The Clonmel Junction Arts Festival has released its programme for July 2021 with a series curated by Eamon Sweeney focusing on the town's musical history.

Each strand of the renowned festival will showcase music from different ages in Clonmel's era, celebrating the town's rich culture.

Local emerging artists Eoin Hally, Ruairi de Leastar and Kate Twohig will open for some of Ireland’s most talented performers such as Gavin Glass, Mick Flannery and Paul Noonan.

"The Butlers of Ormonde," strand features baroque music by The Gregory Walkers (Laoise O’Brien and Malachy Robinson) and Rachel Factor with soprano Roisin O’Grady. Playing the music that the Duke of Ormonde may have entertained James II with on his visit to Clonmel’s iconic Main Guard in 1689, it features music by Henry Purcell, Jean-Baptise Lully, Turlough O’Carolan, Henry Purcell, Francisco Corbetta, Thomas Connellan and from the Irish Tradition.

In "Irishtown," three of Ireland’s most lauded traditional musicians will perform from the historical Irish Tradition together. With Steve Cooney on guitar, Cormac Breathnach on whistles and Dermot Byrne on accordion the trio will perform arrangements of harp music from the 17th and 18th centuries - as well as music particularly connected to Clonmel and its environs. The title comes from the name of the street just outside the original town walls.

The "Local Heroes" strand will celebrate music created and performed by musicians from or working in Clonmel.

"Collins Hall" is a theatrical music piece directed by Jack Reardon where saxophonist James O’Donovan has arranged iconic Mick Delahunty big band tunes for a jazz quintet. Actors Eanna Grogan and Meadhbh Maxwell will recreate a night in the Collins Hall, Clonmel in 1958 where American Patrol is playing and love is in the air.

Acclaimed singer-songwriter Edel Meade will perform during the festival, marking the first time she will perform from her brand new album Brigids and Patricias which was released on International Women’s Day 2021. The new album consists of original songs and spoken word reflects on what it means to be a woman living in 21st century Ireland, shaped by Irish history, folklore and contemporary society.

Royseven - with Clonmel’s own Paul Walsh as frontman - will open a new pop-up venue, "The Junction Festival Dome," during the festivals "We Can Be Heroes 2.0" strand. The strand is described as a "series of celebratory concerts, bringing back performers that have given festival audiences so many musical treats over the years".

We can’t wait to perform at the @clonmeljunction festival on July 3rd. It will be an online live stream due to covid restrictions but it’s a free event so click here and book your virtual seat! https://t.co/tcRJP5HUT6

— Royseven (@Royseven) June 8, 2021

Clonmel natives CLE are also set to perform during the festivals final strand, "Leaves". CLE will experiment and innovate with their unique blend of analogue electronics, live piano, spoken word, computer code and visual production techniques during the festival's finale.

Along with the concert series, Eoin Hally has put together an industry-focused workshop series that is helping young, local performers further their careers by giving a great insight into the real world of recording and producing, booking gigs and getting music on the radio.

"We Can Be Heroes" sponsors Camida are offering these young musicians a performance opportunity in the lovely outdoor setting of Raheen House to finish off the project. Audiences will get to listen to the music of young talents Richie Delahunty, Desirèe McCarthy, Patrick Cleary, Kevin Twohig, Frank O'Mahony, EJ Mae (Ellie Mackey), Surf Spaghetti (David O'Connor), Carlo Di Ruzza, Aimée O'Brien O'Riordan and Ash Walsh.

Bookings for the event can be found here.

Award-winning, double platinum selling artist @MickFlannery returns to Clonmel for #CJAF21 with Ruairí de Leastar

9 July | ONLINE
🎟️ https://t.co/geNE65KiMc

⚡️ Part of the We Can Be Heroes concert series, kindly supported by Camida#MyJunction #RTESupportingTheArts @rte pic.twitter.com/IBzwBDniz7

— Clonmel Junction Arts Festival (@clonmeljunction) June 21, 2021