New folk listeners club to launch in Leitrim with acclaimed performers
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Leitrim Folk Listeners Club opens June 20 at 8pm at Leitrim Inn & Blueway Lodge, launching a listening-focused live music space featuring Eleanor Shanley, Mike Hanrahan and guests with new EP showcase.
A new venue dedicated to folk and traditional music is set to open in Leitrim next weekend with a launch event at the newly renovated Leitrim Inn & Blueway Lodge in Leitrim Village, featuring some of Ireland's best-known folk performers.
The Leitrim Folk Listeners Club will officially open on Saturday, June 20, at 8pm, with organisers aiming to create a space where audiences can enjoy live music in a listening-focused environment.
The inaugural event will feature performances from renowned folk artists Eleanor Shanley and Mike Hanrahan, while acclaimed singers Michael Banahan and Louise Killeen will also perform on the night.
The launch coincides with the release of a new four-track EP by Shanley and Hanrahan, The Ghost of You, produced by Bill Shanley.
The duo are currently touring as part of their 2026 summer schedule and audience members will have an opportunity to hear material from the new recording.
The EP includes the original song Craggy Hill, written by Hanrahan and inspired by the women of the Irish revolution, alongside interpretations of A Couple More Years, Gulf Coast Highway and Four Green Fields.
Speaking about the project, Mike Hanrahan said: "This project is rooted in friendship—with each other, and with Ronnie... Eleanor and I have spent decades in the music, and this EP feels like a celebration of the journey, the people, and the stories that shaped us."
Shanley is widely recognised for her work as lead singer with the traditional music group De Dannan and has collaborated with artists including Ronnie Drew, Sharon Shannon, Christy Moore and U2.