Philadelphia Folk Festival to host 18 Irish acts this month

With the help of Culture Ireland, 18 Irish artists will be featured in the Philadelphia Folk Festival's 59th year. The festival will take place online due to Coronavirus restrictions.

The acts performing at the festival include artists who would normally be headlining stateside summer festivals. We Banjo 3, Téada, and Moxie, plus up-and-comers The Ocelots, Corner Boy and Karrie with Jimmy Smyth are all on the bill.

Amazingly skilled soloists include Daoirí Farrell, Mick Flannery, Lisa O’Neill, Liam Ó Maonlaí of Hot House Flowers and virtuoso guitarist Shane Hennessy. The Henry Girls, Lisa Canny, Susan O’Neill (aka SON), uilleann piper Mark Redmond and Kíla are all also slated to perform.

Catherine Martin, TD, Minister for Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht, said of the lineup announcement:

“I am delighted that my Department, through Culture Ireland, can support this hugely talented line-up of Irish artists to reach a global audience at the Philadelphia Folk Festival this year. The festival’s special online platform allows us to share our musicians worldwide and build on Ireland’s strong reputation for music as well as offering the musicians an important paid opportunity to perform and connect with their audience.”

Purchase tickets here.