The Cup of Tae Festival in Ardara, is recognised by many as the perfect festival to start off the summer festivals calender. This festival has simply got everything... a music school, workshops, recitals and performances.

The ‘Cup of Tae’ is the name of an Irish Reel and this festival is in honour of a renowned player John ‘The Tae’ Gallagher and generations of his family before him who made ‘teas’ on Fair Days and days of local importance... hence the name of the festival!

The festival aims to teach tunes to all who are interested focusing on the fiddle and flute but with other instruments, singing, dancing, recitation and storytelling you will learn the tune and the folklore behind it.

John 'The Tae' Gallagher

John ‘The Tae’ Gallagher was born in West End, Ardara in 1923. At the age of four he began playing the fiddle and at the age of five he gave his first performance at a local concert.

From this he progressed to playing at dance halls and finally solo playing at special functions etc. He also performed complex duets with another local fiddler called James Josie ‘The Post’ McHugh. John ‘The Tae’ Gallagher won Oireachtas Senior Fiddle competition in 1956 and in 1959 won the All Ireland Senior Competition at the Fleadh in Thurles.

To find out more about this event please visit the website - cupoftaefestival.com