All concerts will be held in the beautiful, intimate setting of St Kieran's Church, Cloughjordan.  The church was built in 1830, and a major reordering of the interior took place in 1992.  Local artist Fergus Costello designed and crafted the furnishings, which feature extensive use of bog oak. 

   To open the festival, we're delighted to welcome the cream of Irish musicians from 2 Dublin-based bands.  Fintan Gilligan and  The Hot Club of Dublin (as seen on The View)  plus Neal Wright with members of LocoSwing (see them here) will be playing together to form Ireland's first Supergroup Manouche!  Adding the final touch, world-renowned performer and teacher Robin Nolan (see him here) will be joining them to make this a truly special evening.

  

  Thirteen-year-old guitarist Andreas Varady (see him here) came to the public's attention though RTE's "The Guitar" competition.  Having learned to play at his father's knee and started his career busking in Cork and Limerick, he has gone on to play with the likes of Martin Taylor, Tommy Emmanuel and Louis Stewart.  So far in 2011, Andreas has played numerous gigs in France, Germany, and the UK, headlined at Ronnie Scotts, and featured on the cover of Guitar Player.  He will be joined here by his father, Bandi Varady, and drummer David Lyttle. 

"Varady, who looks much like any other early teenage boy in jeans and Converse trainers, shoots off on a solo of astonishing virtuosity and speed with the casual, distracted air that other boys of his age have when they're idling away afternoons on an Xbox."

– The Times

  Guitarist Lollo Meier is joined by violinist Tcha Limberger (of the Budapest Gypsy Orchestra), bassist Andy Crowdy and rhythm guitarist Dave Kelbie (see them here)
 Gypsy blood runs through the veins of this formidable guitar player who made his goal in life to carry on the music of Django Reinhardt. His technique is understated and his gentle approach to music making and sharing is truly inspiring. 
  This group also plays as a quintet with the great Fapy Lafertin, and was most recently seen at Edinburgh's Speigeltent.  "..plenty of that gypsy passion and colour in evidence in the form of [Fapy's] guitarist cousin, Lollo Meier, and, especially, the young, blind violinist Tcha Limberger. This band, including Lafertin, is often billed as “gyspy jazz royalty” and it was easy to see why: there’s a real sense of history and authenticity about these players who grew up in a similar culture to their musical – and gypsy – forefather, Django Reinhardt."  Herald, Scotland.

 

 
   Samuel C. Lees (who headlined at this year's International Gypsy Guitar Festival) has emerged as one of the UK’s most exciting and entertaining Gypsy guitar players (see him here).  Samuel’s fusing of both the smooth melodic style of Django Reindhardt and the fire and flair of modern gypsy guitar players such as Jimmy Rosenberg and Joscho Stephen surpasses convention and crosses boundaries.  Samuel’s performances combine an eclectic mix of Gypsy standards, Swing 42 and Djangoligy, modern songs such as Valerie by the Zutons and Wishing Well by Free and his own original compositions.  For this concert, Sam will be joined by his brother Joseph on bass, his wife Jennifer on vocals and rhythm guitarist Paul Wooliscroft.