Gathering around Clancy’s Kitchen at Dungarvan Mart

“The mart is part of the community and we try to help any group if we can,” says manager of Dungarvan Mart Kevin Casey, as he tidies away the auctioneer's bench in preparation for a show in a few hours.

However, the show in ring one is a little different to what usually takes place at marts around the country.

Stage lights are in place and soundchecks are under way in preparation for a Clancy’s Kitchen gig as part of the West Waterford Festival of Food (WWFOF), which took place in April.

Taking a break from soundchecks

“This is a first for me,” says Róisín Clancy as she prepares for the evening.

“It is absolutely fabulous. It works like a little amphitheatre; the acoustics are lovely,” she continues.

“Our biggest fear was that it would be thundering down rain on the roof and we wouldn’t be able to be heard!”

With the sun beaming down, there was no fear of that happening.

The Clancy family

Róisín - daughter of Bobby Clancy of The Clancy Brothers - has teamed up with her cousin Dónal (Liam Clancy’s son), her husband Ryland Teifi and Brendan Clancy (no relation) to form Clancy’s Kitchen.

Róisín sings and plays the bodhran, Dónal plays guitar and vocals, Ryland is on keyboard, guitar, mandolin and vocals and Brendan is on banjo and fiddle.

“We are trying to create the kitchen table type of feel where everyone takes part,” she says of the band.

“We do a few numbers from the Clancy Brothers repertoire and we mix it up a bit with literature, stories, drama, ballads and trad as well.”

And with a break for ham sandwiches, crisps and apple juice, this event was one of the highlights of the festival, appealing to all ages.

“People say it is quite nostalgic really,” she adds.

From mart sales to festival gigs

But how did this event come about?

“The food festival came to me last year and I was delighted,” explains mart manager Kevin, who is from a suckler and sheep farm in Kilbehenny, Co Limerick.

“I started off in the yard droving at Cahir Mart, then I worked in the office and, in early 2022, I began managing the mart here in Dungarvan,” he says of his career path with Cork Marts.

At the moment, this ring is only in use one day a week - Mondays for the general cattle sale. Later in the year, weanlings will be sold here on a Thursday.

“It is great to be able to use this premises for something; to bring the locality into the mart, for people to come in and see what it is like,” says Kevin of the impact of the concert.

“A lot of locals came in, but also a lot of people had travelled a nice distance, which was good to see too,” he continues.

“Let’s use the premises since it is here,” he adds before continuing on with the preparations.

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