C'mBan Kellie - Olympic star Harrington one of the guests at Dublin's Nollaig na mBan Festival
Teenage blues sensation Mhuireann Bradley and former In Tua Nua lead singer Leslie Dowdall among the musical acts booked
Olympic boxing hero Kellie Harrington is set to be one of the principal guests at Dublin's Nollaig na mBan festival.
Nollaig na mBan (Women's Christmas), celebrated on January 6, is the 12th Day of Christmas, marking the end of the holidays.
Family-wise, it is the traditional day to remove the Christmas tree and decorations as it is seen as bad luck to leave them in place past Twelfth Night.
But more specifically, it was a special occasion for women as they were seen as exempt from domestic duties, the cooking and the hospitality, for the day and would gather with their friends and/or relatives for some tea - or maybe even a pint - and a laugh.
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"This is our third year involved with Nollaig na mBan and we have gone from small beginnings and just one event to having had Maria Doyle Kennedy, Mary Coughlan and Honor Heffernan last year," says event coordinator Laura Williams of the NEIC (North East Inner-City Initiative).
"That's, I suppose, the festival end of things, really good value, non-profit-making gigs where the community is the winner.
"While anyone who sees the St Columba's church shows will be amazed at the setting and the lights and the acoustics. It is like Another Voices, St James' Church, in Dingle really.
"But there is a just as important aspect in that we have our local awards which recognises those who have been important to us as a community.
"And while you might say it is fantastic to have double-gold Olympic winner Kellie Harrington receiving her award, there are also eight other individuals who are as important to us, being honoured."
These include Meave Foreman (multi-award winning Mud Island Community Garden founder), Jean Denner (fundraiser), Kathleen Walker RIP (care worker), Anne Gannon (librarian/storyteller), Róisín Lonergan (Five Lamps Arts), Anna Quigley (community activist), Kirsty Fitzsimons (music promoter) and Aideen Leonard (Ballybough Pride of Place).
This year's festival is a chance to catch country and blues sensation Mhuireann Bradley who is predicted to be the Irish 2025 breakout music star.
The Ballybofey teenager signed off 2023 to rapturous New Year's Eve applause on BBC's Jool's Annual Hootenanny which propelled her then album I Kept These Old Blues into the UK Download Top 10.
She finished 2024 signing a major record deal with Decca in December and this Nollaig naBan period is the quiet before the storm of the remastered I Kept These Old Blues' release at the end of February - this is a musician will never be caught 'live' for e10 ever again!
Leslie Dowdall is best remembered as the charismatic lead singer of much-loved eighties Irish band In Tua Nua.
Longtime Waterboys' musician Steve Wickham, who is originally from Marino on Dublin's northside, was a founding member.
While the band are perhaps best remembered for the single Seven into the Sea (1986) from their album Vaudeville (Virgin, 1987) and a standout Self-Aid RDS performance alongside the Pogues, Boomtown Rats, Van Morrison, U2 and a host of other Irish bands.
It is hoped boxer Harrington will contribute a song at some point too, not least as her spontaneous rendition of Grace following winning her Olympic gold medal at Roland Garros in Paris went viral.
The big question is as to whether the poignant ballad, a tribute to artist Grace Gifford who married Joseph Plunkett in Kilmainham Gaol chapel just hours before he was executed, will be at the Awards event in the afternoon...
Or later on stage with any one of Mhuireann Bradley, Leslie Dowdall, Mary Stokes Band or local acts Mama Mia Sisters and Sharon at their respective gigs through the evening!
EVENTS
*Celebrating Local Women - Awards Ceremony with Catriona Crowe, 2.30pm-3.30pm, Charleville Mall Library - Free
*St Columba's, North Strand Parish Church - Mary Stokes Band, 7pm doors open 6.30pm, from e10 Eventbrite
*St Columba's, North Strand Parish Church - Muireann Bradley, 8pm, from e10 Eventbrite
*Annesley House, North Strand - Leslie Dowdall with support Aoife Bridget, 9pm til late, from e10 Eventbrite
*Conliffe House, North Strand - Mama Mia Sisters Abba Tribute,9.30pm til late, Free
*Cusack's, North Strand - Live Music with Sharon, 9.30pm til late, Free
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