The name “Joe Mooney” is probably best associated today with the renowned traditional Irish music summer school that takes place in Drumshanbo each July, but the man behind the name was involved with many other organisations that furthered the cause of traditional arts in Leitrim at a time when the county needed someone to “steady the ship”.
As a founder member of Leitrim Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann branch, Joseph held positions at county and national levels. He was instrumental in organising county Fleadhanna for years. He also was the driving force behind An Tóstal in Drumshanbo which is the longest-running Tóstal festival, having started in 1953 and still going strong.
His forethinking when it came to Leitrim’s tourism potential has helped to put Drumshanbo and Leitrim, in general on the map as a desirable tourist destination for people right around the world. After Joe’s death in 1988, many people paid tribute to all he had done for his county as both a politician and a volunteer.
Joe Mooney Summer School
Following the death of Joseph Mooney, a local committee decided to start a traditional music summer school to honour the man that had done so much for the town, tourism and its traditional arts.
The Joe Mooney Summer School has been running ever since and is a major event in the traditional Irish music calendar attracting musicians, singers and dancers from all over the world.
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Although tutors and learners travel from all over, there is always a great Leitrim flavour to the week. Many tutors are from the county and many more strive to teach tunes, songs or dances from Leitrim repertoires.
Here, Pat Murphy teaches “The Lough Allen” set.
Here’s footage from the Leitrim Local Studies archives from the 2005 tour to McKenna’s cottage during the Joe Mooney Summer School week.
An Tóstal
An Tóstal which began in 1953 begun as a festival to celebrate Irish culture, sport and art.
Watch the opening ceremony which was opened by President Sean O’ Kelly in Dublin in 1953.
An Tóstal died out in most places after a couple of years but Drumshanbo has the distinction of being the one place that it has survived in since 1953 up to today!
Leitrim Library hosts many articles, recordings, pictures and programmes related to An Tóstal, which is also the place where a lot of great musicians and singers started out. It deserves a project of its own…
but here is Paschal Mooney, Joe’s son at the opening of the 36th festival in Drumshanbo from 1988
RTE Archives – An Tostal Drumshanbo
