IMDL will be holding London’s 25th annual Festival of traditional Irish music, song and dance ‘Return to London Town’ from Friday 27th to Monday 30th October

The Return to London Town festival features concerts, album launches, workshops, children´s workshops, céilís, sessions and more, for all the family. Events will be held at venues in and around Cricklewood and there are special weekend tickets available.

Festival Director Karen Ryan says:

“This year we’ve brought together a fantastic programme of wonderful traditional Irish culture - with 22 artists visiting from across 14 counties in Ireland as well as great London-based musicians. The line-up of concerts and album launches holds a cornucopia of talented artists, many of whom will also be teaching workshops and leading sessions over the weekend. We are looking forward to welcoming children to our Céilí Dancing and Singing workshops. We are also very excited about a new addition to the programme - our Traditional Irish Music Quiz with Mick Mulvey. We are very much looking forward to welcoming you to Cricklewood – hope you have a fantastic weekend!”

All tickets (including the excellent value £40 weekend ticket) are now available

PROGRAMME OVERVIEW:

Friday 27th October

Evening Concert: Noel Hill and Brian McGrath / The London Lasses / The Trad Gathering

Saturday 28th October

Instrumental Workshops

Children’s Céilí Dancing Workshop

Afternoon Concert:  Mairéad and Deirdre Hurley with John Blake / Pádraic Keane, Páraic MacDonnchadha and MacDara Ó Faoiláin / Tara Viscardi and Robert Harvey

Set Dancing Céilí: The Parish Céilí Band, with host: Tom Kelleher

Sessions

Evening Concert: John Carty, Michael McGoldrick, Matt Griffin, Michael McCague / Saileóg Ní Cheannabháin and Pádraic Keane / Harry Bradley, James Carty and Libby McCrohan

Sunday 29th October

Instrumental Workshops

Children’s Singing Workshop

Set Dancing Céilí: The Parish Céilí Band with host: Tom Kelleher

Sessions

Quiz: Mick Mulvey

Album Launch Event: Sorcha Costello and John Blake / Pádraic Keane, Páraic MacDonnchadha and MacDara Ó Faoiláin / Seán Gavin

Cèilí For All with McCool Trad, calling by William Macken

Monday 30th October

Afternoon Concert: Mary MacNamara, Sorcha Costello and Pete Quinn / Seán Gavin, Mick O’Connor and Peter McAlinden / London Irish Pensioner’s Choir

For the full progamme and more information about all of the events on offer see www.returntolondontown.org

IMDL would like to thank the Emigrant Support Programme, Culture Ireland, Irish Youth Foundation, Flannery Plant HIre, Ashford Place, Ardmore, The Irish World and The Irish Post.