The inaugural Cultural and Heritage festival celebrates the life of Lahinch fiddler Susan O’ Sullivan (1892-1981) and the contribution she made to Irish music in Co. Clare. She was a founding member of Clare Comhaltas and in 1960 was made President of the Clare Branch. She held weekly Sunday night sessions in her family home main street Lahinch, often in the company of Willie Clancy, Junior Crehan, Mrs. Crotty and other greats. 

On Friday April 19th at 7.30pm, Dr. Labhrás Ó Murchú shall officially open the Festival which aptly takes place in Susan’s family home Flanagan’s bar. It will be followed by ‘2 Days in September’ a drama piece by Dermott Petty that documents the local Rineen Ambush of 1920. At 9pm the Session Trail begins with seven bars participating.

On Saturday, continuing with the Cultural theme, along with all day sessions we will have a Céilí in the local Moy Hall from 3-6pm with well-known Céilí Band ‘Dal gCais’.  Two CD launches feature later that afternoon, ‘Dave Sanders’ with a fabulous mix of Trad music and song and an all-female group ‘The Turf Shed’.

Sunday is the final day and begins at 12.30pm with a singing session in the Coast Hotel under Bean an Tí Mary Noonan, a singer of note herself. A special event is planned in the afternoon down on the strand, as Susan’s grand-nephew Fr. Tommy Marrinan and the local Parish Priest, hold a blessing in memory of all those who died in the Rineen Ambush and the reprisals the following night. 

Please note that the details of events listed above are provided by the relevant Local Authorities.