Rea of light:Actor Stephen Rea in Temple Bar to unveil details of TradFest
IRISH MUSIC “has always been a shining light through the dark times”, actor Stephen Rea said as he unveiled details of a Dublin traditional music festival yesterday.
Among the highlights of the five-day Temple Bar TradFest is an onstage collaboration between Donegal singers Moya Brennan, Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh, and Tríona and Maighread Ní Dhomhnaill, under the name T with the Maggies. Festival patron Rea said he was “dying to see” the performance. The group will also sing lullabies at a children’s concert.
Fluent Dysphasia, a short film starring Rea, will be among the films aired for free every night of the festival.
Rea, a former Oscar nominee, was delighted at this week’s Golden Globe wins for fellow Irish actors Colin Farrell and Gabriel Byrne. “It’s brilliant, absolutely brilliant,” he said last night.
However, he did not think Farrell would get an Oscar for his In Bruges role.
“I don’t know if that movie will do it for the Oscars. I wouldn’t think it would as the Golden Globes is slightly different, but it’s only a matter of time before Colin gets nominated for an Oscar anyway,” he said.
Rea is in Dublin rehearsing for a Sam Shepard play at the Abbey and hopes to attend several TradFest events. He is looking forward to the opening concert, which features a reunion of Dublin fiddle players Paddy, Séamus and Kevin Glackin.
Rea’s other highlight – a performance by flute player Michael McGoldrick – is one of the festival’s international folk acts.
Other international acts include Irish-American group Solas and Montreal trio Genticorum.
The festival runs from January 28th to February 1st and will also include a parade, céilí, photography exhibition and craft market. For more details, see www.templebartrad.com
