru, Éire, Kernow and Man.
