The town of Carrick-on-Shannon has always been a happening place for music and entertainment.
In its full summer flush, with the population swellled considerably by tourists the buzz around Carrick is palpable and nowhere more so than on the busy Shannon river.
The Moon River is just one of the boats which ferries tourists and sightseers up and down the river around the year, but the large cruiser has become more than just a mode of transport.
It has, in recent months, turned into the hottest live music venue in the Leitrim town.
The River Sessions, as they are called, have already played host to some of the biggest names in entertainment in Ireland.
In the intimate atmosphere of Moon River, musicians of the calibre of Luka Bloom, Eleanor MacEvoy and Mundy have performed magnificent acoustic sets, leaving audiences spellbound.
The growing popularity of the River Sessions can be seen from its next performer. Juliet Turner was scheduled to play on Moon River tomorrow, Wednesday, August 26.
By just placing a few posters up around Carrick, the show was sold out within days. Thankfully a second show was added for tonight, Tuesday at 8pm and a limited number of tickets for that are still available (call ).
You can expect Luka Bloom to return in the near future too. He had a whale of a time when he first visited the River Sessions, revelling in the intimate, personal surroundings.
He even liked competing with the magnificent views along the Shannon for the attention of his audience, although he won in the end.
Mundy too was enamoured with the venue and he saw it as a magnificent opportunity to play a venue smaller than he is used to, bringing him back to the days when he wasn’t quite the big name he is now.
Watch out too for Declan O’Rourke. The talented young guitarist who supported Mundy was breathtaking and is being heralded as a man to watch for the future.
The River Sessions will not stop for the winter either. Promoter Aoife McCormack and boat owner Kenny Murtagh intend to keep the music going throughout the year.
The original idea for a series of high-profile concerts came from Aoife, a successful music promoter based in Dublin.
She talked it over with a friend and then approached Kenny, who jumped at the opportunity to host well known music acts.
At the time the boat was used quite a lot, for corporate events and for discos and parties, as well as bringing tourists on a trip down the Shannon.
Local bands, including Jargon and The Jazz Lads had also played there before, hiring the venue for their very own concert nights.
“When I saw Moon River I thought it would be a nice venue to use,” said Aoife. “The idea was to bring quality live music to Carrick, to bring good acts who may not otherwise perform here.”
She has achieved her goal and the proof of her success is visible on the faces of the audiences and the smiles of the performers.
Details of forthcoming River Sessions concerts will be published in the entertainment section of your Sligo Weekender. But if you miss the boat, you’ll have nobody to blame but yourself.