28. Irish Christmas Festival

With "Altan", named after an enchanted lake in County Donegal, one of the most successful and renowned Irish folk bands of all time makes a guest appearance in Bad Ischl! Wild dance pieces are interpreted at a furiously fast tempo and, together with beautiful Irish ballads, are among the highlights of an Altan concert evening. The incomparable soprano voice of Maireád Ní Mhaonaigh, which gives old songs, mostly sung in Gaelic, a contemporary character, is a defining stylistic feature.

Since the 80s, the group has toured the world, from the bars and pubs of their homeland to huge concert halls, playing twice at the White House and major venues such as the Sydney Opera House, Royal Albert Hall, Carnegie Hall, Alte Oper Frankfurt and the National Concert Hall in Dublin. They contributed the soundtrack to the Oscar-winning film "Good Will Hunting" with Robin Williams and have realized joint projects with stars such as Ricky Skaggs, Alison Krauss, Bonnie Raitt, Dolly Parton and the Chieftains. There is hardly a world music magazine that has not featured her on the cover.

Altan is one of only five bands that the Irish postal service has honored with its own stamp. The quintet's CDs have gone gold and platinum several times and have been showered with prizes and awards.
Buíoch is yet another wonderful new traditional band coming to the Irish Christmas Festival, this time from County Laois in the Midlands in the heart of the island.
The band was formed when an initiative commissioned musicians to create original music during the Covid pandemic. Musicians found themselves unable to do what they do for a living - play music in front of an audience - due to lockdown.

"Buíoch" is the Irish word for "grateful" and out of gratitude for being able to make music together in these challenging times, they kept the name. The ensemble members compose and arrange all the tunes themselves, giving the band a traditional yet progressive sound that is unique and energetic.

Visitors to the Guinness Irish Christmas Festival were treated to an incomparable concert experience with Irish folk music at its best and finest!