Festival to remember late Mickey McKenna

Dubliners legend Barney McKenna will join his local kinsfolk for a celebration of the life and music of the late Mickey McKenna with a festival that will run in Trim and Rathcairn Libraries later this month. The event, on 21st and 22nd August, will also feature Henry McCullough, Jimmy and Peter Campbell, Austin Waring, Seán "g McKenna, Tom Moran, Bill Whelan, Eamon MacDonnacha, Kevin Ward, Ben Keogh, Davy Marsh, Niamh Ni Bheolain, and Liam Kennedy. Alternative Entertainments and Meath County Council are presenting the celebration. Trim native Mickey McKenna, who in later years lived in Donnycarney in Dublin, passed away five years ago, and each year since his friends and family including such musicians as Seán "g and Barney McKenna, have gathered in Trim to celebrate the man and his music. In 2008 arts group Alternative Entertainments, with whom Mickey worked on many projects over 20 years including as a member of the acclaimed Tallafornian Mandolin Band, were asked to create an annual festival around the celebration. Last year's event was a highly successful one and this year's line-up makes for another mouth-watering weekend of music and song. The festival will be launched with a wine reception in Trim Library on Friday 21st August at 7pm and will feature speeches by local dignitaries and Rose McKenna, Mickey's sister followed by music from Rathcairn man Eamonn MacDonnacha and bluegrass musicians Bill Whelan, Ben Keogh and Liam Kennedy, all friends and playing partners of Mickey's. On Saturday, 22nd August, traditional fiddle master classes will take plce with Donegal musicians Jimmy and Peter Campbell in Rathcairn Library from 2pm to 4.30pm. An interactive traditional workshop for children takes place in Trim Library from 3pm-4pm, followed by a rock guitar workshop for teenagers from 4pm to 5pm. The main concert takes place in Trim Library on Saturday 22nd August at 7.30pm and features Henry McCullough (voice, guitar), Barney McKenna (banjo), Jimmy and Peter Campbell (fiddles) Seán "g McKenna (mandolin), Austin Waring and Davy Marsh (banjo & fiddle), Kevin Ward, Niamh Ni Bheolain and Liam Kennedy (guitar, fiddle and mandolin). All events are free of charge.