Sallins Prepares For A Weekend Of Music, Culture And Family-Fun As Féile Na Sollán Returns

The festival is set to take place from 28 August-30 August in Sallins.

Anticipation is building as Féile na Sollán is set to take place from 28 August - 30 August in Sallins.

The festival will bring an exciting mix of established and emerging traditional musicians and singers to Sallins, alongside a vibrant programme of cultural and Irish language events for all ages.

The tradfest is boasting numerous acts, such as young traditional Irish band Tulua, sean-nós singing duo Éire Ní Fhaoláin agus Cú Chulainn Ó Faoláin as well as music stalwarts Mick McNamara and Paul Kelly providing a vast repertoire of ballads and folk songs on guitar, fiddle and the mandolin.

The festival is also a staple of Irish culture and language, with a trad session taking place on opening night at JP Healys, as well as a Pop-Up Gaeltacht.

Saturday will see the main stage come alive at Sallins Harbour, with a wonderful range of performances from song to dance.

The final day on Sunday 30 August will feature a street céilí with Rita Doyle, as well as barge trips, with the festival's concluding with the final open trad session with Tom Moran from 8pm in The Railway Inn

There's plenty taking place at this bilingual festival for young and old as kids can make the most of the Children’s Céilí  and Long Puck competition in Sallins GAA, music and storytelling for children under 8 with Julie Anne de Brún, drumming workshops with Conor Moore for all ages, puppet show with Little Gem Puppets, music and games for children with Kate and Teidi, board games with Eclecticats in the Parish Hall, and and Bricfeasta as Gaeilge at Café Grange.

Speaking on Kildare Today, Dee O' Connor, a speaker for the festival         :

"We started out as a group in 2009, and then we ran the first festival in 2103, and survived the pandemic like many others and went online, it's morphed into an outdoor festival, in earlier years we were indoors alot.

"It's changed a little bit and developed over the years, as it should do."

She also said that the promotion of the Irish language, among other cultures is central to the festival:

"For Irish speakers it's a great way for using the language, it's a fun setting, for people who have a few words, that's fine, and for people who have no Irish, that's also fine."

"We welcome all cultures to the festival, we have a Spanish group, the last few years we've had a Polish dancing group as well, so it's Irish culture but it's also culture in general."

Most events, including the performances at Sallins Harbour on Saturday are free of charge, tickets may be purchased on www.feilenasollan.com.

The full interview can be heard below: