Dermot Byrne takes a bow at Donegal Fiddle Week
Once again more than 100 fiddlers are expected for the classes, workshops, concerts and music sessions happening from Monday to Friday, August 3-7
One of Ireland’s great accordionists makes a rare appearance on the fiddle at a concert during the Donegal Fiddle Summer School.
Dermot Byrne has toured across the globe on the 'box', but also has a lifelong interest in the fiddle. He takes to the stage as a fiddler in one of the 'Fiddle Week' concerts, in the Folk Village in Glencolmcille on Wednesday night.
Dermot, who is from Buncrana and has strong connections with Teelin, will be in good company for the concert. Also on bill that night from 9pm are two other well-known fiddlers. Megan McGinley from Gweedore starred in the recent film 'Trad' and was described in the Irish Times review as a 'striking new talent'. Aoife Feeney, Ardara, is another player who has toured internationally.
This is the 41st annual Donegal Fiddle Summer School in Glencolmcille. Once again more than 100 fiddlers are expected for the classes, workshops, concerts and music sessions happening from Monday to Friday, August 3-7.
The line-up of teachers for this year’s classes includes the current TG4 Gradam Ceoil Musician of the Year, Siobhan Peoples. Siobhan, from Ennis in County Clare, is a daughter of the late Tommy Peoples from St Johnston, who won the first TG4 Musician of the Year award in 1998.
There are still places available in the classes. Rab Cherry of organisers Cairdeas na bhFidiliérí said they’re particularly keen to see young fiddlers from Donegal.
He said, “Once again this year we’ll have fiddlers young and not-so-young coming to Glen from across Ireland, Britain, Europe and the US. For us, it’s particularly important to see young people from Donegal at the classes – they’re the future of fiddle-playing in the county.”
Classes run from beginners to advanced. Anyone interested can find out more from Rab on 086-3409019 or simply turn up for enrolment on Monday morning at 10am at the national school in Cashel.
Rab is also the point of contact for anyone who would like to take part in the dancing classes to live music on the Thursday, August 6, in Halla Mhuire. The day finishes with a ceili with a live fiddle band in the hall from 9pm.
A special guest at Fiddle Week 2026 is Simon Kerrell, a well-known Scottish piper and academic who has released 12 albums. Simon will give a talk at Oideas Gael on Wednesday at 4.30pm on the influence of piping on West Highland fiddling. Admission is free and all are welcome.
There’s another fiddle concert in the Folk Village on Tuesday night at 9pm. The line-up is Dave Abe from Washington (who has played at the White House in the past), talented young Fintown fiddler Fiona Gavin, and Conor Caldwell from Belfast.
Both the Tuesday and Wednesday concerts will be recorded for tracks on the next CD in the ‘Fiddle Music of Donegal’ series. Five CDs have already been issued in this series and are available in the Folk Village shop and at Oideas Gael, as well as online at the Cairdeas website www.donegalfiddlemusic.ie
The closing Friday night concert in Halla Mhuire in Cashel, again at 9pm, will include an appearance by three Donegal fiddlers who will have just returned from a short tour in Sweden, Aidan O’Donnell, Martin McGinley and Ellie Níc Fionnghaile. Also performing will be Simon and Niamh McKerrell, Scotland, and John and Grace Byrne, Glen.
Admission to each concert and to the ceili is €10.
The fiddlers who are teaching at this year’s Fiddle Week have affiliations right across Donegal, which is renowned for its fiddle music. They include Catriona Kennedy (Meenaneary), Éabha McGuinness (Killybegs), Thomas Strain (Burnfoot), Derek McGinley and Ellie Níc Fionnghaile (Glen parish), Mick Brown (Teelin), Ciarán Ó Maonaigh, Nia Byrne, and Megan McGinley (Gaoth Dobhair), and Martin McGinley (Ramelton/Raphoe).
For more information on the Donegal Fiddle Summer School, call Rab on 086-3409019 or email [email protected]