We’re on the road again! Misleór is heading to Ballinasloe Fair with our installation of wooden horses made from recycled materials. Get creative with paper flower-making, beady pockets, horseshoe painting and more!

11am-1pm: Tinsmithing

Live demonstrations and discussions with traditional tinsmith Tom McDonnell and friends.

12-3pm: Traveller Shorts (Misleór Outdoor Cinema)

Special selection of short films celebrating custodianship, diversity and resilience within the Traveller community. 

2-5pm: Live Music

Come down to the Misleór stage to enjoy a very special line-up of singers and musicians. Hosted by the local talent and rising star PJ Mongan. 

2pm: Paddy Keenan
Born in Trim, Co. Meath, Paddy Keenan hails from a musical Traveller family with deep uilleann piping roots.His flowing, open-fingered technique was influenced by his father’s and grandfather’s style.

3pm: Kathleen Keenan

Coming from a family of musicians, Kathleen Keenan is an accomplished singer-songwriter who has been performing from an early age, and recently released her first album ‘Beautiful Angels’.

3.45pm: Janos Lang + Marius Otves

Experience the vibrant spirit of Roma music with fiddle players Janos Lang and Marius Otves. Together, they offer a dynamic showcase of the rich fiddle styles from Hungary, Romania, and Transylvania, taking you on a captivating journey into the heart of Roma culture.  

4.15pm: Francis Ward

Francis Ward is a talented young singer and guitarist from the local Traveller community, who recently won the Music Award at the National Traveller Pride Awards alongside fellow musician PJ Mongan.

4.40pm: Margaret Carr

Margaret Carr is a talented singer from the local Traveller community in Ballinasloe. Last year Margaret was one of four Traveller women singers who collaborated with Australian Aboriginal artist Jessie Lloyd as part of the project ‘Chant Yil Lull’.

With the power to travel across borders, carrying stories, knowledge and traditions to new generations, music has always played a fundamental role in nomadic cultures around the world. Don’t miss this incredible line-up of musical custodians, carrying the songs and sounds from their nomadic roots.

Tickets €15/10

Francis Ward 

Francis Ward is a talented young singer and guitarist from the local Traveller community. He has played a significant role in the Galway youth music scene through his involvement with Foróige, the GCC Music Centre in Galway Community College and Music Generation Galway City. Earlier this year, Francis also won the Music Award at the National Traveller Pride Awards alongside fellow musician PJ Mongan.

Rosie McCarthy

Rising star Rosie McCarthy is a young Traveller singer from West Cork. She has sung alongside the likes of Thomas McCarthy, Trish Riley, Willzee and the Keenan sisters, and will soon support Iarla Ó Lionáird at the Cork Folk Festival. She has also featured in several films, including the recent RTÉ documentary Songlines. 

Janos Lang + Marius Otves

Experience the vibrant spirit of Roma music with fiddle players Janos Lang and Marius Otves. Together, they offer a dynamic showcase of the rich fiddle styles from Hungary, Romania, and Transylvania, taking you on a captivating journey into the heart of Roma culture.  

Paddy Keenan

As one of the most important custodians of the piping tradition within Traveller culture, we are delighted to welcome Paddy Keenan to the Misleór stage this year. 

Born in Trim, Co. Meath, Paddy Keenan hails from a musical Traveller family with deep uilleann piping roots. He joined The Pavees, and later formed “Seachtar” with Mícheál Ó Dhomhnaill, Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill and more. This ensemble evolved into The Bothy Band, revolutionising Irish music by blending driving rhythms and traditional tunes. Paddy’s piping virtuosity and fierce playing style defined the band, earning him comparisons to Jimi Hendrix and John Coltrane. His flowing, open-fingered technique was influenced by his father’s and grandfather’s style. 

Earlier this year, Paddy and fellow piper Mickey Dunne led a musical pilgrimage entitled the Long Grazing Acre: a two-week journey from Boyle to Donegal by a horse-drawn, barrel-top wagon in a tribute to their Traveller forefathers.

Ready to drop some heat? 🔥 Come kick it with ATMOS Collective for an afternoon of dope beats, live freestyles, and DJ vibes. You in?

Fiddle players - step into the heart of Roma music culture with Janos Lang and Marius Otves, two Roma fiddle players from Hungary and Romania. Based in Glasgow, Janos is the creative director of Ando Glaso ("In Tune"), a cultural organisation dedicated to preserving and promoting Roma heritage. He has toured the world, fusing the fiery traditions of his Hungarian roots with Scottish and Irish influences. Marius, a master from Romania’s Bihar region, brings the raw authenticity of traditional Gypsy music, perfected through a lifetime of playing at weddings, burials, parties and other community events. 

Other instruments welcome, however the workshop will be focused on fiddle styles and techniques.

Places limited - booking recommended!

Presented by Music Generation Galway City, this event welcomes young talents and families to enjoy performances by PJ Mongan and Francis Ward, and a special screening of ‘Campfire in the Dark’ - a new music video made by the Foróige youth group in Ballinfoyle!

We also invite young people to sing a song during the ‘Open Mic’ session, with support from Music Generation Galway City educators David McGloughlin and PJ Mongan - the stage is yours, give a song a go!

An immersive audio experience to celebrate Stories and Songs of the Road Vol. 1: a cassette tape made in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, capturing vibrant insights and performances by members of the local Traveller community in Galway. Presented in partnership with the Irish Traditional Music Archive (ITMA), this event will also feature a discussion with family members of those featured on the cassette, and will launch its release online as part of the ITMA Collections. 

Misleór is proud to present a dynamic and diverse panel of musical custodians, carrying the songs and sounds from their nomadic roots: Kathleen Keenan (Traveller), Janos Lang + Marius Otves (Roma) and Budgarav Bayasgalan + Altangerel Batzorig (Mongolian).

Book your free ticket via Arts in Action Eventbrite

Warm up by the Misleór ‘cherra’ (Cant word for ‘fire’), with live storytelling and music from local Traveller artists, paper flower-making and traditional crafts! 

For Travellers and many other nomadic communities the cherra is an important place for sharing and connecting; a melting pot of memory, imagination and creativity. Join us around the cherra to celebrate Traveller culture by simply listening or sharing a story, poem, song or tune of your own!