The Masters of Tradition Festival emerged from an unforgettable late-night concert at St Brendan’s Church in Bantry and has grown, over the last 23 years, to become an institution.
Artistic director, Martin Hayes, recalled the night he played with the late but legendary American guitarist, Dennis Cahill, as guests of the West Cork Chamber Music Festival.
The very next year, the Masters of Tradition emerged directly from the Chamber Music Festival with its own slot in the three-festival line-up organised by West Cork Music.
The good news is that the Masters of Tradition is getting bigger every year with demand for tickets frequently outstripping supply. People who have learned of its mesmerising musical offerings travel from all over the world to attend these very special concerts.
It would be hard to say that this particular festival is getting better every year because the fiddle playing artistic director, and the team at West Cork Music, work to ensure that the most talented performers are booked every year.
‘I do know that every year we try to give it our best,’ said Martin. ‘Every year, for me, is an attempt to have the best yet. And I think we manage to surprise and delight the audiences year after year.
On a personal note, Martin said: ‘I love coming back here because a lot of the same people who joined us at the first festival come back every single year, so we reconnect, and it’s growing, which is even better.
The director said Bantry is fortunate to have great venues, such as Bantry House and St Brendan’s Church, but he welcomed plans to build a dedicated concert hall in the town.
Martin said that would be ‘a brilliant outcome’ – not just for West Cork Music, but for people everywhere who come to Bantry for the West Cork Chamber Music Festival, the West Cork Literary Festival, and the Masters of Tradition.
The opening night concert – which featured Martin Hayes on fiddle, Brian Donnellan on concertina and bouzouki, Kate Ellis on cello, and the sean-nós-dancer Nada Ní Chuirrín – was, like almost all of the programme, completely sold out.
It was only the fact that the Tánaiste Simon Harris couldn’t take up his seat due to a scheduling clash that one – just one – became available at the very last minute.
Before the opening tune, members of the packed auditorium spoke about buying the full festival pass – which covers all four days – as soon as the booking office opens because this is one festival that they would never miss.
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