Festival 2018 is on!!!
Welcome to the home of the Cos Cos Sean Nós Festival
Now in its 12th year, the Cos Cos Sean Nós Festival 2018 brings together some of the country’s finest Sean Nós dancers, musicians, singers, poets and storytellers. It runs from May 7th to 13th 2018 in the shadow of the famous Benbulben mountain in the heart of Yeat’s Country, Co Sligo.
The festival has something for everyone, both young and old. Why not join us and immerse yourself in a feast of traditional culture and see some real community spirit in motion.
Scroll down for festival programme.
A flavour of whats in store…
Getting to our Festival…
Travel & Transport
GPS / SatNav CoOrds:
- 54°19’00.5″N, 8°28’44.8″W
- 54.316798, -8.479114
By Road:
- From Dublin – N4 to Sligo (202km) and then N15 to Rathcormac (7km)
- From Galway – N17 to Sligo (180km) and then N15 to Rathcormac (7km)
- From Derry – N15 to Rathcormac (74km)
- From Enniskillken – N16 to Sligo and then N15 to Rathcormac (7km)
Public Transport:
- Dublin Train to Sligo, then Taxi to Rathcormac (7km)
- Expressway Bus to Sligo, then Taxi to Rathcormac (7km)
If You’re Stuck:
- Give us a call! (Brenda 086 1925988 or Dorothy 087 4167026)
Accommodation
B&B:
- Mary Coggins : 071 914 3770
- Yeats Lodge : 071 917 3787
Hotel:
- Radisson Blu Hotel: 071 917 7211
- Yeats Country Hotel: 071 917 7211
Food & Drink
- Drumcliffe Tea House
- Vintage Lane Cafe
- Yeats Tavern
- Collins Pub (Yeats Lounge)
Nearby Attractions
- Yeat’s Grave (2km)
- Drumcliffe Church and Round Tower (2km)
- Rathcormac Craft Market (Sat Morns) (400m)
- Glencar Lake and Waterfall (6km)
- Rosses Point Beach (5km)
- County Sligo Golf Club (5km)
- Streedagh Beach (7km)
- The Model Gallery (7km)
- Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery (14km)
- Parkes Castle (15km)
- Lough Gill / Isle of Inishfree (22km)
- Strandhill (15km)
Festival Programme
Day |
Time |
Event |
Admission |
Location |
| Monday May 7th
|
Walkers 11:30am
Runners 12:00pm |
Festival 8km Run and Walk
Registration from 10am Money Prizes |
Registration in Rathcormac Hall | Starts at Rathcormac School |
| Tuesday May 8th |
2:00pm | Poets’ Way.
Bards and Poets convene at Drumcliffe Graveyard for poetry, music & song. Recite & ramble back to the Vintage Lane Café. In association with Yeats Poetry Circle & Poetry Ireland. All welcome! |
Adm Free | Drumcliffe Graveyard &
Vintage Café |
| History
7pm |
The Barytes Mining on Benbulben Story returns by request!
STOTY RETURNS BY REQUEST! With Author Gerry Foley . Stories from mine workers and families. Slides and film |
Donation welcome. | The Old School Rathcormac | |
| Wednesday
May 9th |
9pm | Benbulben Players Debut Performance of “The Spinsters”. Variety entertainment to follow the Play.
Welcome aboard to this brand new Drama Group! |
Free | Rathcormac Hall |
| Thursday May 10th |
5pm | Bealtaine celebrations!
16th Century Fashion shown by Crafters and Textile Artists who faithfully researched and reproduced clothing discovered on Bog Bodies in Killery Co. Sligo, Dungiven Co Tyrone & Shinrone Co Offaly. Tea Party to follow with Music Song Surprises & Dance! Everyone very welcome! In association with Beattaine Sligo. Booking Catherine 0868424969 |
Free | Rathcormac Hall |
| Friday May 11th |
8:00pm | Damhsa, Damhsa ! Dancers Concert.
The Country’s Top Dancers will Showcase all forms of Traditional Irish Dance. Sean-Nos, Traditional & Modern Step Dancing, Sets, Ceili, 2Hands & Regional Styles. If you love Dance Do Not Miss This Event!! |
Adm €10 | Rathcormac Hall |
| 10pm | Pub Session with The Kenny Donagher Band
|
Free | Pub | |
| Saturday May 12th |
10:00am | Workshop Registration | Rathcormac Hall | |
| 10:30am- 1:00pm |
Workshops
Sean Nós Dancing – Liam Scanlon |
Adm €10 | Rathcormac Hall | |
| 11:00am | Café na Gaeilge celebrates Bliain na Gaeilge 2018.
Failte romhat! |
Adm Free | Vintage Café
Rathcormac Market |
|
| From 12:30 pm | Lunch Session Music & Dance
Flash Mobs! Watch out for Colourful Portugese Stick Dancers and Sean Nos Dancers at Rathcormac Hall, School Yard, Branleys Yard Market, Drumcliffe Tea House and other sites in the Drumcliffe area! |
Free | Rathcormac & Tea House Drumcliffe | |
| Sat 12th 2:00pm | Workshops
Brush Dancing for Children and Teens with Oireachtas Winner Emer Mulvey. Geevagh Bodhrán and Bones Junior Davey, Gurteen Singing and Lilting Maiti Jo Sheamuis, Connemara |
Adm €5 | Rathcormac Hall | |
| 2:00pm | Workshops
Learn Portuguese Stick Dancing with Haiti Queen Belarus Tutors. |
Adm €5 | Marquee | |
| 3:30pm | Workshops
Set Dancing. Maureen Culliton teaches her new set in honour of ‘Bliain na Gaeilge 2018’. |
Adm €5 | The Old School,
Rathcormac |
|
| 3:30pm | Singing!
Portuguese Traditiona Singing Group ‘Las Carandas’ in concert followed by a Session of Traditional Irish & Folk Songs. Everyone is very welcome! |
Adm Free | Marquee | |
| 4:30pm | Pub Céilí Session
Sets with the Rousing Bush Céilí Band |
Adm Free | Collins’ Pub | |
| 8:00pm | In Tune for Life’ in Concert
Cos Cos welcomes over 70 musicians, singers and dancers from Co. Tipperary for a fabulous Festival celebration concert. Including Performances by our Portuguese visitors. |
Adm €10 | Rathcormac Hall | |
| 8:30pm | Cos Cos Festival is proud to host the Word Premiere of the amazing “Preab Meadar”. .
Composed by Lorcan Mac Mathuna & Daire Bracken. Together with Sean Nos Dancers Liam Scanlon & Caoimhe Ni Mhaolagain they create a mesmerising conversation of rhythm, between voice, fiddle & dance. |
Book Now online at TicketTailor
Adm €15, Child €7, Family €20 |
St. Columba’s Church, Drumcliffe | |
| 10:00pm | The Pub Session
with Kerry Herrity, festival proformers and friends |
Adm Free | Collins’ Pub | |
| Sunday May 13th |
11:00am | Aifreann na Féile
with Musicians and Singers |
Rathcormac Church | |
| 12:00pm | Session of Dancing, Music and Song
Have a cuppa, dance a Jig or sing a song with Irish & Portugese Music Song & Dance. |
Adm Free | Marquee | |
| 1:30pm | The Wild Atlantic Sean Nós Dancing Competitions / FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHT
Sean Nós Dancing Competitions Exhibitions to follow. |
Entry €5 | Collins’ Pub | |
| 2:00pm | The Sligo Concert Band – in concert | Adm Free | Marquee | |
| 3:30pm | Spoken Word | |||
| 3:30pm | Percussion Workshops for All
With Peter Crann |
Adm Free | Rathcormac School | |
| 4:00pm | The Big Celebration Céilí
will feature the World Famous Kilfenora Céilí Band |
€15 | Rathcormac Hall | |
| 9:30pm | Slán Abhaile Seisiún
With Sean Carroll and friends, including the Portuguese Group |
Adm Free | Collins’ Pub | |
Sponsors
The Cos Cos Sean Nós Festival Committee would like to thank the following for supporting our festival
Branley’s Yard
Collins’ Pub
Drumcliffe/Rathcormac Tidy Towns
Failte Ireland
Fr Michael Donnelly
Furey’s Buses
Jim Feeney Meats
Leslie Ward
Mary McMorrow
Michael Boland
Michael Regan Tyres
Oxfield Communty Centre
Ronan Kerrigan
Sligo Credit Union
Drumcliffe Teahouse
The Arts Council
The West family, Cooladrummin
Vintage Lane Cafe