It’s back, and quietly so

A Leeside music festival with a big heart will once again shine its light on the new wave of Irish and International folk and traditional talent this month.

Celebrating its 5th year, Quiet Lights will take place at venues across Cork city, from 24-27 November.

Run by music company Islander, the festival has a special focus on Clare-based not for profit music label Raelach Records this year, to acknowledge the very significant impact the label has had on Irish traditional music.

Quiet Lights’ usual fare of presenting the best in upcoming folk and traditional music is the main strand throughout the festival once again.

This year’s programme features international artists such as Ora Cogan (Canada) and Cinder Well (USA), and national heroes Martin Hayes and John Francis Flynn. The festival also welcomes artists Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin and Aoife Nessa Frances who have both recently released highly acclaimed albums.

As well as its usual folk and traditional programming, Quiet Lights will also continue to showcase exciting contemporary and experimental music in Cork. Máire Carroll performs a concert of Philip Glass’ Etudes on the Triskel’s beautiful Steinway piano as the festival’s opening show. Meanwhile, SlapBang (Lina Andonovska and Matthew Jacobson) and Cuar (Neil Ó Loclainn) will bring some experimental brilliance to Plugd Records, as well as some of the most ground-breaking artists and bands in Ireland coming to town such as The Bonk and Rachael Lavelle.

It has been a priority of Quiet Lights to incorporate more ambient music into the programme, and this year it present Myles O’Reilly’s Ambient Pharmacy at St Peter’s where Myles and his fellow artists Simon O’Reilly and Gareth Quinn Redmond will create a 3 hour 'soundbath' on the Sunday of the festival.

A full line up of talks and conversations will be announced soon. Tickets are on sale at quietlights.net.