13/08/2026
August 2026 sees the revival of the Cuisle Cheoil Weekend in Gorey, County Wexford. As the town prepares to host Fleadh Cheoil Laighean in 2027, Wexford Traditional Weekend C.L.G. have facilitated the return of the much-loved traditional music weekend, bringing some of the former Cuisle Cheoil organisers together again under the umbrella of the parent body, set up to cement County Wexford’s post All-Ireland Fleadh Cheoil legacy.
Thanks to the support of Wexford County Council’s Arts Office, which selected the revival of Cuisle Cheoil as a project for funding under the Culture Ireland EU Presidency Culture Programme 2026, an exciting weekend of Irish culture is planned. Further support from WexTrad, along with the Gorey Municipal District, elected members of the local authority and support from Wexford County Council’s Heritage Week programme has enabled the hard-working committee to curate a full and varied programme. Join us for a great weekend of Irish traditional music, song and dance.
Highlights of the weekend include CD launches by nationally-respected traditional performers, a wonderful series of workshops facilitated by Tuaisceart Loch Garman CCE. These workshops are being presented in a range of the traditional musical instruments, in singing and in set dancing by highly regarded tutors. Full details of the tutor line-up and booking details are available through the website, www.cuislecheoilweekend.com
An exciting Recital, featuring some of the tutors and other special guests takes place in Christchurch on Saturday evening August 22nd at 7 p.m. The stellar programme features:
Gary Curley (accordion) Stephen McKee (banjo) accompanied by Ryan O'Donnell (bouzouki) - special guest - Tracy Ryan (vocals)
John Wynne (flute) and Tom Morrow (fiddle)
Daithi Gormley (accordion) and Elaine O'Reilly (banjo)
Gary Curley from Fermanagh and Stephen McKee from Derry have recently released one of the outstanding traditional music albums of 2026, ‘Chunky Business’. They are joined by husband-and-wife duo of Ryan O’Donnell from Tyrone – who featured on their album - and Tracy O’Donnell (nee Ryan) from Tipperary who have also just released a CD. Ryan and Tracy’s CD launch is part of the CD launch event at Cuisle Cheoil.
Daithi Gormley and Elaine Reilly are another husband-and-wife duo who need no introduction to followers of irish traditional music. They are visiting Gorey to promote their first album together as a duo. As members of The Lane to the Glen, they played an unforgettable concert at the WexTrad weekend in Wexford Town earlier in the year.
And completing the line-up for the recital are John Wynne (of the noted traditional group, Gatehouse) and Dervish’s Tom Morrow. This presents a rare opportunity to hear these two masters of the North Connaught traditional style perform together.
Further weekend highlights include pub sessions, a children and teen’s Euro themed music session in Gorey Shopping Centre, guest lectures, an t-Aifreann Gaeilge and a set dancing ceili with the lively music of the Templehouse Trio from Dublin.
Full details are on
www.cuislecheoilweekend.com
Visit Wexford
