• Home
  • About
    ▹
    • About Kilfenora
    • History
    • The Burren
    • Music
    • Kilfenora Ceili Band
    • Father Ted
    • Kilfenora Timeline
    • Kilfenora Time Capsule
    • Farming
    • Sport
  • News
  • Events
    ▹
    • Kilfenora Traditional Music Festival 2025
    • Festival concert – Máirtín O’Connor Band
    • “The Sounds of Kilfenora” project launch
    • Riches of Clare concert, Kilfenora Cathedral
    • Architectural Heritage of Kilfenora Cathedral – 25 June lecture
    • Kilfenora Traditional Music Festival 2024
    • Main concert – Kilfenora Trad Fest 27.4.24
    • Céilís and Riches of Clare @ Kilfenora Trad Fest
    • Celebration of Irish Dance in Kilfenora
    • CD launches at Kilfenora Trad Fest 2024
    • Dance and music workshops
    • Past Events
      ▹
      • Kilfenora Trad Festival 2023
      • Heritage events in Kilfenora in August
      • Kilfenora Trad Festival 2022
  • Visit Us
    ▹
    • Visit Us
    • Kilfenora
    • Kilfenora Cathedral & Crosses
    • Holy Well
    • Around Kilfenora
    • Walking and Cycling
  • Facilities
    ▹
    • Facilities Overview
    • Resources
    • Accommodation
  • Kilfenora Community
    ▹
    • Kilfenora Development
      ▹
      • Kilfenora Development News
    • Kilfenora Tidy Towns
      ▹
      • Kilfenora Tidy Towns News
    • Kilfenora Sustainable Energy Community
      ▹
      • Kilfenora Sustainable Energy Community News
  • Find Us
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Kilfenora

Kilfenora

The Home of Traditional Ceili Music and The Gateway to the Burren

The Home of Traditional Céilí Music and The Gateway to the Burren

  • Home
  • About
    • About Kilfenora
    • History
    • The Burren
    • Music
    • Kilfenora Ceili Band
    • Father Ted
    • Kilfenora Timeline
    • Kilfenora Time Capsule
    • Farming
    • Sport
  • News
  • Events
    • Kilfenora Traditional Music Festival 2025
    • Festival concert – Máirtín O’Connor Band
    • “The Sounds of Kilfenora” project launch
    • Riches of Clare concert, Kilfenora Cathedral
    • Architectural Heritage of Kilfenora Cathedral – 25 June lecture
    • Kilfenora Traditional Music Festival 2024
    • Main concert – Kilfenora Trad Fest 27.4.24
    • Céilís and Riches of Clare @ Kilfenora Trad Fest
    • Celebration of Irish Dance in Kilfenora
    • CD launches at Kilfenora Trad Fest 2024
    • Dance and music workshops
    • Past Events
      • Kilfenora Trad Festival 2023
      • Heritage events in Kilfenora in August
      • Kilfenora Trad Festival 2022
  • Visit Us
    • Visit Us
    • Kilfenora
    • Kilfenora Cathedral & Crosses
    • Holy Well
    • Around Kilfenora
    • Walking and Cycling
  • Facilities
    • Facilities Overview
    • Resources
    • Accommodation
  • Kilfenora Community
    • Kilfenora Development
      • Kilfenora Development News
    • Kilfenora Tidy Towns
      • Kilfenora Tidy Towns News
    • Kilfenora Sustainable Energy Community
      • Kilfenora Sustainable Energy Community News
  • Find Us

News

St Patrick’s Day in Kilfenora

Come and join us on St Patrick’s Day celebrations in Kilfenora.

First there is Mass in St Fachnan’s Parish Church at 11 am

Then move smartly out to catch the Parade at 12, starting in Vaughans Yard, processing up Main Street and through the Square to the Lisdoonvarna Road and then back again. Let’s see who wins the float prize this year!

Make sure you stop by the front of the Community Hall for the cake sale (and fundraiser). Always a fantastic spread.

 

Then there’s the music. Stop by Nagles Bar from 2pm to hear some of Clare’s finest, with Tola Custy, Noel O’Donoghue, Eddie Moloney and Nigel Stevens. And down at Vaughans Pub there will be a traditional session followed by singer/guitarist Damien Gormley.

Bain taitneamh as!

Noel O’Donoghue & Tola Custy

Kilfenora play 28-30 March 2025

Kilfenora Dramatic Society is back in action from 28-30 March at 8pm in Kilfenora Community Hall with their latest offering, a play by Kerry playwright Tom Coffey called ‘Them’. The stage will be transformed into Brid Flaherty’s kitchen cum living room in 1960s’ Ireland. By the end of the play the audience will know more about Brid, her family and the impact of difficult decision making.

Tickets are available on the door for €10, with a family price of €15. Be there early to ensure entry, as these Kilfenora productions are very popular!

About Tom Coffey

The late Tom Coffey worked as a schoolteacher and in industry before writing plays for the Abbey and the Lyric Theatres. He is the author of The Long Sorrow (on the IRA border campaigns); Anyone Could Rob a Bank; Stranger, Beware; The Call; Them; Gone Tomorrow, winner of Irish Life Drama Award in 1965. He also wrote many episodes of the RTE drama serial, ‘The Riordans’.

About Kilfenora Dramatic Society

Amateur actors from the community, under the direction of Fr Ned Crosbie, with the help of other volunteers creating the sets and aiding the production. A long history of highly popular productions of works by Irish playwrights.

Bus service – controversial changes proposed

Significant changes have been proposed by the National Transport Authority (NTA) to bus routes in North Clare. A survey is being conducted locally by Kilfenora Development Community Group about bus provision, and answers to the questions below are requested by Monday 3 February in order to make representations to the NTA. The main changes – see the map below – are:

  • removing the direct link between Corofin/Kilfenora to Ennistytmon, Lahinch, Miltown Malbay and beyond – the current 4 times daily bus 333 would now run directly from Ennis to Ennistymon duplicating the 350 service;
  • instead a new route (338) would run from Ennis to Kilfenora and Lisdoonvarna, and then terminate at Ennistymon – no details of frequency have been communicated;
  • the 350 bus would now proceed more directly from Galway to the Cliffs of Moher via Corkscrew Hill, cutting out Fanore. A new 350C bus would now service Fanore and Newquay. (Fanore community rejected the NTA proposal fiercely at a recent public meeting; Cllr Joe Garrihy on Clare FM echoed community criticism of the NTA for not consulting locally. )

At the same time Clare County Council have issued an e-tender proposal for a shuttle bus to connect the Cliffs of Moher to Ennistymon and Lisdoonvarna, with a possible additional link to Kilfenora and Miltown. However this would only run from June to August, and an entry ticket to the Visitor Centre must be bought.

This contrasts with comprehensive proposals for North Clare connectivity submitted by community representatives in September to a Council working party that would have left the 333 service as it is; connected Kilfenora to Lisdoonvarna, Doolin and the Cliffs on a year-round basis; provided a connection between the visitor centres at Kilfenora and Corofin via the National Park at Mullaghmore, to satisfy100s of walkers that come to the Burren Centre weekly expecting that service; and connected Ballyvaughan, Ailwee, Caherconnell & Poulnabrone to the bus stop at Lemenagh. Services would be more frequent in season, obviously. Users should be able to plan journeys easily using a phone app. There should be far more publicity to encourage greater use of improved public transport services, including marketing to tourists by Fáilte Ireland.

The aim was to provide both local and visitor users with a car/coach-free public transport service, reducing the traffic problems created by current policies and practices, serving environmental goals and making North Clare a more attractive place to visit and live in.  (Minister Ryan similarly urged this in April 2024 on a visit to Clare.) The NTA describes the changes as enhancements and part of the “Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan”. You can judge whether what is proposed is actually an enhancement for local communities.

If you wish to submit views, please send an email to [email protected] by Monday 3 February responding to these questions. (Just copy and paste the questions into a document.)

Q1          Should the current 333 service be retained – ie connecting Corofin/Kilfenora directly to Ennistymon and beyond? (Yes/no and comment if desired)

Q2          Should a shuttle connect Kilfenora, Lisdoonvarna, Doolin and Cliffs of Moher as an all-year service  not just 3 months (obviously frequency would vary seasonally)? (Yes/no, comment)

Q3          Should the National Parks bus run from Kilfenora to Corofin via Mullaghmore, not just from Corofin? (Yes/no, comment)

Q4          Should a seasonal shuttle link Ballyvaughan to the Q3 route and the 333 service to Ennis via Ailwee/Caherconnell/Poulnabrone and Lemenagh (Yes/no, comment) 

Q5          Should the NTA. TFI, Failte Ireland and local Councils work together to facilitate and promote more public transport usage that connects rural and visitor locations and enables more car-free travel?  (Yes/no, comment)

Emergency Response Hubs in North Clare following Storm Éowyn

As has been broadcast on Clare FM, a number of community hubs and water supply stations came into operation on Tuesday 28th January 2025 to provide support for those struggling for basic services following Storm Éowyn.

1             Community Hubs

Clare County Council has organised Community Hubs providing people with water, phone charging facilities, broadband, showers and information on how to source a hot meal or other requirements from today. The hubs will also provide a source of information and signposting as required, with Council staff present at some of these hubs between 10am and 4pm. (The facilities are open longer.)

North Clare locations nearest to Kilfenora are Community Centre Ennistymon, V95X8XC (open 7am to 10pm);  Doolin Hotel V95DE2X Tuesday January 28 to Thursday January 30 inclusive (open all day);  Lisdoonvarna  Imperial Hotel V95HF5X Friday January 31 to Tuesday February 4 inclusive (open all day). The Council states that other satellite centres may be provided through local Community Centres with further satellite centres being considered for other communities.

An update has been provided on 21 January by Clare County Council and can be read by clicking here. This includes the offer of access to power and water at Kilfenora Community Hall – call 086 0817993 to arrange access.

2             Water

By Tuesday January 28, a temporary water supply has been provided by Uisce Éireann at various locations. In N Clare these include Lisdoonvarna (The Pavilion), Ennistymon Water Bottle Refill Station, Lahinch Beach car park, Fanore O’Donovan’s Pub and Ballyvaughan Church car park. See www.water.ie for details.

Please check in on vulnerable neighbours to ensure they are safe and have access to essential services, including the Storm Éowyn Community Helpline – 065 6846386 – which will be active from 8am to 8pm to provide advice and direction to supports available for the duration of the emergency.

Please note that the Clare County Council Emergency phone number remains open after 8pm – 087 259 9568.

Kilfenora Traditional Music Festival 2025

The Kilfenora Traditional Music Festival 2025 will take place as usual on the last weekend of April (Friday 25-Monday 28th).

Start tuning your ears and polishing the dancing shoes for another great mix of céilís, concerts, sessions, CD launches and workshops.

Our main concert act this year (Saturday 26 April 2025, 8pm, Community Hall) is the stunning Máirtín O’Connor band, renowned for their blistering virtuoso performances around the world – and now in North Clare! Máirtín is arguably Ireland’s top accordionist, and the band also features the fantastic fiddle and banjo of Cathal Hayden, the songs and accompaniment of multi-instrumentalist Seamie O’Dowd, and the percussion brilliance of the mighty Jim Higgins. Support is provided by 2024 Meitheal Summer School prize-winner Aoife Ní Chonghaile, who is also U18 Fleadh winner 2024 on the harp. Tickets (€20 plus small booking fee) are available online now – click here – until 10am on 26 April, and should be collected at the door from 7.30 pm (bring ID). Alternatively tickets can be purchased at the Burren Visitor Centre, Kilfenora and in Custy’s Music, Ennis. There should also be tickets available to purchase at the concert, but be there at 7.30 sharp to avoid missing out!

Máirtín O’Connor band
Kilfenora house-dance, 1955

On Friday night in the Hall there will be a very special event – a launch of The “Sounds of Kilfenora” project, with an exhibition and musical performances. This will celebrate the vibrant musical heritage of Kilfenora and the surrounding area, bringing its rich history of traditional music to life, featuring the music, stories, and vibrant spirit that have defined this hugely important music village for generations. The outcome of the project will include an online archive of music, photographs, and oral histories. Read more here.

Friday night is also when the Festival has it’s Singers Night – head to Vaughans Bar for that.

And on Sunday afternoon, by tradition we will stage the open-air céilí in the Square with the great Kilfenora Céilí Band, preceded by groups of young Clare musicians – altogether one of the finest events in the Irish traditional music calendar. Dancers can warm up the night before in Vaughan’s Barn with the Star of Munster Céilí Band.

Céilí in the Square

The Riches of Clare free concert in Kilfenora Cathedral on Saturday at 1pm has an all-star cast headed by Siobhán Peoples, this year’s winner of Ireland’s top traditional music award. Read all about this event here. Before that (11.45 am), catch Anne Rynne and AnneMarie McCormack in recital with Anne Larkin in the Kilfenora Céilí Band museum located in the Burren Visitor Centre.

CD launches this year feature the renowned Clare fiddler Tara Breen and Tipperary’s Ailbie Grace & Liam Flanagan. There are also workshops for beginners and teens on Saturday and Sunday. Click these links for details of sessions throughout the weekend at Vaughans Bar and at Nagles Bar.

So come on down and join the fun.

Clare Outdoor Recreation plan – what does Kilfenora want?

“Embracing Ireland’s Outdoors” is a National Outdoor Recreation Strategy setting out the government’s ambition to develop and use the land and seascape for exercise in a more coordinated and sustainable way. We all know that this is vital for health and wellbeing, mental and physical.

Clare is one of six counties being used as a pilot to deploy Outdoor Recreation Officers (OROs), dedicated professionals tasked with coordinating and facilitating outdoor recreational plans; this is being administered through Clare Local Sports Partnership, a body dedicated to increasing participation in sports and physical activity.

Jessica O’Keefe is the appointed ORO for Clare. She is launching a consultation process whereby local communities, sports clubs, walking/cycling groups and businesses and tour guides providing activities (for locals and tourists) can contribute to a county plan to enhance opportunities for recreation and exercise.

On Thursday this week (14 November), she will be holding a consultation meeting for North Clare in the Burren Visitor Centre @ 7pm. (There will also be an opportunity to contribute via an online survey.)

This is YOUR opportunity to consider and state what you feel is important to improve recreational activity in our area, on land or on sea and in lakes. Obvious questions include what should be done to improve local opportunities for safe walking, running and cycling, and for indoor exercise too.

So be there at 7pm on Thursday if you want to make your voice heard. The meeting will be in the Kilfenora Céilí Band Exhibition Room – enter by the front door.

 

  • Page 1
  • Page 2
  • Page 3
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Page 9
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

News Items

St Patrick’s Day in Kilfenora

Kilfenora play 28-30 March 2025

Bus service – controversial changes proposed

Emergency Response Hubs in North Clare following Storm Éowyn

Kilfenora Traditional Music Festival 2025

Clare Outdoor Recreation plan – what does Kilfenora want?

A new community space?

National Heritage Week in Kilfenora 2024

Honouring Fr Ned’s service

Kilfenora graveyard survey starts Saturday 6 July

Kilfenora Trad Festival 2024 Programme Download

Kilfenora Town Hall meeting, Tuesday 23 April

Slide
"Kilfenora, city of the crosses, home of céilí music"
Slide
"Kilfenora, city of the crosses, home of céilí music"

Footer

For any queries please email
[email protected]

  • Facebook
  • YouTube

Copyright © 2025 Kilfenora