Celtic Fusion Gets a Grip on Co Down

There are many events back home that I wish I could travel back for. One of those is the fantastic Celtic Fusion Festival.This years exciting line-up for the Northern Ireland event is a mix of traditional and contemporary cool. World class songs, singers and musicians will come together between the 4-15th August 2004 in Co. Down, Northern Ireland , to present the very best of the international strands of celtic connections music.

The programme which will start on the 4th of August will run through until the 15th with a renewed depth of arts offerings including for the first time the verbal, visual and performing arts.

The programme will feature small intimate gigs, workshops, sessions and the big festival stage in the outstanding beautiful Mountains of Mourne, Irelands, and newest National Park designate. The quality of the music and place promises an experience for music lovers not to be missed. The festival now in its third year draws visitors from across the globe to a festival unique in style and character. Main event tickets go on sale next week.

Those already cinfrimed to appear include;

Don McLean - legendary singer/songwriter
Salsa Celtica - salsa celtic latin adventure
Lunasa - classic award winning band
Dougie Maclean - (renowned Scottish singer songwriter)
The Eleanor McEvoy Band - uptempo celts
The Finlay McDonald Band - contemporary bagpipes
Saltfishforty - all the way from the Orkneys
At First Light - O'Connor, McGoldrick, McSherry et al
Nollaig Casey and Arty McGlynn - traditional class Flook - cool flutes and jaw dropping bodran Arcanadh - exciting new debut
Teine - young female group from Lewis

Other artists are still to be confirmed and the pub sessions and workshops will compliment the mainstream programme. In addition to this programme there will be a number of other arts events including the premiere of Folks, a photographic record of some of the nationally and locally famous musicians, A preview of a new film by a Scottish independent film maker about the life and works of Robert Burns, Muir-Traigh Ebb a visual arts exhibition from Skye, Poets and Writers, a BBC exhibition featuring Irish authors and poets and Paddy on the Road, Dubblejoints Christy Moore Story.

Information: htto://www.celticfusion.co.uk
Tickets from Ticketmaster.ie
Tickets/accommodation enquiries, Tel:+0044 (0) 28 44 612233
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