LETTERKENNY is set for another five days of top class live music as the annual Letterkenny Blues and Roots Festival kicked off last night.
The town will be filled with live performances of blues, roots, folk, jazz, and Americana music by established local and international artists.
Key venues hosting the festival’s acts include Blake’s Bar, Central Bar, McGinley’s Bar, Sister Sara’s, The Cottage Bar, The Warehouse, The Townhouse, Brewery Bar, Mount Errigal Hotel, Orchard Bar, Sonny McSwine’s and the An Grianán Theatre.
A special evening of live music in memory of a beloved Donegal man opened the festival last night.
A Night for DD was held at the Radisson Blu Hotel with a special tribute from The Delta Boys & Friends.
The opening event of the festival was organised in memory of the late Dermot Donohue, known to those closest to him simply as DD.
Dermot was a much-loved local photographer, artist and musician. He spent time in the care of the Donegal Hospice and funds raised from last night will be shared between the hospice, which provides palliative care to patients and families across the county, and the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association, which supports those living with MND throughout Ireland.
From today, pubs, hotels and venues throughout Letterkenny will come alive with an impressive line-up of blues, roots and rock acts.
Tonight will kick off with Davy K Solo at the Warehouse at 8pm. TRAD will perform at the Cottage at 8.30pm and Macdara will be at The Central Bar at 9.30pm. Double Trouble will be at Blake’s Bar at 10pm and Whiskey Flowers will play at McGinley’s Bar at 10.30pm.
Among those performing over the weekend are Duke Street Kings, Stone Cold Hobos, Blue Creek Blues Band, Christy O’Hanlon, Evergreen Brothers, Mark Braidner, Jack Austin Desby, Rusty Strings, Lot 49, High Heeled Converse and Lee Hedley Band, alongside many more local and visiting musicians.
The festival concludes on Sunday night with the Mark Black Band Finale Jam at McGinley’s Bar, bringing the curtain down on what promises to be another memorable celebration of live music in Letterkenny.
A full programme, venue map and performance times are available through the Letterkenny Blues and Roots Festival official social media channels.