Levenshulme village stages its ten day ‘Tradfest’ to celebrate this year's Manchester Irish Festival. The South Manchester suburb is home to one of the biggest Irish communities outside of London and is always one of the main areas for the city’s Irish celebrations.

The ten day ‘Tradfest’ will be one of the highlights of this year's festival and features over one hundred traditional and contemporary Irish musicians, singers and dancers. It is launched on Friday 7 March and continues until Monday 17 March.

Tradfest listings:

Friday 7 March 2008
Venue: M19 Bar, 1st Floor acoustic room, 847 Stockport Road, Levenshulme
Event: Manchester Irish Festival ‘Tradfest’ launch in first floor acoustic room with Claire Mooney, the Moving House Band, ODI and Steve O’Donoghue.

Saturday 8 March 2008
Union Music Lounge, 845 Stockport Road, Levenshulme
Event: Irish Music night with Quare Craic featuring the award winning actor and singer songwriter Kieran Cunningham and fiddle player Andy Farrell
Time: 8pm-late

Sunday 9 March 2008 / Tuesday 11 March 2008
Venue: Union Music Lounge, 845 Stockport Road, Levenshulme
Event: Festival Parade exhibition and film launch in the ‘Green Room’. An exhibition featuring photographs by Dave Brunton, Danny Claffey(Irish Post newspaper), Ged Noonan, Bernie White(Irish World newspaper), Joe Casserley(Full Irish Radio show) and Tony Hennigan, plus Parade DVD shot by film maker Lynda Gilbert.
Time: 4pm-7pm Adm: free

Sunday 9 March 2008
Venue: M19 Bar, 847 Stockport Road, Levenshulme
Event: ‘Tradfest’ Post Parade Celtic Rock Night with James Cannon & the Sinners
Doors 8pm, on stage 9pm

Wednesday 12 March 2008
Venue: Union Music Lounge, 845 Stockport Road, Levenshulme
Event: ALL FM’s Full Irish Live radio broadcast of ‘The Irish session’ with Grace Kelly, Irish Trad group ‘Claus’ and Friends.
The ‘Full Irish’ are inviting all of Manchester’s numerous Irish session groups and musicians to come along and try and set a new record for the largest Irish session.
Time: 6.30pm-late, live radio broadcast 7pm-9pm, session continues till late.
Adm: free entry

Thurs 13 March 2008
Venue: M19 Bar, 847 Stockport Road, Levenshulme
Event: Festival DVD launch by film maker Lynda Gilbert plus Irish club night with Tom Dee
Chorlton film maker Lynda Gilbert showcases her DVD promoting different aspects of the Manchester Irish Festival along with work from the Levenshulme Festival.
Doors 7pm, club night starts at 9pm

Friday 14 March 2008
Venue: M19 Bar, First Floor, 847 Stockport Road, Levenshulme
Event: St Patrick’s Eve Tradfest concert in first floor acoustic suite with Irish singer songwriter Ray Heffernan plus support from Paddy O’Hare and Ash Mountain. Adm £3
Doors 7.30, concert starts 8pm

Saturday 15 March 2008
Venue: Union Music Lounge, 845 Stockport Road, Levenshulme
Event: St Patrick’s Night tradfest with Innisfree
Doors 7pm, on stage 9pm

Venue: M19 Bar, 847 Stockport Road, Levenshulme
Event: St Patrick’s Day Tradfest family afternoon with Young, Gifted & Green musicians, plus Irish musicians James O’Connor and Audrey Trainor along with the Keegan Kennedy School of Irish dancing and trad Irish band 'Cluas' - made up of male and female vocals, harp, keys, whistle and fiddle, plus special guests.
Doors 12 noon, live entertainment 1pm-6pm.
Admission free

Venue: M19 Bar First Floor, 847 Stockport Road, Levenshulme
Event: St Patrick’s night ‘Tradfest’ concert in the first floor acoustic room with the award winning traditional Irish group Lyra Celtica in aid of Lourdes Pilgrimage. Irish club night with DJ James H follows live music til late.
Doors 7.30pm
Concert starts 8pm

Venue: Hennigan’s Sports Bar, 908 Stockport Road, Levenshulme
Event: Tradfest Session with James O’Connor & Audrey Trainor
St Patrick’s night session led by 21 year old singer songwriter James O’Connor from County Laois and County Louth fiddle player Audrey Trainor.
Doors 7pm

Sunday 16 March 2008
M19 Bar, 847 Stockport Road, Levenshulme
Event: Tradfest Irish family afternoon with James O’Connor, Claus and ‘The Tim O’Connor Band’ in aid of Lourdes Pilgrimage plus traditional Irish musicians and dancers.
Doors 2pm-6pm.
Admission; £3 donation or £6 per family pass.

M19 Bar, 847 Stockport Road, Levenshulme
Event: Tradfest with ‘The Tim O’Connor Band’ plus James O’Connor & Audrey Trainor sponsored by Murphys
Doors 7pm, on stage 8pm

Monday 17 March 2008
Venue: Union Music Lounge, 845 Stockport Road, Levenshulme
Event: Tradfest closing party : Irish Music night with Quare Craic featuring singer songwriter ‘Kieran Cunningham’ and friends
Time: 8pm-late

Full details available on http://www.manchesteririshfestival.co.uk/.