Welcome Concert
Friday 3rd April – 7:30pm
The Catholic Hall
Christine Kydd & Fiona Ross open the 49th Festival in fine style with support from a young musician and singer from South West Scotland currently studying Traditional Music at the Royal Conservatoire in Glasgow, Rose Byers and fantastic sean-nós step dance from Ireland based Aneta Dortova.
£16 / £14
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Rab Wilson book launch – Collier Laddie
Saturday 4th May – 1:00pm
The Westcliffe Hotel
Renowned Ayrshire poet, Rab Wilson will read from his new Strike diary and poetry collection book ‘Collier Laddie’ – a first hand account of being on strike for almost a year during the national Miners’ Strike. The 1984–1985 Miners’ Strike was the most vicious, damaging and politically motivated industrial dispute in the UK during the twentieth century.
£5
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The Bobby Robb Memorial Concert with Jim Bainbridge & friends
Saturday 4th May – 3:00pm
The Catholic Hall
Our annual celebration of the life of Festival founder will be a showcase of the best in traditional singing. MC Jim Bainbridge, himself a singer of no little renown will introduce a host of singers including Scott Gardiner, Christine Kydd, Fiona Ross, Bob “Buff” Wilson (who will give us an advance taster of his book launch on Sunday) and maybe a few surprises.
£8 / £5
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The Kist o Riches
Saturday 4th May – 7:30pm
The Catholic Hall
Internationally renowned Irish trad band Craobh Rua will give us a masterclass in Irish music and song in the distinctive northern style of their native Belfast. They’ll be joined on the night by beloved bothy balladeer and expert on traditional songs from Angus and the North East, Scott Gardiner. Opening the show will be a young musician who is a regular at the Festival Magnus Turpie. Magnus opened the Saturday afternoon show last year with Binky Blue and Alastair McCulloch and we’re delighted that he’s back and has brought his band with him this time.
£16 / £14
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Festival Club with Dodgy Jumpers
Saturday 4th May – 9:00pm
The Harbour Bar (upstairs)
Local heroes The Dodgy Jumpers, featuring accomplished young Girvan musician JP Gourlay, will entertain us into the wee small hours in the newly-renovated surrounds of the Harbour Bar’s upstairs function space.
Seilach Fire Show
Saturday 4th May – 10:30pm
Venue TBC
On Saturday night after the evening concert there’ll be a spectacular fire show, a collaboration between local artist David Powell, CRAG Community Arts and local school children. There might even be some music and dance!
Goodbye Meadowhead – book launch
Sunday 5th May – 12:00pm
The Westcliffe Hotel
Fermin songs and stories from Irvine’s own Bob ‘Buff’ Wilson at the launch of his new book Goodbye Meadowhead. Bob will be joined by friends including Scott Gardiner and members of North Ayrshire ceilidh institution Chanty Dyke.
Bob’s songs such as Alexander’s Threshing Mill and Sheep Dipping Day entered the tradition and travelled from Ayrshire to Aberdeenshire and further afield. Bob’s book contains these favourites plus many more songs, stories and reminiscences of his boyhood on Meadowhead farm and the inspirational Donegal farmhand he worked alongside at that time, Neillie McElhinney.
The launch event will feature readings from Goodbye Meadowhead and songs from Bob, Scott and others. Copies of the book will be available in return for a suggested donation to the homeless charity named in the book.
£5
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‘The Battle of Howshean Moor’ – book talk
Sunday 5th May – 3:00pm
The Wee School Art Space
Join us as we explore the stories behind the local songs that can be found in the Festival’s recent Scottish Book Trust funded book The Ballads and Songs of Carrick.
Come on an adventure into Carrick’s clandestine smuggling past and discover the remarkable true story of an old smuggler’s ballad and its links to the cast of Kirkoswald characters immortalised by Robert Burns in Tam o’ Shanter.
£FREE
The Farewell Concert
Sunday 5th May – 7:30pm
The Catholic Hall
The farewell concert will feature a very special duo performance from master fiddler and flute player Claire Mann joined by guitar maestro Tom Oakes.
£16 / £14
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