Weather made for fabulous trad session at Altamont
Musicians performing at the mid-summer trad session in Altamont Gardens in Tullow Photos: michaelorourkephotography.ie
IT was one of those summer days when all the elements came together to make a perfect, unforgettable event.
Under beautiful clear skies and brilliant sunshine, over 100 people got to hear fantastic trad music and songs at an open-air session at Altamont gardens.
Organised by Ballon Improvement Group, the session attracted musicians from Co Carlow and beyond, with 25 of them taking part. The audience lounged on rugs, eating picnics and sought to keep cool in whatever bit of shade they could find.
“It was the hottest day of the year and if we hadn’t had the marquee, the musicians would have been roasted. It was fantastic – we had hundreds there in the walled garden in Altamont. The musicians who performed usually play at the Ballon rambling house session that we organise every month,” explained Maire George of Ballon Improvement Group.
The free event was funded by the OPW and for those who’d like to hear more traditional music, songs and stories, the next Ballon rambling house will take place at the local GAA club on the last Sunday in August.
An Siopa Glas, a second-hand shop in the village, is the main source of income for Ballon Improvement Group and for the rest of the summer the shop will be open on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays only.
