Ballygar, Ireland, 1967. A hard-knocks community in outer Dublin marches to its own beat, rooted in traditions of loyalty, faith and togetherness. There’s just one tantalising dream for the women of Ballygar to taste freedom and escape the gauntlet of domestic life: to win a pilgrimage to the sacred French town of Lourdes. And with a little benevolent interference from their cheeky and rebellious priest, close friends Lily, Eileen, Dolly and Sheila are the ‘lucky’ few to win this ticket of a lifetime at their riotous local raffle night.

A unique force in British folk music. Their high-energy, virtuosic performances appeal equally to traditionalists and to those looking for something more experimental, and they have garnered praise from many national publications where they have been described as ‘melodically folk-rooted yet open and innovative beyond the constraints of genre’.

Beginning life as a trio with Steeleye Span’s erstwhile fiddle player Peter Knight joined by percussionist Sacha Trochet and guitarist Roger Flack – the line-up has been expanded to form the Big Band, with acclaimed multi instrumental duo Edgelarks (Phillip Henry and Hannah Martin – BBC Folk Awards ‘Best Duo’) & Bellowhead co founder and melodeon player extraordinaire, John Spiers.