Balladeers beat a path to Finuge
Wednesday July 28 2010
OVER 60 new ballads have been received by the organisers of Finuge's Sean McCarthy Weekend from songwriters all over the country, ahead of the hugely-popular festival which begins on Friday.
The best 14 of the ballads are to be performed on the evening of The Sean McCarthy Ballad Competition — the stand-out event of the weekend for the songwriters who travel from all corners of the country to Finuge each year.
Now in its 17th year, the festival has reinvested its revenue in the village each year and organisers plan to help fund the renovation of the local Teach Siamsa with the proceeds of this year's weekend, according to Finuge native and North Kerry TD Jimmy Deenihan.
"All the profits from the festival have been reinvested in the village – in building stone walls, planting trees and shrubs, purchasing and renovating Sheehan's thatched cottage and erecting a bust of Sean McCarthy at Finuge Cross," he said. "Our next project is improving the yard at the back of Sheehan's cottage and helping Siamsa Tire give Teach Siamsa a major face lift."
Above all else, the weekend ensures the memory of local songwriter Sean McCarthy remains to the fore. "Sean is known for being one of Ireland's finest ballad writers and has left a legacy that is unsurpassed," Deputy Deenihan added.
The festival kicks off on Friday with performances by local musicians and the Dublin City Ramblers. The ballad competition takes place at Teach Siamsa on Saturday evening, where former Republic of Ireland manager Eoin Hand will compere events.
In a favourite for nature fans, legendary Irish broadcaster Eamon de Buitléar will once again lead the Saturday bog walk. De Buitléar opens an exhibition of photographs of the bog later on the day.
Sneem seanchaí Batt Burns will entertain festival-goers on Sunday evening and Mary McCarthy will keep all in shape with crossroads dancing outside her public house every night of the weekend.
