Friday 30 May
RRRHytHm rrrrramBLE evOlving and rave dancing for the children as they end the school week, celebrating the arrival of the weekend.
Then what an amazing way to begin the weekend with extremely talented Irish jazz and blues singer Mary Coughlan performing live in Mountshannon.
RRRHytHm rrrrramBLE evOlving
4pm - Meet at the Hall (1h)
Free with wristband
Last year we marched together, stamping with sticks and shaking home-made shakers. This year we will repeat the same idea, but evolved. What did we learn from last year? Should we create more elaborate walking soundsticks? Maybe we could attach more noise-making objects on it, extend it with sonic flag - waving while walking. Every1 is welcome! Make your own noise-stick (with all extensions), bring it with you and join march for fun and laugh. We will rhythmrrramble across park to harbour and then back to the hall, dancing (or not) together in the hall for 15 min playing Slavek's music-statues-like game.
Photo Paul Bugler
Kids Rave
5pm - Hall (1h)
Free with wristband
As a mum and DJ, Dee Sheehan knows that kids love to move, dance, and go wild to great music! Join us for a high-energy Kids Rave, packed with fun beats, big vibes, and plenty of space to jump, spin, and let loose. A party made just for little ravers—come dance your heart out!
Photo Dee Sheehan
Photo Ciara Buckley
8pm - St Caimin’s Catholic Church, Mountshannon V94 C671
€20, € 18 with wristband
Duration: 1h30
Music Package: 2 concerts and a wristband €35
Mary Coughlan and Jiggy!
A wristband gives also access to all the music in the Marquee during the weekend and supports the festival so buy yours now on mountshannonarts.ie
Mary Coughlan
Mary Coughlan’s career in music has been one hell-of-a-ride. Often described as the greatest female vocalist that Ireland has ever produced, Coughlan proudly stands alongside some of the world’s most iconic jazz singers. She is unique in blending whisky-blurred, smoke-seared, husky notes with the laconic wit of Billie Holiday and Peggy Lee. She draws the line of deep, down and dirty blues singers back to Bessie Smith with the sardonic, bitter-sweet defiance and despair of Edith Piaf. Yet Mary Coughlan delivers it all in a delicious and unapologetic Irish drawl: sceptical, rueful, mournful and melting and ardent for love.
Mary Coughlan is one of our greatest singers - over 40 years - and has made grown-up, uncompromising, wholly personal yet utterly universal music about what goes on between men and women. It’s hard to believe that four decades have passed since Coughlan went into the studio to record her debut album, Tired and Emotional.
On new album Repeat Rewind, as the title might suggest, we see Mary at perhaps her most open, honest and introspective (‘Repeat Rewind’, ‘I Can Let Go Now’, ‘Really Gone’) – but not at the expense of her trademark humour and astute observations of everything from domesticity (‘Marital Bliss’) and relationships (‘Freefalling feat. Ultan Conlon’) to women’s traditional place in Irish society (‘More Like Brigid’). A cover of The Beach Boys’ ‘God Only Knows’ and a brand new seasonal offering, ‘Tinseltown’ will delight listeners and concert-goers alike, as MaryCoughlan celebrates four decades in music with this accomplished and heartfelt new album.
Press Release
MAIL ON SUNDAY 4**** album of the week “Mary delivers a set of torch songs with fierce tenderness and precise timing. Her version of God Only Knows, the Beach Boys classic, is better than David Bowie’s”.
MOJO 4**** “Honey-voiced Irish national treasure looks over her shoulder on her 15th album”. Mark Cooper
BLUES MATTERS “A wonderful album full of great songs, and an album that reminds us who Mary Coughlan is, a brilliant artist. Stephen Harrison
GET READY TO ROCK 4**** “a soulful voice which wrings every last drop of meaning from every last word” Pete Feenstra
RAMZINE “Mary has taken all life can throw at her but she’s still got an unquenchable thirst of life & song & has put it all into this quite delightful collection of tunes”.
IRISH POST “A dramatic & passionate performer. She has a unique voice and remains one of the legends of Irish music”.
MUSIC-NEWS.COM 5***** “This album is one of the best in a long career & clearly indicates that she is still in love with music. The opening – title – track is a gentle masterpiece. An album very much to fall in love with.”