Olive Braden, Chairperson of the Arts Council, will officially open the festival and launch of the 4th Clifden Anthology on 20 September in the West Connemara Leisure Centre at 8pm.

Bás Oileán (The Death of an Island) , which is a collaboration between the Irish Film Board and TG4, explores the final years of habitation on Inishark and its eventual abandonment, while actor Conor Lovett stars in The Good Thief’ on 24 September.

Well-loved Irish comedian Jon Kenny, fondly remembered as one half of inimitable duo ‘d’Unbelievables’ will perform in the Station House Theatre at 10pm on 20 September. While Neil Delamere, recognised for his work on RTE’s The Panel, BBC’s One Night Stand and repeated appearances at the world-renowned Edinburgh Fringe Festival, will take to the same stage on 26 September at 11pm.

One of Ireland’s most treasured singer-songwriters, Christy Moore, returns to the West Connemara Leisure Centre on 22 September at 8pm. The Irish musical heroes, The Dubliners, come to the Station House Theatre on 28 September at 8.30pm.

Getting the crowd going with their uniquely gregarious sound are The Saw doctors in the Clifden Town Hall on 27 September. at 8pm. Galway-based Irish-music group Dordán, highly-respected internationally for their imaginative interpretation of traditional pieces and for bringing new life to our rich cultural heritage, will be live in concert in the Alcock and Brown Hotel on 23 September at 10pm.

Cherish the ladies will keep trad-music fans swinging on the same stage on 24 September at 10pm.

The RTE Concert Orchestra will accompany the sometimes-rhythmic jigs, sometimes heart-wrenching melodies of award-winning Irish group Altan, who have been at the forefront of the traditional music scene for over twenty years, in the West Connemara Leisure Centre on 27 September at 8pm.