UP TO 15,000 people are expected to attend the Irish cultural gathering known as Oireachtas na Samhna which opened here in Killarney last night and goes on over the weekend.
“Musicians, singers, story tellers, sean nós are all here ready to entertain and be entertained,” Minister for the Gaeltacht Dinny McGinley said at the opening at the Gleneagle Conference Centre.
“The annual Oireachtas na Samhna festival is an integral part of the arts scene in Ireland.
“This festival is the longest- running Irish arts festival in the country,” Mr McGinley added.
“Nowadays, Oireachtas na Samhna has a much wider audience through the medium of TV, with RTÉ, TG4 and this year YouTube is also screening some of the competitions and recitals.
“This is the kind of coverage you simply cannot buy and it is a wonderful platform to showcase our uniquely Irish culture.
“From children to adults of all ages, you can hear the rhythms and beat of the ‘music box’,” Mr McGinley said .
This is the second year that the medieval mix of storytelling, music, competition and recitation through Irish is being held in Killarney.
Next year’s Oireachtas na Samhna will be held in Donegal.