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The AICF Conference

October 24-27, 2023 | Galway, Ireland

Registration is closed.  For more information, please email aicf@irishfest.com

The 2023 Association of Irish and Celtic Festivals Conference will take place in Galway, Ireland. The majority of the conference will be held at the Galway Bay Hotel. With beautiful views over the Atlantic ocean, the hotel is situated along the famous Salthill promenade and is only five minutes from Galway City Centre. The conference will include keynote presentations, panels, breakout sessions, socials, and entertainment showcases. The official showcase venue is Monroes Live, an award-winning venue that hosts over 250 events annually, including many musical artists well-known in the Irish, Celtic, and Folk scenes.

 

 

Host Hotel

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Galway Bay Hotel

Voted Best Irish Hotel 2021, the 4 star luxury Galway Bay Hotel located at the midpoint of the Wild Atlantic Way in Galway Salthill. With beautiful views over the Atlantic ocean the hotel is situated on the famous Salthill promenade, only 5 minutes from Galway City Centre. Galway Bay Hotel offers great accommodation in Galway, fine and casual dining restaurants, multi purpose built conferencing suites, leisure centre and spa beauty rooms.

Learn More Here...

**The AICF room block is now closed. For room reservations outside of the AICF reduced room rate block, please click HERE

AICF Showcase Artists 

 

Wednesday, October 25th:

 
3 on the Bund

3 on the Bund is an exciting band that came together in March of 2019 after meeting at the University of Limerick's prestigious Irish World Academy. Their complex, layered arrangements consist of traditional and newly composed tunes played with an energy and a passion that is completely authentic.

Ceol

CEOL was formed in 2021 and Is made up of 4 lads in their 20s from all over Ireland with a passion for folk and traditional music. Taking inspiration from The Wolfe Tones, The Dubliners, The Chieftans, Mumford and Sons, and many other great Irish and International artists before them, Ceol aims to bring folk music to a new generation. The idea came from traveling around Ireland and seeing so many talented young musicians singing and playing in pubs every night of the week. 

Steph Geremia

Acclaimed Irish flautist and singer, Steph Geremia will be joined by piano accordion maestro, Alan Kelly, bouzouki powerhouse, Aaron Jones (Old Blind Dogs) and Jim Higgins on percussion. Performing songs from the Irish, folk and Americana traditions as featured on her new album, produced by renowned Scottish musician, John McCusker (Mark Knopfler band). Perhaps best known in collaboration with the Alan Kelly Gang and Eddi Reader, Steph also brings a wealth of musical scholarship to her love for Ireland’s North Connaught tradition, as displayed on her sparkling 2018 release Up She Flew.

Kings of Connaught

The Kings of Connaught, a 4-piece Folk/Ballad/Trad ensemble, have enchanted audiences since their inception in 2012. Initially, a 6-member group, the quartet of Mark Costello (Vocals/Guitar), Liam O’Grady (Vocals/Banjo),  Thomas Ryan (Whistle/Mandolin) and more recently Caoimhe Newell (Fiddle) draws inspiration from prominent Irish artists like Luke Kelly & The Dubliners.

The Murphy Sisters

Hailing from the west coast of Ireland The Murphy Sisters are a dynamic trio of musicians/songwriters with a unique sound that is thrilling audiences around the world. Their songwriting style is rooted in their beginnings in traditional Irish music to their unique blend of harmonies, strong voices, and lively music in the folk/country genre. Songs such as 'Nightmare' and 'Yesterday ' reflect this very personally as the sisters recall life's hard knocks. Their original song Nightmare was a featured track on the Netflix show Jack Taylor.

The Jeremiahs

The Jeremiahs is an Irish folk band that comprises four musicians who have come together with the common goal of writing, composing, and performing folk songs and music. They have traveled extensively, bringing their music far and wide, and are heralded as a live band not to be missed. They are sure to rouse all the emotions with a wonderful mixture of newly composed songs and tunes in the folk genre and a well-selected catalog of older folk songs.

Thursday, October 26th:

 

Baile an Salsa

Baile An Salsa brings together an international mix of world-class musicians to deliver a distinctive blend of Latin rhythms and traditional Irish Music – a fusion which they call “Salsa-Trad.” The musicians seamlessly blend their influences from Latin America, Europe and the United States to create a contemporary twist of traditional tunes with original compositions.

Bernadette Morris

Bernadette Morris is not only an extremely talented Irish folk singer, performer, fiddle player and entertainer, she is also an exceptional songwriter. She is an engaging performer who takes audiences on an emotional journey with a repertoire of songs that speak from and to the heart. 

Conor Mallon

Conor Mallon, an uilleann piper from Keady, Co.Armagh started his musical career with the Armagh Pipers club before touring with his band “Connla”. Conor was the first BBC NI Young Musicians Award recipient and a Senior All-Ireland Champion. Folking.com has praised Mallon for “leading the next generation of Uilleann pipe players.”

Siomha

Irish singer and guitarist Síomha (pronounced She-vah) dances the line between folk, jazz and neo-soul effortlessly taking audiences on an unexpected and unforgettable journey with her soulful melodies. Her debut album ‘Infinite Space’, described by The Irish Times as “a seriously accomplished and self-confident debut”, is a collection of songs in both Irish and English. Her voice, full of heartfelt experience soars over her gypsy jazz and Latin-influenced guitar playing, taking audiences on an unforgettable cosmic journey. 

Onoir

Contemporary Irish folk group Onóir formed in 2020, when Donegal musicians; Tom McHugh, Declan Gaughan, Deane Connaghan, and Diarmaid McGee, joined forces to create a contemporary version of the famous Irish folk ballad; “The Auld Triangle”, the video went on to be seen by over 3 million people worldwide. These talented musicians with distinctive vocal styles are setting new standards with incredible musical arrangements and harmonies that mark them as unique.

Ispíní na hÉireann

Ispíní na hÉiereann, lead by front men Adam J Holohan and Tomás Mulligan, and joined by cellist and fiddle player Aongus MacAmhlaigh, bodhrán extraordinaire Cian ‘Kinko’ Ó Ceallaigh, and the saxophone and Uilleann Pipes player Pádraig Óg Mac Aodhagáin, create and play music that is a combination of original songs and reimagined covers and tunes, all influenced by the Irish musical tradition.

Pre-Conference Tour - Registration is Now Closed

October 17-24
8 Days, 7 Nights
Clare | Mayo | Donegal | Galway
 

An 8 day-spectacular tour of the Wild Atlantic Way, visiting unique cultural and historical sites and breathtaking landscapes. We endeavored to find experiences that are beyond the usual. That includes some off the typical path, some on the path, and some more unique. We have filled the days with cultural and historical experiences amid beautiful surroundings. Music will be a key part of the tour, whether visiting recognized musical venues or having local groups perform.

Click here to view and/or download a PDF of the trip's full itinerary. 

Grant Information

The Irish Department of Foreign Affairs has graciously awarded us with a $40,000 grant to be used to assist each festival that attends the 2023 AICF Conference in Galway with their cost of attending. There is an expectation of each of the award recipients that they will book one, or more, of the showcase entertainers in the following two years at their festival. The $40,000 will be evenly distributed among each of those festivals who apply for the grant and attend the conference. To be eligible, the festival applying must have held a festival in 2023 with more than 1000 attendees and have committed to hold a festival in the subsequent two years. Payments will be mailed out shortly after the conference.

Click below to download the grant application. 

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Welcome to Galway

This year's AICF Conference will take place where the River Corrib meets the crystal waters of the Atlantic Ocean, where medieval remnants intersperse with shops and pubs, where music is always present, and where vibrant sunsets shimmer across the bay. Visit the official Galway tourism website.

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Getting to Galway

Transportation options to get you to and around Galway

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Showcase Venue: Monroes

The 2023 showcase venue is Monroes Live, located in Galway City. The award-winning venue hosts over 250 events annually, including many musical artists well-known in the Irish, Celtic, and Folk scenes.

Learn More Here...

Stay Up to Date via Email Communications
We will keep everyone updated via email -- if you don't think you have an AICF rep from your festival that is a part of our email list, please email aicf@irishfest.com.

 


 

Sponsors & Partners

ESP Gov of Ireland   Culture Ireland Logo - AICF Sponsor   Failte Ireland    

CiderBoysFive Farms     Saffire AICF Sponsor  

   Foundation  

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