Every July Drumshanbo plays host to the award winning Joe Mooney Summer School, a week long festival of traditional Irish music, song and dance named after the man who did so much to promote the cause of Leitrim and his beloved town. The committee continue to emulate his high ideals, endeavouring to promote Leitrim's heritage of traditional music while handing on the best traditions of the past to future generations.
Drumshanbo is a small picturesque town situated in the very heart of County Leitrim, Ireland. The town takes its name from the Irish, Druim-Sean-Bhoth or "Ridge of the old huts". The legends of the Tuatha de Danann recall the arrival of these magical people in a swirling mist on the nearby Sliabh an Iarainn mountain. They brought with them three musicians, Ceol, Binn and Téidbhinn - music, melody and harmony, whose legacy still remains.
The 2020 Summer School runs from Saturday 18th July to Saturday 25th July.
See the classes page for more details.
In addition to the classes and workshops there are recitals, ceilithe, lectures, and open air music events. The impromptu music sessions, the natural beauty of the Drumshanbo area and the traditional 'ceád míle fáilte' hospitality of County Leitrim provide an unforgettable week for all those who participate in the classes and also for those who just visit the town to be part of the experience.