Friends and followers of the late north Clare musician, Micho Russell, have gathered in Doolin this weekend for an annual commemorative event.
The Micho Russell Memorial Weekend pays homage to the legendary tin whistle and flute player. For most of his life, he was a farmer before giving into to his great love, traditional music, playing at recitals around the world and doing much to put his home village on the map for thousands of tourists.
Since his death, in 1994, the local community has been holding the memorial weekend, providing an opportunity for musicians and music lovers to come together at a quiet time of the festival year.
This afternoon's memorial concert, which will last for about four hours, will be held at the Russell Memorial Centre, which was built three years ago. It will feature the piper, Liam Óg O'Flynn, accordianist Joe Burke, and his wife, Ann Conroy, singer Kate Purcell, and fiddler Paddy Canny. Hosting the concert will be RTÉ presenter, Kieran Hanrahan.
But many visitors will be happy with the informal pub sessions and céilídh being held in O'Connor's, McGann's and McDermott's.
O'Connor's, internationally renowned since it featured in Time magazine, recently hosted three musicians, Christy Barry, Conor McCarthy and Cyril O'Donoghue, who recorded Late in the Night.
It is the first live commercial recording there since The Russell Brothers was recorded by Micho and his brothers, Pakie and Gusie, in the 1970s. "That was a tape and record which launched the Russells and the Doolin phenomenon," Mr John Doorty, a member of the organising committee, said.
This weekend, for the first time in the eight years of the memorial weekends, workshops will be held in fiddle, tin whistle and flute. A memorial Mass and wreath-laying ceremony will take place in memory of Micho Russell tomorrow at noon.