Kilkenny folk/trad festival Keep Her Lit shares timetable of events

Two-day folk and trad music festival Keep Her Lit is set to take place in the stunning area of Inistioge, Co. Kilkenny this weekend, and the organisers have just released the timetable of events.

The festival is dedicated to two local heroes - musician Dave Donohoe and publican Johnny O’Donnell - and will be filled with trad sessions, nature walks, workshops, crafts, food markets and more.

Festival organiser, Jadzia Kaminska lost her husband, Dave Donohoe to a heart attack in June 2021 at age 53. Six months later, she lost his “great friend” Johnny O'Donnell, in the same way.

The new folk and trad festival is her way of keeping going in the face of such profound shock and loss, she told the Kilkenny People. Jadzia's daughters, Liadain and Kasia have worked alongside her on the event.

All the Keep Her Lit events are based in Inistioge, with a sold out performance by Lisa O'Neill and Clare Sands in the beautiful historic St Mary's Church; the Gomárach Walk with forest walker; Maura Brennan along the River Nore; Niamh Regan and Brigid Mae Power's concert in the Cois Abhann Community Centre and Frankie Lane and friends' free Counter Attack Concert at the village's Millennium Garden.

Lisa O'Neill.

There will also be trad sessions both afternoon and evening in the Otter Bar and the Woodstock Arms, music workshops in the community centre and a craft and food market on Sunday, August 14.

Jadzia's Counter Attack Campaign is the driving force behind the festival, aiming to spread awareness about the symptoms of heart disease and the signs of a heart attack. Frankie Lane, formerly of the Fleadh Cowboys, who suffered a serious heart attack five years ago, was an early supporter.

Check out the day by day schedule below.

Day 1: Saturday, 13th August:

· 12-2pm: Gomárach Walk; a healing nature walk along the River Nore with Maura Brennan (SOLD OUT)

· 4-6pm: Afternoon trad session at The Otter Bar and The Woodstock Arms

· 7.30pm: 10pm: Lisa O’Neill & Clare Sands, live at St. Mary’s Church (SOLD OUT)

· 9pm-11pm: Evening trad sessions at The Otter Bar & The Woodstock Arms

Day 2: Sunday, 14th August:

· 11am-6pm: Craft and foot market at Inistioge Village Square

· 11am-1pm: Music workshops for all ages at Cois Abhann Community Centre (SOLD OUT)

· 2pm-4pm: Frankie Lane & special guests. Counter Attack Concert at Millennium Garden

· 4pm-6pm: Afternoon trad sessions at The Otter Bar & The Woodstock Arms

· 7pm-9.30pm: Niamh Regan & Brigid Mae Power at Cois Abhann Community Centre (Limited tickets available).

· 9pm-11pm: Evening Trad Sessions at The Otter Bar & The Woodstock Arms

Check out keepherlitfestival.ie for more details and tickets.