A talented Castlebar traditional musician and tutor, who died last December, is to be remembered in a special way at the All Ireland Fleadh Cheoil in Mullingar this Friday.

Noel Kilkenny, a member of the well known Castlebar family of musicians - the  Kilkennys  - was known locally and nationally as a gifted banjo player himself and was a popular tutor of the instrument to multitudes of children and adults.

On this Friday afternoon, at 12.30pm in Dominick Square in Mullingar, “The Biggest Banjo Bash” made up of banjo players from around the world and locally will gather in large numbers to play and pay tribute to Noel and his musical legacy.

Castlerbar councillor Ger Deere says he was contacted by the All Ireland Fleadh Cheoil committee about the event, and in response he has organised a bus, free of charge, from Castlebar to Mullingar on Friday, for anyone interested in taking part.

The councillor says that while most of Noel’s past pupils and musician friends will make their own way to the occasion, he was keen to assist those who did not have their own means of transport.

Cllr Deere has been telling Midwest News Editor Teresa O’Malley more about the occasion....

Anyone interested in booking a place on the Castlebar bus, free of charge,  can message the whatsapp number 0868595385