The 27th edition of the William Kennedy Piping Festival should be taking place this weekend, and its postponement has been felt not just by local music fans and the hospitality industry, but by those from all around the world who had this Armagh fixture in their diaries. We get occasional messages such as this one from Jan and Magda Thys, from Belgium:
Mid-November, and now, for the first time after 10 years, there is a big empty space in our agenda and we have to make do with enjoying our photos and recordings from previous WKPF editions at home. How we miss strolling through the streets of Armagh and bumping in to musicians everywhere. And so many music lovers, old and new friends …
We would like to thank all of the organisers and volunteers who are always working so hard to organise this fantastic festival. We are already looking forward to the next edition, hoping the corona-virus will have faded away enough for us all to be able to meet again and enjoy the music off all kinds of pipes. Through you we have had the opportunity to meet many local and international pipers. We have met so many new musicians, festival goers, people from far and not so far away, who have over the years become good friends.
From even further afield, Catherine Kinder from North Carolina has posted memories of last year’s Festival. She and Scott had a good excuse for not coming this year anyhow, having their hands full with baby Kevin – who was name-checked by Jarlath Henderson in his recent Fonn Friday concert for the Pipers Club!
Here’s hoping that we see these and hundreds of other familiar and friendly faces in Armagh in November 2021.