Scoil Gheimhridh Frankie Kennedy (The Frankie Kennedy Winter School) is a traditional music winter school held annually since 1994 in memory of Belfast

Belfast

Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...

 flautist Frankie Kennedy

Frankie Kennedy

Frankie Kennedy was a flute and tin whistle player born in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He was also the co-founder of the band Altan, formed with his wife Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh...

 in Gaoth Dobhair, County Donegal

County Donegal

County Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...

, Ireland

Republic of Ireland

Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...

.

The festival, which runs throughout the end of December until the 2nd of January features some of Ireland's best known musicians as well as friends of Frankie's from Scotland and further afield. It also presents a unique learning environment for musicians and arrangers. Classes are provided in flute

Flute

The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...

, fiddle

Fiddle

The term fiddle may refer to any bowed string musical instrument, most often the violin. It is also a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music...

, uilleann pipes

Uilleann pipes

The uilleann pipes or //; ) are the characteristic national bagpipe of Ireland, their current name, earlier known in English as "union pipes", is a part translation of the Irish-language term píobaí uilleann , from their method of inflation.The bag of the uilleann pipes is inflated by means of a...

, tin whistle

Tin whistle

The tin whistle, also called the penny whistle, English Flageolet, Scottish penny whistle, Tin Flageolet, Irish whistle and Clarke London Flageolet is a simple six-holed woodwind instrument. It is an end blown fipple flute, putting it in the same category as the recorder, American Indian flute, and...

, bodhrán

Bodhrán

The bodhrán is an Irish frame drum ranging from 25 to 65 cm in diameter, with most drums measuring 35 to 45 cm . The sides of the drum are 9 to 20 cm deep. A goatskin head is tacked to one side...

, button accordion

Button accordion

A button accordion is a type of accordion on which the melody-side keyboard consists of a series of buttons rather than piano-style keys. There exists a wide variation in keyboard systems, tuning, action and construction of these instruments...

, bouzouki

Bouzouki

The bouzouki , is a musical instrument with Greek origin in the lute family. A mainstay of modern Greek music, the front of the body is flat and is usually heavily inlaid with mother-of-pearl. The instrument is played with a plectrum and has a sharp metallic sound, reminiscent of a mandolin but...

, sean-nós

Sean-nós song

Sean-nós is a highly ornamented style of unaccompanied traditional Irish singing. It is a sean-nós activity, which also includes sean-nós dancing...

 singing, house dancing, and guitar. In 2008, the festival introduced a new class, Arranging Irish Music and Song, which is to be taught by traditional music veteran Daithí Sproule

Dáithí Sproule

Dáithí Sproule is a guitarist and singer of traditional Irish music from Derry, Northern Ireland. His niece is the singer songwriter Claire Sproule.-Biography:...

.

In 2007, the festival brought singers such as Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh

Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh

Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh is a musician and singer from County Kerry, Ireland. She is the lead singer from the traditional music group Danú. Her name is pronounced MWI-ren Nick OWL-eve.-Biography:...

 and Julie Fowlis

Julie Fowlis

Julie Fowlis is a Scottish folk singer and multi-instrumentalist who sings primarily in Scottish Gaelic.-Musical career:Fowlis grew up in North Uist, an island in the Outer Hebrides, in a Gaelic-speaking community, and has been involved in singing, piping and dancing since she was a child.She is a...

 to perform. Scoil Gheimhridh Frankie Kennedy is ever-expanding and attendance continues to flourish.

Performers

It has become tradition that Kennedy's old band Altan headline every year at the festival, but other well-known musicians who have played at the school include:

• Liam O'Flynn
  Liam O'Flynn
  Liam O'Flynn is a master uilleann piper and prominent Irish folk musician. In addition to an impressive solo career and his work with the Irish traditional group Planxty, O'Flynn has recorded with many prominent international musical artists, including Mark Knopfler, the Everly Brothers, Enya,...
  
  
• Skara Brae
• Seán Keane
  The Chieftains
  The Chieftains are a Grammy-winning Irish musical group founded in 1962, best known for being one of the first bands to make Irish traditional music popular around the world.-Name:...
  
  
• Sean Potts
  Sean Potts
  Seán Potts is an Irish musician. He is a native of Drimnagh and was born there in 1930. He is best known for his outstanding tin whistle playing and his duty with The Chieftains from 1962 to 1979.- With The Chieftains :...
  
  
• Arty McGlynn
  Arty McGlynn
  Arty McGlynn is an Irish guitarist born in Omagh, County Tyrone. In addition to his solo work, he has collaborated with different notable groups such as Patrick Street, Planxty, Four Men and a Dog, De Dannan and the Van Morrison Band. He played guitar on the critically acclaimed 1989 Van Morrison...
  
  
• Téada
  Téada
  Téada is a traditional Irish music group from Ireland. The band comprises five members. The members are Oisín Mac Diarmada who plays the Téada is a traditional [[Irish music]] group from [[Ireland]]. The band comprises five members. The members are [[Oisín Mac Diarmada]] who plays the Téada is a...
  
  
• Marcas Ó Murchú
  Marcas Ó Murchú
  Marcas Ó Murchú is a Belfast-raised Irish woodwind flute player. In 1997 his album Ó Bhéal go Béal was released. His latest seventeen-track CD, Turas Ceoil , features some of his musical friends and pupils, some quite old tunes as well as his own compositions.Ó Murchú has performed on TG4 on...
  
  
• Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh
  Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh
  Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh is a musician and singer from County Kerry, Ireland. She is the lead singer from the traditional music group Danú. Her name is pronounced MWI-ren Nick OWL-eve.-Biography:...
  
  
• Julie Fowlis
  Julie Fowlis
  Julie Fowlis is a Scottish folk singer and multi-instrumentalist who sings primarily in Scottish Gaelic.-Musical career:Fowlis grew up in North Uist, an island in the Outer Hebrides, in a Gaelic-speaking community, and has been involved in singing, piping and dancing since she was a child.She is a...
  
  
• T with the Maggies
  T with the Maggies
  T with the Maggies are an Irish traditional supergroup from County Donegal, Ireland. The group first performed together at a tribute concert to folk singer and guitarist Mícheál Ó Domhnaill, older brother of Triona and Maighread, and released their debut album in October 2010.-Background:Band...