The International Pan Celtic Festival
Carlow Town, Co. Carlow / Baile Cheatharlach, Co. Cheatharlach
11 – 16 April / Aibreán 2023
Pan Celtic International Festival 2023 will be held in Carlow, Ireland from 11th – 16th of April 2023.
Pan Celtic is a celebration of the cultural links between Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Brittany, Cornwall and the Isle of Man. We look forward to welcoming musicians and choirs, singers and dancers, bands and storytellers from the participating Celtic nations who will come together to share their language and culture at this great family-friendly Easter event. Be there!
Informal gathering on the grounds of Carlow College & Visual
Then join us for an evening of celebration and entertainment. Enjoy a taste of celtic music, song and dance with performers from the six celtic nations on stage.
Tickets available at www.visualcarlow.ie
Event will be live-streamed @pancelticfestival on Facebook and @pancelticcarlow on Instagram.
Roy Griffiths & Hen Fegin Band bring Welsh music at 7pm, followed by Jake Doyle at 9.30pm.
The Pan Celtic 2023 Opening Session featuring local and visiting musicians and singers. Fáilte isteach.
The best of Scottish music and song with the Robert Nairn Céilidhe Band.
Tosach/Meeting Point: Festival Office, Potato Market
Guided by Carlow Historical and Archaeological Society (CHAS)
Family Storytelling with Aideen McBride
Join Noreen-Marie Geddes workshop and learn a few steps of highland & folk dances. Free event.
Céad míle fáilte to the regular Wednesday Conversation hour ‘as Gaeilge’.
Fergal Browne will give a talk on Carlow’s very own celtic monument, Brownshill Dolmen.
Visit the Festival Office for details and transport.
A festival treat featuring Carlow’s amazing enCÓRe supported by The Carlow Community Choir.
Intergenerational choral singing for Pan Celtic. Donation optional.
Come to the Céilí for a spot of Irish, Country & Old Time Dancing, The Siege of Ennis and Set Dances with music by Danny Webster one man band. Free event.
Afternoon miscellany of music, song, poetry and more at The Rambling House.
Special Guests: Anna & Maninder of Indeceltic and storytellers Jack Lynch & Len Gaynor.
Free Event
Group Competitions featuring artistes from the six celtic nations go head to head for international awards.
Táille / Admission: €10 (covers entry to the Singing Competitions & Breizh Festival Club)
Scottish Gaelic Conversation. Come along and try a taster session led by Fiona MacNab, Isle of Skye. Free Event.
The best of live entertainment with Robert Nairne and his Scottish Ceilidh Band. Free event.
Music Generation Carlow, Laois & Waterford musicians are joined by harpists from Brittany for a gala instrumental collaboration.
Join Dr. Alasdair C. Whyte, (University of Glasgow) for a talk on the Celtic placenames of Glasgow which reveal the city’s deep Gaelic roots. Free event.
Evening Prayer Service especially for Pan Celtic facilitated by Revd. Trevor Sargent.
More music and song from Wales.
Free event.
Solo Competitions featuring artists from the six celtic nations go head to head for international awards.
Táille / Admission: €10 (covers entry to the Singing Competitions & Breizh Festival Club)
Fáilte isteach - sit in and join the music.
Free event.
Local and visiting singers join Jimmy Crowley & Eve Telford and Len Graham.
Free event.
The best of Welsh music and song with folk band ‘Paid Gofyn’.
Free event.
Music & Song from Wales.
Free event.
Pan Celtic Festival Club hosted by Brittany showcasing the best of Breton music, song & dance.
Táille / Admission: €10 (covers entry to the Singing Competitions & The Festival Club)
Late night entertainment with Robert Nairne and his Scottish Ceilidh Band.
Free event.
Dave O’Neill Live plays the tunes.
Free event.
Winners of Traditional Singing competitions for Groups and Solo announced.
Táille / Admission: €10 (covers entry to the Singing Competitions & The Festival Club)
Family Storytelling with acclaimed storytellers Jack Lynch & Len Graham.
Free event.
Guided by Carlow Historical and Archaeological Society (CHAS)
Learn a Scottish Gaelic song at this lively singing workshop with award winning Scottish Singers.
Free event.
Launch of ‘Memory Palace of Tree Stories’ exploring the power of trees to address present environmental issues through story telling… facilitated by Carlow artist Niamh Cunningham.
Free Event.
Led by Angela Keogh & John McKenna. Poets from the nations welcome.
Adeleine Dargan Dancers gather at The Liberty Tree for a spot of Irish Dancing.
A date with the Isle of Man visitors to Pan Celtic for a taste of Manx music, song and language.
Free event.
Orchestral music with The Carlow College of Music.
Director: Majella Swan
Free event.
Enjoy your lunch break with one of Cork’s finest folk singers Jimmy Crowley and Eve Telford.
Free event.
Silver screening for the Over 60’s of the Oscar nominated Irish language film ‘An Cailín Ciúin’ with subtitles.
Reduced volume, raised lighting and discounted admission. Fáilte Isteach!
Cost: €7.00 (card payment only)
Open-air concert with The Garda Band conducted by Superintendent Pat Kenny
Miscellany of music, song, poetry at The Rambling House. Guests: Jimmy Crowley & Eve Telford.
Free event.
Afternoon music with Robert Nairne Scottish Ceilidh Band.
Free event.
An afternoon workshop with dancers and musicians teaching some traditional steps from Brittany.
Free event.
Come to The Exchange for the best of Welsh songs performed by Daffyd Roberts & ‘Paid Gofyn’. This is a modern 5-piece folk/blues band - harp, guitar, bass, cajon, uke, Puerto Rican quattro.
Musicians and singers welcome for a celtic trad session.
Free event.
A chance to see this Oscar nominated Irish language film ‘An Cailín Ciúin’ with subtitles.
Cost: €7.00 (card payment only)
Local and visiting singers join Jimmy Crowley & Eve Telford for an evening of song.
Free Event.
Newly composed songs and national winners representing the six celtic nations go head-to-head for international honours, the Pan Celtic Festival trophy and a cash prize of €1,500.
Tickets available at visualcarlow.ie
7pm: Hen Fegin Band from Wales
9.30pm: Neil Coogan Trio
Free event.
The Carmarthen Symphonic Wind Band, Wales, kindly present a gala concert in aid of St. Clare’s Hospitality Food Kitchen.
The band consists of 50 members ranging in age from early teens to early eighties on woodwind, brass and percussion instruments. This concert is extra special and for a very special cause. The programme
includes a varied playlist of classical pieces through to music from TV shows, film scores, military marches and popular music. Don’t miss it!
Cost: €10.00
Tickets from Pan Celtic Festival Office, The Cathedral & Graiguecullen Parish Centres
The best of music and song at Carlow’s Irish trad music venue for over 30 years. Local and visiting musicians, singers and others welcome.
Free event.
The best of Welsh music and song from the amazing 5-piece folk band ‘Paid Gofyn’.
Free event.
Late night entertainment with music, song and story from Cornwall and the Isle of Man.
Free event.
Late night entertainment with Robert Nairne and his Scottish Ceilidh Band
Free event.
Storytelling with Deirdre O’Byrne.
Free event.
A morning CÉILIDH of Gaidhlig/Scottish entertainment hosted by Raymond Bremner.
Drop in for music, song and dance – even try the Highland Fling! Fáilte Isteach.
Free event.
Walking Tour of Carlow guided by Carlow Historical and Archaeological Society (CHAS)
Free event.
Learn the basic steps of traditional Irish Dance with champion dancer Irene Cunningham.
Free event.
Traditional musicians of the celtic nations compete for honours in the Harp, Fiddle & Duet.
Enjoy this bilingual guided tour of local history, artefacts and exhibits in Carlow Museum.
Free Event.
Carlow’s up and coming traditional musicians entertain at The Liberty Tree for a lively outdoor session – weather permitting.
Otherwise under cover in The Exchange.
Pan Celtic Gathering with participants from the celtic nations as well as other nationalities now resident in Carlow on parade. Led by the Carmarthen Symphonic Wind Band with members of The Killeshin Pipe Band bringing up the rear. Project in association with Carlow Arts Office and prop designer Heather Grogan.
Assembly at 1.45pm in Carlow College Grounds
Parade finale with open air tunes from the Carmarthen Symphonic Wind Band.
Weather permitting - otherwise under cover in the Exchange
Afternoon music with Robert Nairne Scottish Ceilidh Band.
Free event.
Céad míle fáilte to the inter-celtic dance competitions where dancers from all participating nations go toe-to-toe in the solo, group and newly invented dances.
Free event.
Karrygi Du folk band share the music and culture of Cornwall.
Free event.
Early evening session with Paid Gofyn Band from Wales.
Bring along your ukulele for this lively session.
Free event.
Festival screening of the Oscar nominated Irish language film ‘An Cailín Ciúin’ with subtitles.
Cost: €7.00 (card payments only)
Traditional Session with special guests enCÓRe.
Free event.
An uplifting evening of choral singing featuring choirs from the celtic nations in the magnificent Carlow Cathedral.
Táille / Admission: €10 (Day Pass to all events on that day)
Local musicians join musicians and dancers from Brittany for a Celtic session.
Free event.
Another night of Welsh music and song from the amazing 5-piece folk band ‘Paid Gofyn’
Free event.
Mol an Óige…up and coming Jack O’Flaherty & Band Cosmic Embers entertain
Fiddler Dave Sheridan, box player Denis Mangan & friends, followed by The Robert Nairn Scottish Ceilidh Band.
Free event.
Musicians, singers, dancers, bands and choirs from Wales showcase the best of Welsh talent. Come early! Enjoy!
Donations welcome
Hugsie will share his passion for folk and trad music at this late night session which is sure to entertain.
Free event.
The regular Saturday morning Carlow Farmers’ Market welcomes Pan Celtic visitors.
Free event.
Walk, jog or run the weekly 5k Park Run by the beautiful River Barrow.
Free event.
Choirs from the celtic nations compete in a range of Choral Competitions with judges from Wales, Scotland and Éire.
Táille / Admission: Free
Solos & duets with the South East Piping Association.
Táille / Admission: Free
Morning Workshop with ukulele maestro Finlay Alison, Glasgow.
Grab a ukulele and phone 087-6949499 to reserve a place.
Final chance to walk the streets of Carlow led by Carlow Historical and Archaeological Society (CHAS).
Free event.
Join Wexford artist/folklorist Michael Fortune as he shares a selection of Carlow folklore and customs and their connections with our Celtic neighbours.
Free event.
Register for today’s Street Busking Competition.
€2.00 per entry
Idwal Williams, leader of Dawnswyr Caernarfon, extends an open invitation to join him for some basic Welsh Dance steps.
Free event.
Join Aileen Lambert and her three daughters for a performance of traditional song featuring a range of material from ballads of love and loss to playful children’s songs.
Free event.
Street entertainment, international judges and €500 in prize money. Musicians, singers, dancers and entertainers. Solo, groups and bands. All nationalities welcome.
Free event.
Come along and share a glass of wine and join the discussion on ‘Why We Need Art’.
Afternoon Workshop with ukulele maestro Finlay Alison, Glasgow.
Grab a ukulele and phone 087-6949499 to reserve a place.
Final Open Mic of the Pan Celtic with a mix of music, song & story in The Rambling House.
With special guests Rachel Uí Fhaoláin, Éire & Chulainn.
Free event.
A double bill concert specially for Pan Celtic with Indeceltic and Maisie’s Elbow.
The mixed cultural heritage of Indeceltic duo Anna Tanvir on celtic harp and Marinder Singh on bass guitar with their magnificent singing voices go beyond language and physical boundary to create a soul stirring musical experience for the audience.
Maisie’s Elbow features Australian born jazz drummer and singer Angelo Heart, bassist Paddy Mulcahy, who is a native of North West Clare, while on piano, vocals and flute and also from Co. Clare is Emer
O’Flaherty. Emer writes songs and music for piano and she wrote ‘Taibhse’ which won the Pan Celtic International Song Contest in 2017.
Voluntary contribution.
Bring along your own ukulele. Join the Carlow Ukulele Players for a festival session.
Free event.
Final Trad Session of Pan Celtic ‘23
Free event.
Ceol: Aifreann Molaise le Liam Lawton with the Carlow Cathedral Choir & Cór an Aifrinn.
Cornish folk band Karrygi Du bring their own twist on Cornish culture to Pan Celtic. Strong on vocals, they perform an eclectic mix of traditional and contemporary tunes, music and original song on harmonium,
fiddle, bouzouki and piano accordion.
Free event.
Choirs gather for the results of the Choral Competitions & Prizegiving.
Festival Club hosted by Alba and showcasing the best of Scottish entertainment.
Voluntary contribution
Dave O’Neill Live plays the tunes.
Free event.
Please see below the contact details for the festival in Carlow.
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