Your Roots Are Showing, the near six-day folk music festival in Killarney, Ireland, ended on Sunday similarly to how it started – a fan-filled room reveling in music from genre giants including Rhiannon Giddens and Dirk and Amelia Powell.
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The conference launched on January 14 with its sold-out Folk iN Fusion concert at INEC Arena in Killarney. The event ended with a music trail, which started with performances from Giddens and the Powells at St. Mary’s Church in Killarney, then wound its way through 12 pubs showcasing artist performances at each location. While guests needed tickets to attend the conference, the music trail was free.
“We’re really happy and keeping it local,” said Charlene Sloan, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Your Roots Are Showing. “We want as many artists of every type to be involved.”
Your Roots Are Showing Doubled in Size
2025 marks the third year for Your Roots Are Showing – its first at Gleneagle Hotel and Conference Center in Killarney. More than 100 artists from around the world traveled to Killarney to participate in the conference, which included educational presentations and artist showcases. Attendance numbers have doubled since 2024.
“To see Your Roots Are Showing grow into a sold-out event is incredibly rewarding,” said Brendan McCreanor, Co-Founder and Creative Director of Your Roots Are Showing. “This year’s lineup brought together incredible talent, both emerging and established, showcasing the richness of folk traditions worldwide. Our partnerships and collaborations reflect the event’s global reach.”
The conference honored Peter Rowan with its first Lifetime Achievement Award this year. Giddens delivered the keynote.
“I want to talk about the privilege that it is to be here,” Giddens said, “the privilege that we all have to be here. Some of us have more privilege than others. Some of us had an easier time on the path to where they’re sitting or I’m standing.”
Rhiannon Giddens Talked About Privilege
Each evening, after a day of panels that spanned topics ranging from working shops to AI, artists performed on multiple stages throughout the hotel well into the night.
Singers who showcased at this year’s event include Ireland’s first lady of country music, Sandy Kelly, McCreanor who is known for his innovative approach to the uilleann pipes; world-renowned fiddle player Gerry O’Connor; Hothouse Flowers singer Liam Ó Maonlaí, highly praised Scottish singer Iona Fyfe, Ashley Campbell and Thor Jensen of Campbell Jensen, Nashville-based Kenny Sharp and Brown Liquor Music, which blends blues, soul, country, funk and rock and roll.
“Thor and I were so excited to participate in YRAS,” Campbell said. “What a great way to meet new people and find ways to grow our audience.”
“This was my second time at YRAS,” Sharp said. “It scratches a few itches by being simultaneously inspirational, educational, and helpful in a professional sense. It’s the people and the music, along with the stories and the setting here in Ireland, that make it feel refreshing and rejuvenating to begin the year creatively.”
Artists Arrived From 14 Countries
This year, Your Roots Are Showing hosted bands from 14 countries, including Guyana, Australia, Canada, the USA, Spain, the UK, and Ireland.
“The breadth of talent and perspectives has elevated the entire event,” McCreanor said. “This global impact underscores the importance of platforms like Your Roots Are Showing in bringing together voices from across the world to share, learn, and celebrate the universal language of folk music.”
Next year’s conference dates will be announced soon. For more information, visit www.ireland.com or www.showingroots.com.
Photo by Colin Gillen
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