Patrick Kielty will host a Late Late Show Trad Special this Friday night, with a line-up of traditional musicians coming together for performances, collaborations and conversation.
The programme is billed as a celebration of traditional Irish music, bringing in standout names from Ireland and beyond, including artists appearing at this year's TradFest.
American folk singer Peggy Seeger joins the line-up and will reflect on her seven decades in music. Still performing and releasing new work at 90, Seeger will pay tribute to her late husband Ewan MacColl with a performance of The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, the song he wrote for her. Viewers can also expect a special group performance of Dirty Old Town, another of MacColl’s best-known songs.
Actor Ricky Tomlinson, beloved for The Royle Family, will also drop in for a chat. He will speak about his passion for singing and playing the banjo, his connection to Ireland, and why he has no plans to slow down. In keeping with the seisiún spirit, he may also perform.
Lisa Canny, a founding member of all-female trad supergroup Biird, will join Kielty to discuss a busy year with the band, from launching their debut Irish tour to taking the stage at All Together Now, the Fleadh and the 3Arena.
Kielty will also catch up with a number of leading Irish musicians during the night, including Kevin Conneff of The Chieftains, Dónal Lunny, Fiachna Ó Braonáin and Zoë Conway, as they share stories, songs and their passion for keeping the tradition alive.
The show will also feature a first, with one musician set to be inducted into The Late Late Show Trad Music Hall of Fame.
The Late Late Show Trad Special, RTÉ One and RTÉ Player, Friday at 9:35pm
