DUG & Zoé Basha
Saturday 16 May, 8pm
Townhall Arts Centre
Double Bill: DUG & Zoé Basha
Cavan Arts Festival presents an electrifying double bill with two bad ass acts guaranteed to lift the roof and seriously wear down your very best stomping & dancing boots!
Tickets: €30
DUG
There’s an effortless magnetism to DUG’s contemporary folk sound. Formed in 2023 by Conor (Lorkin) O’Reilly and Jonny Pickett, the duo write with the ease of lifelong collaborators, drawing on musical roots that stretch from America and Scotland to Ireland. Their lived experience comes through clearly on their debut album Have At It!
Resonator guitar and banjo take centre stage in their arrangements, weaving intricate finger-picked patterns with an organic, breathing energy. Known for their warmth, humour and razor-sharp lyrical wit, DUG balance mischief and melancholy in equal measure, crafting songs that feel like catching up with an old friend, honest, inviting and full of spirit.
Signed to Claddagh Records, one of the most respected homes for contemporary Irish folk, the duo have quickly built a devoted following in Ireland and abroad, with fans drawn as much to their live energy as to their often hilarious online presence.
After a landmark year of international touring, DUG now make their Cavan debut, bringing their infectious charisma and modern folk brilliance to the festival stage for the first time.
“Quite simply, DUG have served up one of the finest albums of the year.” – Hot Press (review of Have At It!, ★★★★★)
Zoé Basha
Traveling by thumb, freight trains, and rust-bucket vans, Basha played music in the streets for years to sustain the journey. Of French-American origins but with some pretty persistent traveling shoes, she’s been between Ireland and the traveling life, for the last decade. Her original pieces and traditional songs blend the pulse of American ragtime, the sway of Appalachian mountain songs, and the fervour and solemn ornamentation of Irish traditionals.
Basha’s self-released debut album Gamble tells the stories of her roamings through adventures and musings of intimacy, sorrow, celebrating the fleeting, and questioning the whole lot. Inspired by the greats of times passed, such as Billie Holiday, The Mills Brothers, Texas Gladden, Edith Piaf and The Steve Miller Band as well as her peers in Irish folk music- Zoé Basha savours the sounds of golden eras with contemporary nuance and shameless honesty.
Awarded Folk Album of the Month by The Guardian and receiving 4-star praise on RTÉ Radio 1’s Arena, the record and its title track were shortlisted for the 68th Annual Grammy Awards in two categories: Best Folk Album and Best American Roots Performance.
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Official Cavan Arts Festival Programme 2026
A magical four days & nights of art & culture in the heart of Cavan Town