Young Pipers Concert featuring uilleann pipers and highland pipers from Ireland and Scotland.

With the Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band and the National Youth Pipe Band of Scotland.

With guest spots from Patrick Molard (Brittany) and Angus MacKenzie (Cape Breton)

A double CD from Gael Linn featuring archival recordings of some of the greats of Irish music and song including Willie Clancy, Seomaimh Ó hÉanaí, Paddy Canny, Johnny Pickering and many more. This will be launched by Pádraigín Ní Uallachain.

Concert with the Kathryn Tickell Band (Northumberland) and the Finlay MacDonald Band (Scotland)

A new collection of poems from Gearóid Mac Lochlainn and paintings from J.B. Vallely inspired by the travelling musicians of Ireland.

Concert with Davy Spillane (Ireland, uilleann pipes), Kevin Glackin (Ireland, fiddle) and Carlos Núñez (Galicia, gaita).

With guest spots from Anne Martin (Isle of Skye, Gaelic song) and Luigi Lai (Sardinia, launeddas).

Céili with music by Richard Lucey (accordion) and Jim Murray (guitar).

Uilleann pipes (intermediate & advanced), reed making for uilleann pipes, highland pipes, border pipes, small pipes, Northumbrian pipes, fiddle, guitar accompaniment, accordion, melodeon, song (English, Irish & Scots Gaelic).

There are also classes open to all instrumentalists in the music of Scotland, Shetland, Northumberland, Brittany and Hungary.

Ceolchoirm le Mick O'Brien & Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh, Pádraigín Ní Uallacháin & Steve Cooney, agus Gearóid Mac Lochlainn.

Fear an Tí: Brian Mullen

Lecture by Dr Greer Ramsey (Armagh County Museum) "Musical Instruments on Irish High Crosses: the archaeology of the pipes"

Many people will have noticed the logo of the Armagh Pipers Club which has been a feature of the Kennedy Festival for many years.  The inspiration for the drawing, by J. B. Vallely, came from one of Ireland's most elaborately decorated 10th century stone crosses.  The carving depicts a set of mouth blown triple pipes, similar to an ancient instrument from the Sardinian bronze age.  The fascinating story of how these pipes came to be played in Early Christian Ireland and at the William Kennedy Piping Festival is just one of the topics covered in the talk.  It demonstrates a musical tradition well over a thousand years old, which may have associations with the piping of the devil himself!

Featuring Carlos Núñez (Galicia, Gaita), Kathryn Tickell (Northumberland, Northumbrian pipes), Patrick Molard (Brittany, Biniou & Highland pipes), Mick O'Brien (Ireland, Uilleann pipes), Máire Ní Ghráda (Ireland, Uilleann pipes), Finlay MacDonald (Scotland, Highland pipes), Angus MacKenzie (Cape Breton, Highland pipes), Luigi Lai (Sardinia, Launeddas), Balázs Istvánfi (Hungary, Duda).

MC: Tommy Sands

Featuring performances from all the guests plus local musicians

Concert with Noel & Peter Carberry, Máire Ní Ghráda, Anne Martin & more.

Lecture by Terry Moylan (Na Píobairí Uilleann) "An Overview of the Na Píobairí Uilleann Archive".

An overview of the holdings of the Na Píobairí Uilleann Archive, including sound recordings in just about every format; an archive of images in all formats from press clippings to electronic files; various paper based materials; a library covering not just piping but any aspect of Irish music, song or dance that a piper might be interested in; and artifacts of various kinds - sets of pipes and parts of sets, tools, etc. The aim is to acquaint the audience with the scope of the collection and how it could be of use to them. It exists solely to provide a resource for pipers, and the club's aim is to see it used to the fullest extent possible.

Uilleann Pipes Concert with Mick O'Brien & Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh, Noel & Peter Carberry, Máire Ní Ghráda, Tiarnán Ó Duinnchinn, Jarlath Henderson and Claire Byrne.