Session Trail – Girvan Folk Festival

The Session Trail will feature guest-led sessions and singarounds onboard the Lady of Avenel tall ship, in the Queens Hotel, The Harbour Bar, The Westcliffe Hotel, The Royal Hotel & The Vaults As always, there will be lots of other music in the town as well, in particular you might find lots of country, americana and bluegrass at Flynn’s Boatyard. The Wee School Art Space in the Old Invergarven School is available till 5:00pm on Saturday and Sunday for quiet tunes in an alcohol-free environment.

Saturday night session at the 49th Girvan Folk Festival — The left hand side of the Saturday night session at the 49^th Festival in 2024.

Friday 2^nd May

Welcome session with Sessions and Sail in The Westcliffe Hotel from 6:00pm
Evening session in The Vaults from 9:00pm hosts TBC
Songs & tunes with Steven Clark & Susie Kelly in the Catholic Hall from 10:30pm

Saturday 3^rd May

Scottish tunes in The Royal with the Kirkpatrick & Pennycook families, 2:00pm
Tunes & songs in The Vaults from 2:00pm hosts TBC
Tunes on board Lady of Avenel with Sessions and Sail from 2:30pm
Ballads & songs on the Lady of Avenel from 5:30pm following the Bobby Robb concert — no bar BYOB
Songs & tunes with Steven Clark & Susie Kelly in the Catholic Hall from 10:30pm

Sunday 4^th May

Ballads & songs with Macdara Yeates in the Westcliffe following the Ballad Bus

A session in the Queens Hotel — Benny McHugh, Dougie Pincock, Jimmy McGuire & friends in the Queens at the umpteenth Festival in nineteen canteen

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What tunes are played at Girvan?

We’re sometimes asked for a list of tunes that are played at the Girvan sessions.

The problem is, there is no typical Girvan session. One session might be wall-to-wall jigs and reels from the Irish tradition while another is non-stop West Highland 2/4 marches.

However, as folk keep asking we’ve decided we could start making up a list of tunes that would fit well in most of the sessions, so here goes…