The west Clare town of Lisdoonvarna, celebrated in music and song, is gearing up for its annual festival, that now spreads over six weeks. September is still the month that is very much at the heart and soul of this gathering, that attracts people from all over Ireland as well as from the UK, America and all over the world. History shows that there has been a tradition of music and dance stretching almost 150 years in this region of Clare. For many decades now, the town has been synonymous with matchmaking, the last bastion of the old art in the country.

If perception is everything, Lisdoonvarna has long been on a winner.

Over 30 years have flown by since Christy Moore immortalised the town in his hit song of the same name.

“There’s the Burren and the Cliffs of Moher, and the Tulla and the Kilfenora, Miko Russell, Doctor Bill, Willy Clancy and Noel Hill, flutes and fiddles everywhere. If it’s music you want, you should go to Clare,” sang Christy with perspiration dripping down his face.

The 2015 festival gets underway with the Robert Mizzell Country Music Weekend on 28-30 August at The Hydro Hotel. The Showtours-organised event is shaping up to launch the Lisdoonvarna celebrations in style, and among those who will perform with Robert and the Country Kings are Hugo Duncan, John Hogan, Michael Collins, TR Dallas, Paddy O’Brien, Tony Marren, Cliona Hagan, and the Lisdoonvarna Showband.

Matchmaker Willie Daly is among the guests, and he and friends will be very busy with their ancient trade all throughout the month of September.

All the hotels and pubs in Lisdoonvarna and neighbouring areas will have ample amount of well-known musicians and singers, with country music and traditional music the dominant genres for the duration of the festival.

Among those who will feature at The Hydro and Imperial Hotels are PJ Murrihy, Sam O’Doherty, Teddy and Cathal Barry, Tea-Bone Country Showband, Blue Ridge Country, the Lisdoonvarna Showband, Midnight Run, Outa Diesel, Loveshack and Midnight Run.

Larry McEvoy can be found over at Spa Wells and a host of other regular entertainers will also be making their way to Lisdoonvarna throughout the marathon celebrations.

This year’s festival also features a special appearance by Buck Taylor, the soul singer from Kentucky.

The spirit of the Banner County is palpable and the hospitality is warm and welcoming, with a real sense of homecoming prevailing during the festival. After all, many have been coming back here year after year. In many respects, it is a reunion of friends who look forward to the trip to Clare like the swallows returning to Capistrano.

“Today there is internet dating, Tinder and other dating apps, but people are getting disillusioned with these modern disposable methods. Lisdoonvarna still offers a very personal service, with face-to-face introductions from Willie Daly, our traditional matchmaker. This is what makes us so different and still attracts people from all over the world,” says Marcus White, festival director.

The Lisdoonvarna Festival has always held a special fascination for many rural people, and farming topics are always much to the fore when folks meet up and share stories from over the years. It is essentially a uniquely Irish festival and one that has stood the test of time in an ever-changing world.

Christy Moore knew a thing or two about Lisdoonvarna when he penned those famous verses. The melody lingers on