The famous Frankie Kennedy Winter School is to be wound down.
Frankie Kennedy
The school, which was established in 1994 to remember the famous musician, is currently run by the Mooney and Kennedy families.
However the families have said the school has become too big and it will now be organised Comharchumann Forbartha Ghaoth Dobhair.
As of next year, the group will run events and music classes in its place.
Frankie was born in Belfast in 1955, became one of Ireland’s best known traditional flute players through his work with the band Altan which he managed and founded with his partner Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh.
Frankie and Mairéad set the seeds for Altan with their ground breaking album Ceol Aduaidh on the Gael Linn label.
Frankie, a naturally gifted teacher and communicator, was part of a robust wave of young Northern flute players who came to the fore in the ’70s and ’80s. Like his contemporaries, Frankie drew inspiration from the older generation of Ulster musicians and singers.
Scoil Gheimhridh Frankie Kennedy was established in December 1994 following Frankie’s untimely death from cancer in September of that year.
The school’s vision is to continue his huge contribution to Irish traditional music, especially the music and song of Donegal.
This year’s event, the last Frankie Kennedy Winter School by that name, will run at the end of December with dates to be confirmed.
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