Cnoc na Gaoithe Traditional Music Weekend 2026

Celebrating 75 years of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann promoting traditional Irish culture.

We will be showcasing the unique style and tradition of East Clare music, this year as our traditional music weekend celebrates local talent.

FRIDAY - September 25th 2026

We will pay tribute to the Tulla Céilí Band who are celebrating their 80th Anniversary

this year. The Tulla Céilí Band was founded by Teresa Tubridy and Bert McNulty in John Minogues Bar, Tulla in March 1946 .

P.Joe Hayes and Paddy Canny who were the bedrock of the band were joined by Aggie Whyte, Jack Murphy, Jim and Paddy O’Donoghue and Joe Cooley. They competed and won first place at Féilí Luimní in 1947.

Sean Reid was invited to join the band by Paddy Canny & P.Joe Hayes. He went on to play a vital role and became band leader after Teresa Tubbridy’s departure. He led the band throughout the late 1940’s and early 1950’s, when P.Joe Hayes took over the role, which he held until he passed away in 2001.

Mark Donnellan has been the leader of the band for the past 25 years. His father Francie and his brother Brian were members of the band before him. The band has included over 50 different musicians and singers over the 80 years, including Willie Clancy, Peadar O’Loughlin, Bobby Casey, J.C. Talty, Paddy O’Brien, Dr Bill Loughnane, Michael Flanagan, Martin Vaughan, Mattie Ryan and J.J. Conway and many more too numerous to mention here.

The Tulla Céilí Band made their debut performance in Raidio Éireann in 1948

They won the Senior All-Ireland Céilí Band title in 1957, this was followed by a tour to the U.S.A. in 1958 which included a performance in Carneige Hall.

They recorded their first L.P. The Echo’s of Erin in New York in 1958 and in1960 they won their second All-Ireland title.

They have produced many great recordings since 1946, their latest 80 th Anniversary C.D was recorded in Cnoc na Gaoithe in December 2025.

The Band received the prestigious Gradam Comaine TG4 2026 (Outstanding Contribution Award) but the celebration is somewhat overshadowed by the recent passing of Charlie Harris who played accordion with the band for many years, a gentleman and outstanding musician. Go raibh suaimhneas síoraí aige.

Mary MacNamara will host a tribute to the Band, featuring archive footage, tunes and chat. This is a free event and all are welcome. It will be followed by a céilí with “The Tulla” at 9pm.

SATURDAY - September 26th 2026

Saturday nights concert celebrates the 75 th Anniversary of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann and will be attended by the Ardstiúrthóir Dr. Labhrás Ó Murchú.

Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann was founded in 1951 when a group of likeminded people came together with the objective of keeping our unique cultural traditions in all forms, alive and returning them to a prominent position in Irish life.

The Tulla Branch of Comhaltas was founded in September 1957 and will celebrate its 70th Anniversary next year. The branch has gone from strength to strength with very strong membership.

Saturday nights concert will feature a selection of musicians from the different generations who are keeping the tradition alive, starting with such stalwarts as Des Mulcair and Seamus Bugler who have made a huge contribution to keeping the music, song and storytelling traditions alive.

The musicians of the 1980’s era will feature Mary & Andrew MacNamara, Mark Donnellan & Jim Corry who are a representative group of the many fine musicians from East Clare in that time.

The early 2000’s will be represented by musicians from Tulla C.C.E when a huge revival of traditional music in East Clare was sparked by the return of Mary MacNamara to Tulla to set up the Music Room which was like a hatchery for young musicians. This was supported in no small way by Seamus Bugler who made all young musicians welcome at his weekly sessions in Lena’s /Shortt’s Bar in Feakle regardless of their ability, where they developed confidence while enjoying playing tunes with their friends. This led to the setting up of Trad 4 Teens in the early 2000’s which took place in the back room of Minogue’s Bar and was led by Seamus Bugler at the outset until the younger musicians got the confidence to run it themselves. This brought great enjoyment to the playing of music for young people.

The final part of this concert will represent the most recent Comhaltas development in Tulla, the transformation of the former convent of mercy and primary school into the 17^th Comhaltas Cultural Centre on the island of Ireland. The Sisters of Mercy generously donated their buildings to Comhaltas in 2011, a process started, to develop a Comhaltas Cultural Centre on the site. All work was completed on the buildings in 2022 when Minister Heather Humphrey’s officially opened the buildings on 22^nd September.

Ceoltóirí Chnoc na Gaoithe, a performing group made up of musicians, singers and dancers, who travel the world promoting East Clare traditional music and culture will give the final performance of the night.

SUNDAY - September 27th 2026

Sunday afternoon at 2pm Joan Hanrahan of Clare Fm West Wind fame will lead a tribute to the late great accordionist Mattie Ryan. Mattie was a member of the Tulla Céilí Band for almost 20 years. He was an outstanding accordion player who played great music for set dancers but was equally acknowledged for his wonderful rendition of waltzes. He played with many other groups including Danny Hunt, Denis O’Callaghan, Victor, Dan Moriarty and Des Mulcaire, and many more and was a regular performer in Minogue’s Bar Tulla, Rodger’s Bar Scariff, The Spancilhill Inn, Lena’s Bar, Feakle to name but a few.  The tribute will include archive footage, live music and chat with Matties musical friends. This event is free and everyone is welcome.

The final event of the weekend takes place on Sunday evening at 7pm.

We are delighted to welcome world renowned, Maghera native, fiddle virtuoso Martin Hayes to perform in Cnoc na Gaoithe for the first time. Martin is a master fiddle player who has collaborated with Denis Cahill and Steve Cooney amongst many more greats and has brought his unique East Clare style of music all over the world. He will be joined for an evening Music Recital by Brian Donnellan from Kilmurry, Sixmilebridge. Brian who plays concertina, piano and bouzouki is no stranger to Cnoc na Gaoithe where he started out his musical performances in Seisiún and Siansa groups very early in his musical journey.

Buy Tickets Online HERE