Wealth of trad steals show

Birdhill hosts three-day festival

The wealth of talent that sweetened the autumn evening air over the village of Birdhill has been hailed as the showstopper of the superb three-day trad festival weekend programme.

The mega show, which was provided free of charge, brought together a galaxy of leading musicians and singers, and unique country Rambling House performers from a wide region of the mid-west and beyond.

The programme was organised by the energetic multi-talented, Birdhill native, Tim Floyd, the retired secretary of Tipperary GAA County Board who acted as the ‘Fear an Ti’ (MC).

The large marquee was filled to capacity for the unique gathering of musical stars from near and far whose talent and original contributions left the audience still anxious for more as the clock struck the midnight hour.

Many of the performers contributed their own compositions in recitations, storytelling, songs and verses, in such enjoyed fashion that the hours melted away and it seemed like that nobody wanted to go home.

The young musicians who engaged in the busking around the village from late afternoon on Saturday created a mini-fleadh atmosphere in the evening sunshine for the second day of the weekend programme organised by Birdhill Tidy Village Committee.

But it was the poetry and storytelling session that got under way at 8pm and blended smoothly into the Rambling House that ran until just after midnight that left the most lasting impressions.

Johnny Looby, whose voice is familiar to regular Tipp FM listeners, set the tone with some ‘cracking’ stories, and Michael Costigan recited a poem on ‘The Sweat House at Toor’, before Birdhill native, Michael Durack, recited his colourful account of ‘Bikinis in the eighty Acres’ around the Polloughs.

SONGS AND POEMS

Michael Scanlon, Crannagh, sang about Birdhill, and Barbara Hartigan, Castleconnell, recited her poem, before ‘Mrs Brown’, of TV fame (Breda Lenihan, Newport) contributed another of her originals in super gems in style.

Five times All Ireland GAA Scór champion, Noel Joyce, JK Brackens, Templemore, rendered one of his winning compositions about the ‘Trip to Tramore’ and Fear an Tí, Tim Floyd, gave a super composition about the people and times past in nearby Kilmastulla.

All Ireland GAA Scór finalist many times, Lily O'Grady, Birdhill, with one of her super recitations, and contributions from Pa Floyd, Sean Shinnors, Paudie Kennedy, an All Ireland Scór winner in sketch, Tom McCabe, author and performer of All Ireland winning sketches, and Denis Floyd, the man to whom Birdhill Tidy Village owes its existence, rounded off part one of the evening with his latest verses recalling the remarkable Tipperary hurlers achievement at Croke Park 2025.

The star-studded contributors continued as darkness closed in and the music got sweeter by the hour. On stage, former Bunratty Castle singer, Offaly native, Teresa Galvin, the golden voiced All Ireland Ballad Finalist, Siobhan Egan, Newport, the multi-talented, New Inn PP, Rev Fr Bobby Fletcher, Donal Bowe, Templemore, with a sweet rendering of ‘Sweet forget Me Not’ and John O'Sullivan with the popular Percy French's ‘McBreen's Heifer’, to be followed by a great rendering of ‘She'll be coming down the mountains, when she comes’ from Newport PP, Rev Fr John O'Keeffe, accompanied by the Dubliner's look-a-like musician, Seamus O'Toole, all went down a treat.

Deirdre Scanlon, Ballina, a multi-All Ireland award winner and former lead vocalist with Solas, who toured Europe, USA and Japan extensively, was special guest artist at short notice, as the much-flagged Cork singer of decades, Seán Ó Sé, had to withdraw due to the unexpected serious illness of his wife.

Among the other contributors were James Kersey, Arkansas, on a visit to Birdhill - native home of his wife, Mary - Niamh Burke, Birdhill, Michael Healy, Loughmore, Elizabeth Floyd, Birdhill and Majella Coffey, Newport.

The attendance included Rosemary Joyce, Senior Executive Officer, Nenagh Municipal District, Tipperary County Council, one of the lead sponsors of the festival, and Cllr Fiona Bonfield, Newport.

The Liam MacCarthy Cup also arrived in the village to a great reception on Sunday evening in the company of Willie Connors and was a very popular choice for the scores of photo opportunities.